Heuer introduced the Autavia chronograph in 1963 and the automatic versions (reference 1163) followed in 1969.  Of course, developing the new automatic Autavia was a substantial task, especially with it being one of three launch models, with the updated Carrera and the entirely-new Monaco.  We can understand then that Heuer offered only two basic color choices for the new automatic Autavias, which we can summarize as “black and white”.  With its white registers, the  black-dial version was a “reverse Panda” scheme, while the white-dialed model, with its black registers, was the “Panda”.  Enthusiasts who wanted something more colorful could look to other models (especially, the blues and grays of the Carrera and Monacos).

All this changed, however, circa 1972, when Heuer introduced a new range of manual-winding Autavia chronographs, along with some new automatic models (Calibre 15).  Although housed in the same type of C-shaped case as the automatic models, Heuer moved beyond the “black and white” that described the first decade of Autavias, and beyond the traditional styles of hands and markers, to a new range that would capture the bold style of the 1970s.  Markers might be painted on the dial, in either sticks or Arabic numerals; hands could be painted bright white; numerals might be placed radially on the dial; lume could be shaded green or a rich amber.  It was the 70s, and enthusiasts wanted more than “black and white”.

If we line up all the racers who wore Heuer chronographs during the 1970s, and study their driving style and their chosen watch, perhaps it was the Autavia chronograph worn by Canadian Formula one legend Gilles Villeneuve (reference 73663) that represented the deepest alignment of the style of the racer and the style of his watch.  With its bright orange hands and dial accents, we see a boldness and courage that captures Villeneuve’s fearlessness.  The registers are neither black nor white, but a deep charcoal that takes gray to the edge of blackness.  Villeneue was known to take his cars to their absolute limit; so too, with this model, Heuer explored the limits of aggression and stability. 

It is fitting that rather than being identified by the usual letter codes (for example, “N” for noir, “S” for silver and “B” for blue), collectors refer to this 73663 model only as the “Villeneuve”.  That’s how closely they identify this legendary watch with this legendary driver. Collectors have seen fewer than 10 of the Villeneuve Autavia over the past two decades, making this an especially coveted model for collectors who enjoy the bold colors and courage of Formula One racing in the 1970s.