Autavia 1163s run right through from 141xxx into the mid-144xxxs, so I would say limiting those "marks" to just 141s would be too restrictive. The watches that we have serials for in this range all have 3-6-9-12 registers; the 1-2-3-4...12 dials appear in catalogues for 1972, but I have seen sales documentation for such a dial from mid-1971, so I now tend to refer to these as 1972 "model year" watches, rather than specifically saying 1972 on.

Later 144s through to the 146s are Autavia 2446s, before the Carreras start at 147xxx.

The next batch of 1163s we see start from the late 202xxxs (lower 202s are manual Autavias), into the 203xxxs (potentially the 204s too, but we have no serials in that range). 205xxxs are 1163 GMTs (exclusively so going by the serials we have so far).

Then we have another big batch from the 222s through the 224s. This is the point at which we start to see some 1-2-3-4...12 dials appearing, so these would appear to be from mid-1971 on. A watch in this group does indeed have a bracelet marked for 3rd quarter 1971. It's not an homogenous group though, some still sport 3-6-9-12 dials.

The next big batch runs from 241xxx through 243xxx, corresponding to the range Alex mentions. Just making the point that this is the 4th (5th if we count GMTs as a separate batch) batch of 1163 production, rather than the second as that post might suggest.

246xxx through 247xxx is also for Autavia 1163s. The fact that it follows pretty hard on the heels of the last large batch may link to the success of the Viceroy promotion. Certainly it's a notably small gap between major batches of Autavia cases.

After that we see some 11630 cases coming through in the 259xxxs to 262xxxs before 1163s reappear between 266xxx and 276xxx, although a number of watches in this range are 1163s.

That seems to be the last major batch of 1163s, though there are some in the late 339s and between 358 and 359.

To summarise then, from the serial numbers we have at the moment (which represent a small fraction of the watches out there so that needs to be considered here), there would appear to be 9 batches of Autavia 1163 cases:

1) 141xxx - 144xxx
2) 202xxx - 203xxx (perhaps 204xxx)
3) 205xxx (GMTs)
4) 222xxx - 224xxx
5) 241xxx - 243xxx
6) 246xxx - 247xxx
7) 266xxx - 276xxx
8) 339xxx
9) 358xxx - 359xxx

If we can see some sort of correlation between number and the characteristics Alex has outlined, that would be ideal. Though we have to bear in mind that many watches in batch 3 could be considered transitional. Watches in other batches are much less likely to be transitionals, although there is always the possibility that parts are changed at service. I included the GMTs as a separate batch but they could possibly be included with that second batch - I don't think there's any difference in case between those and a "standard" 1163?

I'm with Alex on not using the Derek Bell name on any watch with any configuration other than that he wore/wears. And given we don't know precisely what that is, I'd say it's best avoided until we do know, otherwise it's all just FUD without the fear!