Why This Watch Matters

The Autavia Viceroy is one of the Heuer's iconic models of the 1970s. Here is your chance to own a great example of one that came out prior to the promotional partnership between Heuer and Viceroy. 

The Full Story

Heuer was experiencing great growth in the 1960s, with the United States being its best performing market. In the 1970s the growth started to slow down and the company was facing a steep decline in sales. At the same time, Viceroy Cigarettes was facing a similar struggle. Viceroy’s parent company, Brown & Williamson, needed to figure out a way to adjust its demographic. The executives believed that the decline in sales was due to Viceroy's audience being targeted toward women, making the product less approachable for men. Eventually, Brown & Williamson decided the way to fix this was through an association with the high-octane world of auto-racing. Brown & Williamson approached Heuer – the watch brand most associated with motorsports at the time – to collaborate on a seven-month promotional offer. Whoever purchased 10 packs of Viceroy cigarettes would be eligible to purchase a “Viceroy” Heuer for the discounted price of $88 (regularly priced at $200). Jack Heuer agreed, and the rest is history. 

The present example is identical to the Viceroy model, but does not have a “V” after the 1163 reference number between the lugs. This is known as a “Pre-Viceroy” model, being released right before or at the beginning of the collaboration. These early models have a black dial with white sub-dials and red accents. The register at three o’clock tracks up to 30 minutes, while the register at nine o’clock can time up to 12 hours. These Autavias have a highly recognizable style and remain popular today with collectors of all types.

The Fine Print

Maker: Heuer 
Model: Autavia 
Reference: 1163
Year: 1972
Case No: 223708
Material: Stainless steel 
Dimensions: 43mm diameter; 15.5mm thickness 
Crystal: Plexiglass 
Lume: Yes, tritium 
Caliber: Heuer self-winding caliber 11 
Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE Black Leather Racing Strap 
Lug Width: 20mm
Box/Papers: No 

What we Love and What You Should Know

This Autavia is in great condition. The case is strong with light scratches throughout. The edges of the case have some light nicks. The bezel is in good condition with some signs of wear. The dial and hands are clean. The four, five, and nine o’clock lume plots show signs of deterioration. There is some “lume dust” around the outer edge of the track near five and 10 o’clock. The caseback has a light engraving that reads, “All Our Love Laurie & Eddie.”