Maker: |
Heuer |
Model: |
Autavia |
Reference No.: |
73663 MH KAF-129 |
Date: |
circa 1974 |
Serial No.: |
20XXXX |
Case: |
Steel, screw-on back, 20mm. lugs, fluted pushers, black bi-directional bezel, case back signed inside HEUER-LEONIDAS SWISS, original signed crown, correctly signed and numbered at the case ends, case back cover engraved KAF - 129 |
Bezel: |
Black bezel with Minute and Hour scale |
Dial: |
Black dial with 3 silver subsidiary registers each with black hands, painted Arabic numerals with orange accents for the outer five-minute markers |
Hands: |
Orange hands with painted orange luminous inserts, orange chronograph hand |
Movement: |
Valjoux 7736, manual wind, signed Heuer – Leonidas SA |
Strap: |
Original Gay Frères bracelet stamped HLF |
Info: |
The 73663 Arabic stands alongside the Villeneuve as two of the coolest looking watches ever made by Heuer. Whilst the brooding black dial of the Villeneuve ‘somehow works', the Arabic has a reverse Panda (NS) combo which still retains the Villeneuve's orange hands and orange hour flags but the hours are lovely luminous Arabic numerals. No one knows how many orange Arabic Heuers were made, but our guess would be less than 250. Kenyan Air Force In the early 1970s a small number of Heuers were dispatched to the Kenyan Air Force for their fighter pilots' use. Most of the watches supplied by Heuer were the inexpensive 11630 Viceroy models. The Ref. 73663 was also supplied but apparently in smaller numbers. Each Kenyan Air force watch back was engraved KAF together with the issue number. |
