and I did not take it this way.
I think that naming some chronographs after auto racers is more appropriate then after actors or singers,
especially if they were "caught" wearing them and photographed...
I bought my first vintage Heuer chronograph over 10 years ago.
It was an Autavia manual wind GMT with the red blue bezel.
Then a Heuer chronograph made for Abercrombie and Fitch.
I should have kept that one. I remember when I listed it on e-bay I had a lot of calls from people
trying to buy it before the auction was over...
A few more followed over the years.

: Yes, some members of our community like these names -- Steve
: McQueen, Joe Siffert, Jochen Rindt, Jackie Ickx, Derek Bell,
: Clay Regazzoni, etc.

: Personally, I am not a huge fan of the "Derek Bell" name
: for this Auatvia. Yes, he was a great racer, and he wore one of
: these watches, but I don't see the close identification /
: multiple images of this man and this watch . . . as we saw with
: McQueen, Siffert, Rindt, etc. It has also proven to be somewhat
: confusing, as we have the later 1163MHs, in the Viceroy style,
: that some call the Derek Bell.

: And, to address your more specific point, I'm not sure that we put
: Derek Bell in the same league as James Bond, Paul Newman, Steve
: McQueen, etc., as icons who inspire people to collect particular
: watches. I don't imagine that Tourneau gets a lot of people
: walking in, asking for the watch that Derek Bell wore.

: I was not criticizing you for using this name.

: Jeff

: ++++++++++++++++++++

: