Agree that Red Seconds Hand Is OK; Disagree on Sequence

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Agree that Red Seconds Hand Is OK; Disagree on Sequence

In Response To: Some thoughts/experiences - First Execution Autavias ()

Abel:

This is a very interesting topic.

I agree with you that the red chronograph seconds hand is original to some of these watches, but I believe that the sequence of the thin lume hands was different. At least on the Ref 3646 Autavias, the serial numbers in my files suggest that Heuer produced:

All Lume dauphine hands, then
Thin Lume dauphine hands, then
Fat Lume dauphine hands.

Also, with so many of these thin lume hands floating around in the 1950s Valjoux 92 watches that Heuer produced, we also have the possibility that the thin lume hands may have often been used as later replacements, with this sometimes being evident from very fresh hands on dials that look so much cleaner than the dials (such as the one shown below).
My bottom line -- I believe that the "Thin Lume" hands are original to these watches, but for a very small run that came after the "All Lume" and before the "Fat Lume" . . . in the 489xx range of serial numbers.
Definitely a very interesting topic . . . I will try to post more, after I study my files.
Jeff

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

: Hello,

: Related to the topic of Kyle from yesterday.

: I just did a quick search in my photo archives and already found
: three First execution Autavia's with also such a red central
: seconds hand.

: At first I obviously also thought these were non
: original/repainted. The whites only seem to be "more
: pointy" or sharp due to the fact of the white paint. The
: red ones seem to have softer/rounded edges, but that's only
: visual appearance, they are in fact identical shape.

: The ones I found in my archives were all in early serial number
: range. About the 2 register reference 3646, one had 488xx
: serial, the other 489xx. The three register had a 494xx serial
: number.

: A few of my other observations with these watches: they all had the
: original early domed crown, early small pushers and also
: important the "thin lume insert" dauphine hands as
: they were advertised in an early Heuer brochure.

: For me these "thin lume insert" dauphine hands are
: certainly very early and are for sure earlier then the
: "wide lume" dauphine hands. I even tend to believe
: that these "thin lume insert" dauphine hands are
: actually first execution, so earlier then the famous full lume
: dauphines. If we look at the Heuer watches produced before the
: first execution Autavia's were produced, we see these "thin
: lume insert" dauphine hands on a variety of other Heuer
: chronographs already. It is my belief that the full lume
: dauphines were introduced on the 1st execution Autavia's only
: after they were in production for some time with the "thin
: lume insert" dauphines. And then after some time in
: production Heuer might have experienced some issues/troubles
: with the full lume dauphine hands, they started to use the
: "wide lume" dauphine hands.

: Ofcourse, please note, these thoughts are only based on my personal
: experience and I do not pretend it to be the only truth.

: Thanks,
: abel.

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