A wheel and a propeller are engraved on the solid caseback as a nod to the origins of the Autavia as an automotive and aviation model. The strap, clasp and steel case are all nicely finished. Other options include a blue or light brown leather strap as well as a metal bracelet and a range of textile straps. And here’s another nice feature: the strap can be easily removed and replaced using a plastic release on the inner side. The dark brown strap looks attractive with the blue dial and bezel. The watch measures 42.75 mm across and is therefore the perfect size, isn’t too thick and lies comfortably on the wrist, thanks also to the supple calfskin strap and flat pin buckle. There’s also good news regarding wearing comfort. Size, Finishing and Refined Details Enhance Comfort The Calibre 5 movement has the date at 6 o‘clock. The gradient smoked blue dial shows the Autavia’s modern side. The hack mechanism allows the time to be set precisely. Also, the extra-large crown that is taken from the cockpit instrument cannot be screwed down and further simplifies operation. Another positive feature: the bezel ratchets in minute increments, is easy to use and does not slip unintentionally out of place. The bezel inlay is made of scratch-resistant ceramic, which isn’t as rare as it once was, and is extremely advantageous as it resists signs of wear for an extended time. But since this is not a professional instrument like a dive watch, this is acceptable for a secondary function. The bidirectional rotating bezel has a finely divided track, which - along with the lack of luminous coating on the triangle marker - requires some careful attention to read. ![]() Thanks to the luminous numerals, striking hands and anti-glare sapphire crystal, it is easy to read the time, and even the date is readily legible. All together this produces an attractive, timeless retro look. These are mixed with new elements like the gradient color of the dial (shown here in blue) and older functions like the rotating bezel, which has an updated design. Our test watch is not based on a single earlier model but incorporates a variety of elements like the case of the first chronograph with its wide facets on the lugs, the minutes hand of the Chrono-Matic, and the numerals from the Super Autavia. The Autavia has evolved from cockpit counter to trendy sports watch. It was one of the first automatic chronograph movements in a contemporary tonneau case that featured a window date display at 6 o’clock. The year 1969 saw the introduction of the Autavia Chrono-Matic powered by the Calibre 11, which was developed in part by Heuer. From the beginning, it was available with various tracks on a rotating bezel, such as 12-hour division markings for a second time zone or 60-minute markers to measure intervals of up to one hour.Īutavia Mixes Vintage and Modern Elements ![]() In 1962, Heuer introduced a wristwatch chronograph bearing the same name. The Super Autavia, which came later, combined a time display, stopwatch and rotating bezel in a single instrument, with numerals that look like those on the Autavia Calibre 5, our test watch. This cockpit instrument was attached to the dashboard and was used to measure driving or flight times. Heuer first built the Autavia in 1933 as a stopwatch for motor vehicles and aircraft. ![]() In this feature from the WatchTime archives, we test whether this chronometer-certified newbie is another winner. Stopwatch function in its traditional Autavia line. For the first time, TAG Heuer has introduced a watch without a
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