Case size: 40,5 mm
Material: steel
Movement: manual, caliber Valjoux 7730
Year: circa 1970
Crystal: plastic crystal
Bracelet: leather strap
Case number: 7763
Serial number: 132'964
Wear due to age and use. Scratches.
A simple function check indicated the movement runs; accuracy, power reserve and long-term performance have not been tested and servicing may be required at the buyer’s expense. Pictures of the movement are available upon request. Water resistance cannot be guaranteed and should be checked by a qualified watchmaker before any exposure to water. No right of withdrawal applies to live auction purchases.
This particular example is offered by the original owner’s family. According to the family, the watch was given to the owner by his wife in the 1970s for a milestone birthday. Knowing of his strong interest in motor racing, she asked an acquaintance working in Switzerland to find a suitable watch with a connection to the racing world. He returned with this Autavia, which the owner wore regularly for many years.
The name Autavia derives from AUTomobile and AVIAtion, originally used by Heuer for dashboard timers and instruments long before it was introduced as a wristwatch line. The Autavia chronograph was launched in 1962 and is generally regarded as one of the first key models developed under Jack Heuer’s leadership, marking the beginning of the brand’s modern era of purpose-built tool chronographs.