J.H.:

I am on vacation, and have been away from the computer most days, but I have been wanting to post a message about this one.

This one presents the "usual" three choices: prototype / special (limited) production / fake.

But before we analyze these choices, here's what I know, for sure. I have seen three or four of these over the last five years. (Of course, there is always the possibility that there is only one, that keeps moving around, from hand to hand, owner to owner.) Location is usually Germany. This version of the Autavia does not appear in any Heuer catalogs, but there are other authenitc models that never appeared in the catalogs.

With this background of what I have seen / know, we turn to the question of what this watch might be.

• It might be a prototype: somewhere along the way, the folks at Heuer might have been experimenting with a new version; they made a handful of these, then decided not to produce the model.
• It might be a special edition: maybe Heuer made this for a limited market. we have seen special editions for the Italian air force and other countries / markets; there are rumors of other editions made for a certain geographic market. so maybe Heuer made this one for a limited market?
• It might be a fake: maybe someone made a few of these dials, used the usual Autavia cases and hands, and put a few together? if so, they seem to be selling them at German watch fairs, where these watches seem to originate.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

: do any of you have any knowledge of this
: version? i'm dying to find something out
: about this one. maybe a prototype? maybe
: made for a certain market only? maybe a
: couple of heuer watchmakers having some fun
: and making their own custom watch from heuer
: parts? ? maybe just a regular common cal 15
: model i just missed seeing all these years?
: ? maybe a put together autavia with a custom
: refinished dial? ?

: the dial on this one reminds me more of an
: omega style from that era than any heuer i
: have ever seen?

: if anyone has any info, i'd love you to share
: it...and solve this mystery piece? thank you
: in advance for any info!

: lastly, thanks Heat for taking the time and
: posting, so i might learn a thing or two
: about your watch. greatly appreciated.

: j.h.