THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: HEUER
MODEL: 11630
YEAR: 1974
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 41MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

Heuer introduced the Autavia in 1962 with reference 2446, and over the following two decades released more than 90 different variants of what would become its flagship sports chronograph. Early Autavias featured round, screw-back cases with three-register dials, before compressor cases followed shortly thereafter.

A major shift came in 1969, when Heuer—alongside Breitling, Hamilton-Buren, and Dubois Dépraz—developed the Calibre 11, one of the world’s first automatic chronograph movements.

The present example, reference 11630MH, was released in 1972 as part of Heuer’s third-generation Autavia line. It features the upgraded Calibre 12 movement, a thicker tonneau-shaped case, mineral glass, and a rotating bezel more commonly associated with dive watches. Heuer produced several dial variations of the 11630, and the example offered here is by far the most collectible: the silver-dial “Orange Boy,” named for its distinctive orange accents on the markers and hands.

The brushed silver dial is spotless, with all tritium lume intact and aged to a pleasing creamy hue. The orange accents have softened slightly over time. This watch is fitted with the tachymeter bezel (as opposed to the minute/hour variant), which shows honest wear, just how we like them. The case remains very strong, as expected on these automatic Autavias.

The movement is running beautifully at +2 seconds per day, with 275 amplitude and a 0.3 ms beat error. A fantastic example of a vintage Heuer classic—about as cool as it gets.