Tag Heuer is a reliable manufacturer that makes a wide range of beautiful timepieces. TAG Heuer Carrera, Aquaracer, Formula 1 collections are collectors’ favorite watches. But today it’s not about them, it’s about the fake Tag Heuer entry-level Autavia watches.
Autavia is an acronym for “AUTomobile” and “AVIAtion”. The origins of this collection date back to 1933, originally as a dashboard on a racing car, ship or aircraft. It is a chronograph that can record up to 12 hours. Inside the instrument panel there are two subdials for 50 minutes and 12 hours, plus a large central seconds.
Although this instrument panel has been in continuous production for decades, it is not the clearest chronograph. In 1958, Jack Heuer misread the dial of the Autavia in a car rally and missed out on first place. So Heuer withdrew the Autavia from its brand and replaced it with the Monte Carlo. But Jack Heuer didn’t give up on it. In late 1961, the Autavia was planned as a wrist chronograph with a clear, easy-to-read dial. In addition, these watches had more features, a rotating bezel with a variety of markers. Such as the 12-hour GMT bezel, the 60-minute diving bezel, the divisions of 1/100th of a minute. The new Autavia watches not only had two subdials, but also some models had three subdials. In short, these beautiful watches have a wearable case design and excellent readability. The new Autavia was successfully launched in 1962 and soon gained an iconic status in the automotive world.
Valjoux Hand-Wound Chronograph Movement
Heuer Autavia watches have been using the Valjoux hand-wound chronograph movement since birth until 1968. The Heuer Autavia 3446 with two subdials has the Valjoux 92 movement, the Heuer Autavia 2446 with three subdials has the Valjoux 72 movement, and the Heuer Autavia watches with GMT function have the Valjoux 724 movement.
These watches maintain the classic 38mm case and soft, flowing lugs. Inside the black dial is two or three white oversized white sub-dials, hour markers and dauphine hands that glow in the dark. Since 1966, Heuer Autavia watches have kept the same case and bezel while reducing the size of the white subdials. The hour markers and dauphine hands were replaced by more oriented ones, giving the dial a cleaner look and higher readability.
Bigger Bezel
In 1968, Heuer introduced the new Autavia watches, which have new lugs with square edges and a larger bezel. In addition to the new design, the movement was also upgraded. For the first few years the Valjoux 7730 or 7732 movement was fitted in the fake Heuer Autavia watches, and in the following years it evolved into the famous ETA Valjoux 7750.
Chronomatic Calibre 11
Starting in 1969, the Heuer Autavia watches, developed around the Chronomatic Calibre 11, were highly recognizable. At the time, Heuer entered into a partnership with Buren and Breitling in order to produce the first chronograph automatic movement. Together, they ended up designing the revolutionary Chronomatic Calibre 11, offering a power reserve of around 42 hours and beating at 19,800 vibrations per hour.
Heuer’s original plan was to use this new movement in the Carrera watches, but the case of the Carrera watches was so thin that it could not accommodate the rather thick Chronomatic Calibre 11. That’s why we see the Autavia watches equipped with the Chronomatic Calibre 11. The case of the Autavia watches has been redesigned to match this movement. The lugs have been replaced by integrated lugs and the crown has been moved from 3 to 9 o’clock. These fake Autavia watches show in a brash way that the watch does not need to be wound.
First TAG Heuer Autavia
In 1985, an organization called Techniques d’Avant Garde bought the Heuer company and changed the name to “TAG Heuer”. But the first Autavia watch with the “TAG Heuer” logo was released in 2003 and was based on the old Autavia watches with Chronomatic Calibre 11. The first fake TAG Heuer entry-level Autavia watch was equipped with self-winding Calibre 11 and had a fixed tachymeter bezel on a 42mm steel case.
Calibre Heuer 02
At the beginning of 2016, TAG Heuer held a beauty contest for the public to choose one of their favorite luxury fake watches from 16 vintage Autavia watches. Then , TAG Heuer will relaunch a new watch in Basel 2017 that is identical to the winner’s watch. Finally, we have the vintage looking fake TAG Heuer Autavia Heuer 02 watches. The 42mm wide stainless steel case has a black 12-hour bezel. The black dial has three white subdials, stick indices and a date window at 6 o’clock. The Heuer 02 is an in-house chronograph movement with a power reserve of 80 hours and a water resistance of 100M. In addition, this fine, timeless watch can be found on a brown leather strap or on a superb steel bracelet.
Calibre 5 Isograph
Autavia has always been more “Aut” than “avia”, but this balance has changed in the new collection. The creation of the fake TAG Heuer Autavia Isograph Calibre 5 watches has turned the Autavia collection on its head and represents a new beginning. The TAG Heuer Calibre 5 replica watches is purely a three-hand watch, ditching the complicated chronograph functions, but sharing the same 42mm case size as the Autavia Chronograph. But the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 watches is thinner. The dial becomes quite simple, no subdials, but large enough Arabic numerals to catch the eye. Also, the practical date window remains. Calibre 5 is not homemade, it is based on the ETA 2824-2 / Sellita SW-200 design, incorporating the TAG Heuer carbon balance spring.
Today, TAG Heuer remains one of the most innovative and successful watchmakers in the world, and has clearly established its place in the history of watchmaking with its longstanding reputation for excellence and growing popularity. If you want to learn more about entry-level luxury fake watches from Swiss brands, such as the fake Patek Philippe entry-level Calatrava watches, click here.
