THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: HEUER AUTAVIA
MODEL: 2446c
YEAR: 1971
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND

Heuer first rolled out the Autavia name back in the 1930s, when it was stamped on dash clocks for racing cars and aircraft—a neat mash-up of AUTomotive and AVIAtion. By the 1960s, though, Heuer wasn’t just making clocks—it was defining the golden age of sports chronographs. Motorsport, aviation, timing precision—the Autavia sat right at the crossroads.

Enter the Autavia GMT. It takes Heuer’s bread-and-butter racing chronograph formula and adds a travel-friendly GMT complication. This example has survived in its correct configuration: the “Swiss Only” dial shows minor staining on the subdials, the tritium hour markers have mellowed into a pale cream, and the bezel has aged into a wonderfully faded aquamarine-and-red split that just screams character. The correct fluted pushers, crown, and compressor snap-back case complete the package, with those subtle details that mark its generation.

Inside beats the legendary Valjoux 72—one of the finest manual-wind chronograph movements of its time. Freshly serviced, it’s running superbly at +7 s/d, 295 amps, with a beat error of 0.2 ms.

Why do we love it? Because it’s pure Heuer DNA with a twist of wanderlust. It’s rare, it’s charismatic, and it punches well above its weight against watches costing twice as much. In short: a crown jewel of the Autavia lineup, and a serious prize for anyone building a collection with soul.