{"product_id":"heuer-autavia-diver-100-as01496","title":"Heuer Autavia Diver 100","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo us here at analog\/shift, the Heuer Autavia (short for \"Automotive\" and \"Aviation\") means racing. It was worn by greats like Jo Siffert, Mario Andretti, and Jochen Rindt. And the reference 11063, the last incarnation of the Autavia, is seen by many collectors as the embodiment of Heuer's mastery of the racing chronograph.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeuer first released the Autavia in 1962. The earliest models had screw case backs, unusual for racing chronographs of the period. Then, around 1969, Heuer shifted to a snap-back compressor case for improved water resistance. But in the 1970s Heuer shifted to the large, cushion-style cases that are most often associated with the model. This increase in case size was to accommodate their new Caliber 12 movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cal. 12 took the previous cal. 11 and gave it a higher beat, which required Heuer (in partnership with Debois-Depraz and Buren) to change the gear train, escapement, and balance wheel. They also improved upon some weaknesses with the chronograph mechanism in the cal. 11 that allowed the hammer cam jumper to slip out of place. The result was a more accurate chronograph movement that would become the \u003cem\u003ecreme de la creme\u003c\/em\u003e of Heuer's chronograph calibers.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ref. 11063 was first introduced in 1984 and was the last of the Autavias. It saw several different dial and hand configurations, such as the \"Viceroy\" with its reverse panda dial (which also came in a black case, which was used in military service); \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/shop.analogshift.com\/collections\/watches\/products\/heuer-autavia-1\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Heuer Autavia \" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003ea black dial with grey indices\u003c\/a\u003e; and even a GMT. But among the rarest of these are the Diver 100 models, the ref. 11063P with its distinctive scalloped \"Rolex-style\" bezel and Mercedes hands. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevelopment of the ref. 11063P probably began in the early 1980s, but it has been suggested that it was never actually intended for sale to the general public. The early 1980s were a time of financial crisis for the Swiss watch industry. Faced by the encroaching Japanese Quartz technology, SSIH (the holding company that owned Tissot, Omega, and Lemania) was forced by the Swiss banks to merge with ASUAG, forming SMH, the ancestor to the Swatch Group. SSIH lost Lemania in the merger, having to sell it to a holding company owned by Piaget. This new company, Nouvelle Lemania, then bought Heuer-Leonidas from Jack Heuer. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo soften the blow of being let go, several executives at Heuer were given \u003cem\u003ecarte blanche \u003c\/em\u003ewith watch parts and watches instead of a traditional severance package. This is most likely the origin of the Diver 100, which has parts that can't be found on any other Heuer watches, such as a bezel similar to that found on Rolex Submariners, as well as Mercedes hands - an incredibly rare feature for a Heuer Chronograph. Speaking of the bezel, it's rumored that some of these watches were fitted with a decompression bezel (notable for the accents of red at 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock), but the facts are thin and even many top Heuer collectors share different opinions on the matter.  While Heuer did release the Autavia ref. 1163P and the ref. 11630P with that bezel, it was never really intended to go on the Diver 100, and examples that bear it cannot be decisively traced back to Heuer. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat said, whether the Diver 100 has a decompression bezel or not, it remains an \u003cem\u003eüber\u003c\/em\u003e rare execution of Autavia that has been coveted and zealously searched-for by many an Autavia collector; we're thrilled to be able to offer you one here.  \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Heuer","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":18136877953,"sku":null,"price":10500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/Heuer_Autavia_Diver_11063P_AS01496_2_3d2653f3-1311-49ad-b191-cd4d2ec27ed7.jpg?v=1498748700","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/heuer-autavia-diver-100-as01496","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}