It is a very cool watch - that's certainly the truth! I like the way the orange accents complement the orange(y) triangle on the bezel. It looks great.

I don't know if we should set too much in store with the catalog, as sometimes the art department seemed to produce mock ups of watches that didn't exist in that exact configuration. My favourite "art department only" watch is the transitional monaco with the rectangular blue lume hands. Never seen one in the wild but it looks very cool on the catalog picture. I have to say I doubted the existence of two other catalog rarities (the MH/Tachy bezel nameless Calculator, and the boxing 5100 model). But in the end the community found examples of both these watches, so maybe the grey monaco transitional will turn up some day..... Going back to the 1163P, it's hard to conclude anything about the 1163P from the catalog except that Heuer planned to produce the model.

Now for my opinion: being ultra picky, I'd say the bezel on your watch looks too new compared to the case wear. That in itself doesn't prove anything - the watch may have come with a decomp bezel and it may have been replaced by Heuer (or TAG Heuer) at a later date.

BTW: There were certainly different alternatives of the bezel made - I've seen a deci bezel for the 1163 as a spare part but never on a watch. It would look good and bring something different to the classic autavia. Anyone got pics of a deci bezel on an 1163?

Shaun