I have often wondered about this exact question -- What were the origins of the case style / geometry that Heuer used for the very first automatic Autavias (Reference 1163)? I wonder about some Seiko dive watches and some manual-wind Eternas? But these are just guesses -- both these could have come before or after March 1969.

Perhaps there is no clear answer, but it would be great to try to unravel this mystery?

Jeff

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

: It is, with its large external bezel, more or less a modern reissue
: of the 1970s Autavia:
:
:

: Even, in my opinion, a better homage than the actual
: "Autavia" reissue!

: We are certainly seeing this case style come back, Longines has one
: as well. This may open a can of worms (in the most educational
: way!), but were the 1163 / 1153 the first chronos to use a
: cushion-style case like that?