Evening all,

I have been cramming up on everything Heuer Autavia related, and specifically 1163, as my intention is to add one to my collection in 2019. On the Dash, Calibre 11 and Hodinkee have been very helpful/insightful, but there remains a couple of areas of uncertainty on my part, and I hope my fellow OFers will be able to clarify things for me.

1. Did the 1163, either MH or Tachy ever have a lume/bezel pip? OTD says almost all didn't have one... so, which ones did? Was it a particular version or just very late examples perhaps, approaching the transition to 11630? I have seen a handful of examples during my initial research that do have a pip... Very confusing!!!

2. I realise that after the end of the Viceroy promotion, there were many parts including dials/hands left over, and these were assembled into either 1163 MH or 1163 T models to be sold through the existing dealer network, and presumably marketed as simply an 1163. My question is, if there were also left over cases, which I guess there would be as they originally planned for circa 16K Viceroy sales, and there was perhaps 'only' 5000 sold, were these marked as 1163 V or just 1163? I mean, is it likely that the serial no. and model ref were added to a batch of cases just prior to assembly, in which case, there would be less chance that a post Dec '72 1163 destined for the dealer network would have the V suffix engraved on the case.

Or is it more likely that the middle cases were manufactured and engraved in large(ish) batches, meaning that a sizeable number of the post Viceroy promotion 1163's, i.e. the ones with the Viceroy dial and hands, still had the 1163 V engraving between the lugs?

I ask this question, as I see a fair few 'Viceroys' with MH bezel inlays, which could have been fitted subsequently during service, of course, or they could conceivably be post promotion examples sold through the dealer network, but as all of these have either had bracelets or bands on, I haven't been able to ascertain which, if any, are 1163 V cases.

I appreciate I've been waffling on a bit here, but vintage Heuer is all new to me, my background being vintage Omega & Rolex, so I just want to be sure what I'm looking at, and potentially buying (as much as anyone can in the vintage watch world...). Basic pointers really, like don't touch an 1163 with a bezel pip, or don't touch an 1163 MH with Viceroy dial and hands with a serial earlier than 2?????, or don't buy an 1163 MH with an 1163 V case etc etc.

All guidance greatly appreciated.

 

Is it possible I need to go to a more specific Heuer website/forum to get some considered responses? I thought we had a few Autavia owners on this site though, based on some of the for sale listings. Patience is a virtue, however, as my mother always told me!

 

I think you may find more active Heuer collectors either at the On The Dash forum or at the OF sister forum dedicated to Heuer, Caliber 11.

 

-I don't think the bezel pips were lumed on the 1163s. There were diver prototypes (that eventually reached production as the 11063P) but not that you'll find on the vintage market.

The 1163V was initially sold as part of the Viceroy promotion but I do think they were available at dealers. Also, while they were supposed to be tachy bezel originally, these could be swapped out either at POS or after sale by a dealer.

 

I have one 1163 V with MH bezel and 358xxx numbering and everything is original of the time. Many boxes were made with 1163v numbering and were sold even after the promotion