Watchmakers have reported that when a watch came in for servicing, back in the day (say the 1980s or 1990s), hands were routinely "updated" to versions that were used in later watches. This was considered an enhancement of the watch and a nice benefit of sending a watch in for servicing. So the Carrera that originally had first execution hands came back with second or third execution hands, and the same with the Autavias and Monacos. For example, we have seen several "Transitional" Monacos that now have "Standard" hands.

Nowadays, we are freaks about "originality", and would consider it wrong to "update" the hands on a vintage watch, but this happened routinely back in the day, when these were just watches, and not "collectibles".

Serial number is 2051xx suggests that it is a relatively early sample of the 1163 GMT, so I would guess that both the hands and the chrono needles were replaced (since Heuer did not have the red needles at the time when the 1163 GMT was introduced).

To my eye, it's a great looking watch.

Jeff

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

: I have heard so many stories, and have direct experience of TAG
: Heuer vintage service dept not matching correct parts to their
: vintage watches. I even found out that they did not recognise a
: cal11 GMT movement recently, even though it was attached to a
: watch with GMT parts, instead they saw a Cal11 bridge and
: assumed it was a vanilla cal11 movement. I find it totally
: believable that they would fit incorrect non matching parts to
: any number of watches and would be 99% sure this watch did not
: leave Heuer in this configuration originally.

: Rich