Autavia GMT

Many thanks to this Forum. I posted a message for help and counsel as to whether to sell my Autavia GMT to the horologist who had given me an estimate of repairs. I received many suggestions from members of this Forum and a number of very generous offers.

Oh! Geez! I should have asked for snaps!

I did sell my Autavia GMT Sunday to a member of the Forum from the UK. I shall be sad to see it go. However, I replaced it with an Omega Seamaster Divers Chronogram, for not a lot more than I received for the Autavia. The Divers Chrono was so reasonable in price that I could not find a comparable Heuer for near that price. By the way, an Omega collector checked out the Chrono and found it to be legitimate. That model is a heavy, massive case chronogram like the Autavia GMT. And it can do the sea work that I once used my Autavia for.

Sounds like you got a bargain for the Seamaster... I probably have a similar model somewhere in my collection!

The buyer has a friend in the UK who purchased the entire stock of the old Heuer UK repair center and who claims to have a good stock of Autavia parts. My watch will be completely rebuilt by that person. I encourage the buyer to post pictures of the rebuilt Autavia. I sent the buyer a history of where the Autavia has been and some of its adventures.

Hmmm... UK mmmm... Sounds like the Autavia will experience a renassaince soon. That's good news!

Yes, I am feeling withdrawal symptoms, as if I had "divorced" my watch. But, I am not a collector and have one slot for a serious sports watch and it must do sea work. I do not think that even a fully rebuilt watch that was not designed for heavy sea work and has been in use for 30 years should now be used for that purpose. It is a tribute to the construction of the Autavia that I could use it for spear fishing and light scuba for years with no trouble - and it is not a "divers" model.

No, the Autavia was never intended, well... MOST Autavia's were never intended for Diving applications, if memory serves me correctly, some of the military targeted models did sport a 200m water resistance rating... So some Autavia's were divers. But most likely the Autavia wasn't intended for spear fishing and scuba applications...

So, the sale price for the Autavia mostly funded the Omega Seamaster Chrono, which is certified to 300 meters. But, I know in my gut that the Omega will not be as gloriously bullet proof as the Autavia GMT and the Omega will will not share with me the indignities and pleasures that my Autavia shared with me during my batchelor years in NYC and the Bahamas.

Actually, I disagree with your gut feeling... Omega makes good (even great watches) and the Seamaster Professional Chronograph (the only one that has a 300 meter rating) is a fantastic chronograph. One of my favorites. I'm confident that you'll get many years of stalwhart service out of the Seamaster. Just have the watch's seals tested before doing any diving, ok?

You might enjoy a piece I wrote a couple of years back on the Seamaster Professional Chronograph...