From ANALOGSHIFT website:
It seems as if everyone is after a vintage Heuer these days, and the majority are looking for Autavias. It’s easy to see why, since they’re the archetype of 60s and 70s motor sports watches. They have large cases, handsome dials and excellent movements. During the golden age of sports car racing, a chronograph watch was an essential piece of kit, and many of the racing greats had a Heuer strapped to their wrist. How can anyone not love them today?
If you’re at all tuned into the Heuer world, you’re probably as shocked as we are about the incredible rise in value of manually-wound early Autavias. A few years ago, everyone wanted Sifferts, Viceroys and GMTs, but it seems as though early 2446s are the new top dog. What was once a $5000 watch now goes for $25,000, and most Heuer collectors (us included), unfortunately missed the writing on the wall. The earlier the 2446, the rarer it is today, and with classically styled inverse panda dials, black bezels, beveled lugs, and Valjoux 72 movements, we all should have seen it coming.
The name "Autavia" comes from a combination of two words: Automotive & Aviation. The first Autavias were dashboard clocks and instrumentation used in automobiles and aircraft, and Heuer recycled the name in the 1960s and applied it to their line of professional racing chronographs. The earliest 2446 references featured 38mm cases with screw-on backs and long tapered lugs, and these have seen the largest spikes in value. These watches were made in three distinct executions, and the value increases along with age. The later 2446s, which transitioned to a new snap-back compressor case in 1968, are known as the reference 2446C, and now represent the best value in early Autavias. The 40mm cases are perfectly sized for todays collectors and the Valjoux 72 movements inside are some of the best chronograph calibers every made. 2446Cs are not easy to come by (especially in good condition) in todays market, and we at analog/shift truly believe that they are one of the best buys in all of vintage Heuer.
