Imagine a perfectly sized steel men's sports watch...which has GMT functionality...and is also a chronograph.  That'd be something, eh? 

We are happy to present for your consideration this stunning Heuer Autavia GMT 2446C Mark I - the watch that checks all of the above boxes, and more.

The name "Autavia" comes from a combination of two words: Automotive & Aviation.  Heuer originally applied the moniker to dashboard clocks instrumentation for use in automobiles and aircraft, but recycled in the 1960s and applied it to their line of professional racing chronographs for which the name is best known.  These early Autavias feature large steel screw or snap-back cases and high grade Valjoux manually winding chronograph movements.  GMT models are particularly rare, featuring distinctive two-tone "Pepsi" bezels and a third large hand displaying a second time zone.

Values for early Heuer chronographs (particularly manually-winding Autavia models) are on the rise, and clean, original examples are getting hard to come by.  This particular example is as honest as they come, featuring an unpolished case and a clean, even patina to the hands, and markers.  This particular example features the desirable "Mark I" Dial execution with early printing and "T Swiss" marked in the 6:00 subsidiary register.  Its bezel has developed a heavy even fade - the kind that makes vintage Rolex nuts go weak in the knees!

It would be hard to find a vintage timepiece - any vintage timepiece - that is more perfectly suitable for the international man of motorsports.  We've looked.

For an in-depth review of the Heuer Autavia 2446C GMT, click on over to OnTheDash, .