Wow! I can't tell you how cool this is to find this stuff out!

Well, I can tell you, it was pretty cool putting together the HTML tables based on a table done by Bruce Mackie, which was revised and expanded by Jeff Stein and Hans Schrag. Literally none of this information was available on-line 18 months ago. Jeff got in touch with me after reading an article that Matthias Liebe-Kleymann and myself put-together on the Heuer Carrera, I got Jeff and Derek Ziglar (owner of Chronocentric) together and more or less these are the results.

According to that picture it is definitely a Autavia 45 model 3646H, and I am hypothesizing that it is the middle selection in the chart above - I measured the "pushers" with a caliper at 4.3mm (narrowing it down to the bottom two choices) and there are "dots marking the hours" and the hands are not "square" as described in the lowest of the three. If I read the chart correctly that means it was in the 1966 catalog, which is very cool since that is the year I was born.

After speaking with Jeff on the phone last night I agree with you both that my originally assessment that the watch was an earlier (first line in my condenced table) is likely in error and your thoughts that it's the same model as the middle line in the table is correct.

Chuck, I can't thank you enough for all this cool information. Next time I'm in Chicago I owe you dinner at Pizza Uno!

I'm not much of a Pizza man... Can't stand tomatos... and I live about 40 miles west of Chicago. Not in the Sticks, but we can see them from here... But if you don't mind a Cheeseburger and Fries at Miller's Pub, you're on!

Besides, lots of people deserve credit for the information and knowledge that is available here. Hopefully I've left enough breadcrumbs in my previous message that you see how I assembled the archeology dig...

Thanks again,

Not a problem at all! You're welcome!

Mark.

P.S. - I have since heard back from LVMH in New York (I sent them the same pictures & info). Here is their quote:

"I did some further research with watchmakers and estimators and the only information I found out it was made in 1927. They had no information on any values of the watch. Thank You, Customer Hotline"

You guys at "OnTheDash" really seem to know your watches - I'd hate to send it to someone who supposedly represents the company but doesn't even guess the right decade of manufacture. If any of you know a reputable watchmaker who might be able to do a cosmetic restoration please let me know.

Well, they were within 50 years. The Autavia line simply isn't that old. I think they first started shipping them in the early 1960's (1962? perhaps one of the other regulars can assist me on that). I'm a bit surprised that they are that far off myself even though LVMH is much more interested in their current line than “Legacy” watches from before LVMH and even TAG's involvement with Heuer. At least they had the right century!

Overall, I must say that Omega does have a better sense of their heritage (even though they are currently draging their reputation through the mud with one of their new movements) than TAG-Heuer/LVMH. But the good news is that 18 months ago, Heuers and TAG-Heuer's were nearly impossible to get any information about (and Omega's were relatively easy), now it's often easier to find the information you need on Vintage Heuer's than Omega. A complete reversal.

Thanks mainly to the efforts of the regulars here at OnTheDash.

Thanks,

On behalf of everyone who's helped out making OTD the resource it is, I'll welcome you!

Mark

Cheers!

-- Chuck

P.S. You can find additional articles and catalogs relating to Heuers, TAG-Heuers and other brands (mainly Omega) at the link I've provided below...