A reader from the US contacted me a few weeks ago with the story of a watch that he has discovered- thanks D for allowing me to re-post your story

A NOS HEUER AUTAVIA


Model 1163V, serial 272699

I received the watch as a gift in June, 1974 when I bought a new car. The saleslady handed me this small box and said it was my free gift. I was unaware of this program so I asked what it was and she replied a watch. I took it home and set it on the desk. A few days later I took a look at it. At that time the name Heuer meant nothing to me and I thought it was too large and with a number of features that I had no use for. I figured it was a cheap watch that the dealer got a deal on. So I put it back in the box and stuck it a drawer and would continue to wear my Accutron.


I totally forgot about it until 43 years later when I ran across it in the drawer in June, 2017. I now recognized the name Heuer and decided to do some research. That’s when I ran across David at Calibre11. He has been a huge help to me and in educating me on this watch. With the pics I sent him he was able to identify the model as the one on the warranty card was invalid. I read that the model and serial were on the back under the sticker. For some reason I was hesitant to do that and asked David and he suggested I don’t and informed me that that info was also on the bracelet lugs. I took it to my trusted watch guy and we had a lengthy conversation as he knew a lot about Heuer watches. And then he took the bracelet off for me, and after he put it back on he said he didn’t put a scratch on it so the NOS was safe.


In the time I have had the watch only 4 people have even touched it: myself, my wife, my son who took some of the pics, and lastly my watch guy. I think the watch is in perfect shape and just like it was when it left the factory.

 

You and me both! I feel bad for my kids that there is no unopened series 1 Star Wars toys, NOS watches or anything similar to be found in my old boxes!

 

Some more shots

 

To add a little more to the story, it appears as though the watch was given by a US car dealer called Hix Green, who had a Buick dealership in Atlanta. The photo below is undated, but given the cars in the photo, I think it's likely 1970s...so around the same time that D received his Heuer Autavia. The dealership moved out of the city in 1975- so a few months after the Autavia was given.


D purchased a Buick Opel Station Wagon for the family. Buick sold several Opel-sourced cars in the 1970s, including the 1900, which was a rebadged Opel Ascona.

 

Exactly- I guess a car is a more worthy purchase than a few cartons of Viceroy cigarettes!