Heuer Autavia - Restoration Project

abcoro · Dec 10, 2014

Dear Heueristi,

It's been a while since I posted some kind of restoration project on a website. A lot of collectors kept on asking to post some restoration projects again...so here we go ;-)

Up for restoration is a Heuer Autavia ref.73663 "Arabic Bund". A rather rare execution, very specific dial. Here will first follow a series of pictures from the watch like I received it. And also some pics of the watch completely disassembled...just before the movement service and case refurbish.

So here it all starts with...update will follow in one of the next days.

Best,
abel.

Calibre11 · Dec 10, 2014

Fantastic Abel- thanks for these great pics.
- Why do you completely disassemble the movement? Is this for Ultra-sonic cleaning?
- The two photos at the bottom showing the case- is this before any work on the case, or have you already started to restore the case?

dc

dsio · Dec 10, 2014

abcoro
Dear Heueristi,

It's been a while since I posted some kind of restoration project on a website. A lot of collectors kept on asking to post some restoration projects again...so here we go ;-)

Up for restoration is a Heuer Autavia ref.73663 "Arabic Bund". A rather rare execution, very specific dial. Here will first follow a series of pictures from the watch like I received it. And also some pics of the watch completely disassembled...just before the movement service and case refurbish.

So here it all starts with...update will follow in one of the next days.

Best,
abel.

Those are some amazing shots especially the complete deconstruction photos, can't wait to see it when its done as it honestly doesn't look too bad to begin with, great dial btw

Calibre11 · Dec 10, 2014

dsio
Those are some amazing shots especially the complete deconstruction photos, can't wait to see it when its done as it honestly doesn't look too bad to begin with, great dial btw

Yes, agree. The bezel looks OK (actually, pretty good except for the ding at about 10.30) and nice original patina on the hands. Case is a bit rough and crystal as well. I remember going through this exercise with Abel when he worked on my Autavia...what to change and what to accept "as nature intended"!

step_hent · Dec 11, 2014

Amazing pics, thanks Abel for sharing. I also thought the case didn't look too bad. Can't wait to see the finished piece!

abcoro · Dec 11, 2014

dsio
Those are some amazing shots especially the complete deconstruction photos, can't wait to see it when its done as it honestly doesn't look too bad to begin with, great dial btw

The dial and central seconds hand is what make this Autavia actually a bit different then most others.

abcoro · Dec 11, 2014

step_hent
Amazing pics, thanks Abel for sharing. I also thought the case didn't look too bad. Can't wait to see the finished piece!

Hey, yes overall case condition was acceptable. Very disturbing for me personally was that the dial is actually perfect, so I decided to give the case a full refurbish. Also, and this was actually a bit more disturbing for me, again personally, the bevelled edges at both sides were not very nicely and symmetric executed. A "flaw" we regularly can see with these Autavia cases and also with the topscases of our beloved Monaco's. This flaw you can clearly see in the detailed pictures.

abcoro · Dec 11, 2014

D.C
Fantastic Abel- thanks for these great pics.
- Why do you completely disassemble the movement? Is this for Ultra-sonic cleaning?
- The two photos at the bottom showing the case- is this before any work on the case, or have you already started to restore the case?

dc

David, movement is completely dissambled indeed to clean with a combinaition of rotation and ultrasonic. All pics from case are from before, in the pictures you refer too it onle has received a first ultrasonic bath at 70 degrees Celcius.

Calibre11 · Dec 11, 2014

Hi Abel- what do you mean about the edges not being symmetrical? Do you mean that the width of the area in red varies as you move along the case and is different on both sides?

abcoro · Dec 11, 2014

D.C
Hi Abel- what do you mean about the edges not being symmetrical? Do you mean that the width of the area in red varies as you move along the case and is different on both sides?

Exactly. Also very pronounced at upper right lug.

step_hent · Dec 11, 2014

abcoro
Exactly. Also very pronounced at upper right lug.

That's really interesting. When I've seen that before, I assumed the case had been inexpertly polished and more metal had been removed in the places where the bevel is thinner. I didn't realize it was a manufacturing fault! Again, thanks for sharing - it's really informative following threads like this.

george023 · Dec 12, 2014

Yes I also can't wait for the finished product and reveal.

abcoro · Dec 12, 2014

Step 2...Case refurbishment, trying to regain some edges again while preserving as much material as possible. Some pictures from different steps included. No questions about how and with what tools please 😀 Also some pictures from cleaned Heuer signed Valjoux 7736 movement included, ready to be assembled again.

step_hent · Dec 12, 2014

That's incredible! You mustbe some kind of magician, as well as a goldsmith and watchmaker.

George C. · Dec 12, 2014

They don't call him the Belgium Magician for nothing...

Hi, David and Abel.

~George

abcoro · Dec 12, 2014

G George C.
They don't call him the Belgium Magician for nothing...

Hi, David and Abel.

~George

But Belgium is very small country ;-) No magician at all George...I'm learning all the time!

Calibre11 · Dec 13, 2014

Abel, do you notice any difference in quality between the cases made by Schmitz vs. Piquarez? I think there are some small design differences between the two, but what about in terms of quality of steel and finish?

abcoro · Dec 14, 2014

D.C
Abel, do you notice any difference in quality between the cases made by Schmitz vs. Piquarez? I think there are some small design differences between the two, but what about in terms of quality of steel and finish?

David, no not much difference as far as my experience with these cases goes.

abcoro · Dec 14, 2014

So, last step...the finish. All in all I am personally very satisfied about this result, I can imagine some collectors would have preferred to leave the case untouched but again, it's all about taking decisions. The fact that the most valuable part of this watch, the dial, was still in such great condition helped me in this decision. The original stainless steel outer bezel is replaced with a same example...but in mint condition, as the dent in the original outer bezel was too big to repair.

Movement fully serviced. The sealings in crown and pushers as well as the casebook sealing were all deteriorated and melted...really messy stuff. All seals were replaced. The plexi was in good condition, despite some scratches and little dents I managed to get it back in shape.

The dial is perfect, no care needed. Subregister hands left untouched as well. Minute and hour hands also in good shape, my only concern was that the original tritium lume appeared to have become very fragile during all the years and at the base of the minute hand you can see there was missing a small bit of lume...very little but it was a bit disturbing for me...so I "fixated " the original lume with applying a coating on the back of both hands. So the original tritium lume is now much stronger again and the risk that it will fall out of the hands is as good as non-existing now. Only thing left to do was to relume the triangle from the central seconds chronograph hand as the original tritium was completely missing, I tried to match lume color as good as possible.

And here are the pictures;

Best regards from Belgium,
abel

www.HeuerTime.com

step_hent · Dec 14, 2014

Wow, that is nothing short of stunning!