Heuer introduced its Autavia chronograph in 1962, with defining features being an oversized waterproof case, large white recorders on black dials, and a rotating bezel that provided additional timekeeping options.  These bezels were marked for either hours, minutes or decimal minutes, allowing the enthusiast to select the chronograph to suit their specific timing needs (hours for world travelers, minutes for divers, etc.)

In 1968, Heuer introduced a new version of the Autavia (the reference 2446 GMT), which incorporated an entirely new style of bezel and an additional hour hand (called the “GMT hand”). The bezel was marked for the 24 hours of the day, with the daylight hours (6:00 AM to 6:00 PM) in red and the nighttime hours (6:00 PM to 6:00 AM) in blue, and the GMT hand made only one rotation around the dial per 24 hours.  After the bezel was rotated to establish a differential from the primary hour hand on the watch, the GMT hand would indicate the local time in this second time zone. GMT watches were popular among pilots, travelers and those conducting international business; with its three-register chronograph capacity, Heuer’s Autavia GMT was an even more useful tool

With the popularity of the GMT versions of the Autavia in 1968 and 1969, it is not surprising that promptly upon the introduction of the automatic Autavia (reference 1163) in 1969, Heuer would modify the new automatic Autavia’s to incorporate the GMT features.  In 1970, Heuer introduced the Autavia reference 1163 GMT, with a larger C-shaped case (required to house the larger automatic movement) replacing the more traditional “compressor” case of the manual-winding models.

Over the period from 1970 to 1972, the Autavia reference 1163 GMT evolved through three executions.  The present watch is the Mark 2 model, which should be thought of as “transitional” between the models that preceded and would follow it.  The brushed hands are brought forward from the Mark 1 model, but the Mark 2 Autavia 1163 GMT introduced brighter, more vivid colors on the bezel.  The bright red chronograph hour and minute hands are unique to the Mark 2 models, and this is also the only version of the reference 2446 or 1163 Autavia in which the black dial may take on a dramatic “tropical” tone.