Tag Heuer
Autavia 'Shauntavia', Reference 73663 | A stainless steel chronograph wristwatch made for the Kenyan Air Force | Circa 1974
Lot Closed
May 14, 11:22 AM GMT
Estimate
4,000 - 8,000 CHF
We may charge or debit your saved payment method subject to the terms set out in our Conditions of Business for Buyers.
Read more.Lot Details
Description
Dial: black
Calibre: cal. Valjoux 7736 manual winding, 17 jewels
Case: stainless steel, screw-down case back with military number KAF-152
Case number: 201'644
Closure: Heuer calf leather strap and stainless steel buckle
Size: 43 mm diameter
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: none
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
Reference 73663 was introduced in the early 1970s, with a three-register dial layout as the originals from the 1960s. The dials were in 3 versions, a panda, reverse panda and all black. This particular 73663 Shauntavia has the reverse panda lay out.
Interestingly, all Autavia with numerals instead of applied indexes have a military past. Two were adopted by the German army (73633 BUNDESWEHR). The two others by Kenya's Air Force (KAF), either under reference 741603, which is a two-register chronograph, with a date at 6 o'clock and red accents on the hands and dial, or the present reference 73663, a three register manual wound Autavia with the beloved orange accents reminiscent of the famous Orange Boy.
These watches are nicknamed “Shauntavia” named after the collector Shaun Wainstein who first published an article about these watches on the Heuer forum called "onthedash".