Lot 98

Heuer "Autavia", Case No. 109921, Ref. 2446C Tachy, Cal. Val 72, 40 mm, circa 1968
A "cult" wristwatch in practically new condition with chronograph, rotating bezel with tachy scale, compressor case and "Reverse Panda" dial. The 2446C is the second generation manual-wind Autavia.
Case: steel, "compressor" snap back with engraving. Dial: black, silver-coloured and engine- turned subsidiary registers, baton hands with luminous tritium material.
Only a very small number of the Heuer Autavia reference 2446C with black dial and light auxiliary dials was produced from 1968 and 1971, making it a rare and highly sought after collector’s chronograph watch.
The C designation after the reference 2446 stands for "compressor" and refers to the snap-back construction holding the case back in place with a large C clip. It is sealed with a large rubber ring.
The bezel of the Autavia 2446C came in three variations because the watch was produced for racing as well as for aviation; the most common bezel is the one with a minute and hour display. Less common are the hour time zone bezel, which is primarily intended for pilots and this rotating tachy bezel, which is used in racing to measure average speed.