The Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 3rd Execution ‘Jochen Rindt’
A Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 3rd Execution and Jochen Rindt wearing it
Racing watches, usually chronographs, are one of the most popular types of tool watches in the vintage watch world. When we look back at some of the most famous racing watches there are often several commonalities – including certain brands that specialized in these types of timepieces.
The Heuer Autavia is one of such famous racing watches. It is highly collectible with a host of relevant references for collectors. One in particular however, stands out for its association to a famous Formula 1 driver: the ‘Jochen Rindt’ Autavia.
Jochen Rindt was a German Formula 1 driver who competed with an Austrian license despite being German. He was born April 18th, 1942 in Mainz and raised by his grandparents, who adopted him after his parents were killed in World War II. He moved to Graz, where he grew up and early on had an affinity for high speeds. As a schoolboy he participated, and was injured in, ski races and was often caught speeding on public roads by police. He was also expelled from several schools in his youth.
Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 3rd Execution / Credit: Watchpool24
Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 3rd Execution’s “Swiss T” / Credit: Watchpool24
As he grew older and got into racing, he admired Count Wolfgang von Trips, who was killed in 1961 at Monza. His first races were in the early 1960s, he raced a Formula Junior Cooper in 1963, gaining the attention of Ford of Austria who backed his F2 race in 1964. Jochen Rindt saw strong success in the 1960s, winning the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour race with American Masten Gregory.
By the late 1960s, Jochen Rindt was already a well-known Formula 1 driver, especially in Austria. This was also around the time the Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 3rd Execution was released. The 3rd Execution differed from the first two in a few ways and also differed from the transitional case model. Notably, the bezel was thinner and it had a screwdown case, the dial also varied from the first two executions of the Autavia Heuer, with large steel markers with lume plots at the end. This model was paired with a Gay Frères bracelet and a manual winding Valjoux 72 movement.
Jochen Rindt in at Hockenheim, 1970
Jochen Rindt was known to wear the triple-register Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 3rd Execution, which has been dubbed the ‘Jochen Rindt’ Autavia by collectors. He was the 1970 Formula 1 Champion and was presented the trophy by Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco.
Unfortunately, that same year, on September 5th, 1970, Rindt was killed while practicing for the Italian Grand Prix and going through the guardrail. The racing legend Jochen Rindt died in Monza where his idol, Count Wolfgang von Trips, also died nearly a decade earlier.
By: Andres Ibarguen
Read more:
Donaldson, Gerald. “Jochen Rindt.” Formula 1, https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Jochen_Rindt.html.
“Rindt Bio.” Grand Prix History, http://www.grandprixhistory.org/rindt_bio.htm.
Crosthwaite, Rich & Stein, Jeff. “An In-Depth Look at the Early Autavias (1962 through 1969).” OnTheDash, http://www.onthedash.com/autavia-early-in-depth/.
“Autavia 2446 3rd Exec.” Heuer World, https://www.heuerworld.com/gallery_543295.html.
Donaldson, Gerald. “Jochen Rindt.” Formula 1, https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/hall-of-fame/Jochen_Rindt.html.
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