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Lot Essay
The present Heuer Autavia is one of the exceedingly rare military versions of the model to appear in public, supplied in the 1980s to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) or "Tzahal" in Hebrew, as confirmed by the Archives of TAG Heuer.
The case back bears IDF's military issue number “M-2008”, the absence of a serial number confirms that the watch was not part of the firm’s regular production.
Obviously hardly used, this military Autavia impresses with its extremely well-preserved overall condition, the presence of the original bracelet and the protective sticker to the case back – a highlight for the collector of rare timepieces.
The Autavia, the true representative of Heuer’s sporting heritage, was released in 1962. It was the first new model launched under the guidance of the firm’s new CEO Jack Heuer, the name a combination of its target markets, the manufacture of timekeeping devices for motorsports and the production of cockpit instruments for military and civil aviation: AUTomotive and AVIAtion. Its solid construction, excellent legibility and the rotating bezel made it the perfect chronograph for pilots, divers and other military personnel – including the Israel Defense Forces. The present reference 113.603 is from the very last vintage Autavia series launched in 1985.
Other models of reference 113.603 are illustrated and described in Heuer Autavia Chronographs by Richard Crosthwaite & Paul Gavin, pp. 142 & 143, 146 & 147 and 150 & 151.
The case back bears IDF's military issue number “M-2008”, the absence of a serial number confirms that the watch was not part of the firm’s regular production.
Obviously hardly used, this military Autavia impresses with its extremely well-preserved overall condition, the presence of the original bracelet and the protective sticker to the case back – a highlight for the collector of rare timepieces.
The Autavia, the true representative of Heuer’s sporting heritage, was released in 1962. It was the first new model launched under the guidance of the firm’s new CEO Jack Heuer, the name a combination of its target markets, the manufacture of timekeeping devices for motorsports and the production of cockpit instruments for military and civil aviation: AUTomotive and AVIAtion. Its solid construction, excellent legibility and the rotating bezel made it the perfect chronograph for pilots, divers and other military personnel – including the Israel Defense Forces. The present reference 113.603 is from the very last vintage Autavia series launched in 1985.
Other models of reference 113.603 are illustrated and described in Heuer Autavia Chronographs by Richard Crosthwaite & Paul Gavin, pp. 142 & 143, 146 & 147 and 150 & 151.