Jeff set a very difficult question. I thought about it over the past few days. What I was thinking was that if you could only keep three watches it would be nice to still have a collection around a theme.

My first thought was to keep a Abercrombie and Fitch theme, as I really love those watches, plus I could have a Carrera and an Autavia (effectively) so would represent two key Heuer models:

But that didn't work for me... I was thinking maybe if I chose a third execution watch for the theme of 3 watches, it would fit the theme so well Jeff would allow me to throw an extra one in. Plus the reason I love the third execution Autavia so much is that it's small elegant case somehow combines the best of both the Autavia and the Carrera, it's somehow a perfect Heuer:

I love those 3rd executions, but in the end not enough, so I thought about having one key watch from each of the main Heuer eras. I went for really rare models, as well as one which best typified the era. A first execution Autavia for the early 60s, the 1158 for the bling early 70s, and the PVD for the end of Heuer and the onset of the 80s. The first execution Autavia is pretty rare (ok, not solid hands, but patina makes up for it), and so is the PVD Monaco, but this really early version of the 18k 1158 Carrera with the 3-6-9-12 sub register seems to be even more rare:

But in the end, these watches were too scary to wear every day, so I changed my mind one last time. I decided if I had to wear three only, I'd go with watches that I'd be happy to wear day in and day out. The Monaco is one of the first Heuers I ever bought in the early 90s, it's a beautifully worn model, with the early recessed subdials like the chromatic & transitional. I just love the blue silverstone, it's been a favourite of mine for a long time, even if they are not very fashionable with collectors these days. Finally, I kept one watch I'd started with, just to keep the blue theme..actually, to be honest, if I had to keep only one watch, this would be it. The perfect and elegant 60s Carrera case, dauphine hands, and a beautiful dial ...