Heuer Autavia Caliber 12 (How Lucky Can Some People Get)

[CKelly]

Hi All,

   My son-in-law called this morning and asked if a Heuer Autavia he had found at a flea market was real. After a question or two such as does it have two pusher at say 1:30 and 4:30 and  crown at 9:00 he decided to bring it by. He paid all of $5.00 for the watch- guy who had it said battery was probably dead. I opened it up and it has the Heuer caliber 12 movement. The pushers had gotten out of sync and weren't working but I sorted that out pretty quickly. The watch has a good balance but so far it doesn't run. He asked me if I would fix it and I said that it would take some research but I could do it. I have been searching since then for an online parts diagram or other information without much luck. Do any of you guys know of any resource for service information on this movement? Now that I have started thinking maybe I'll start looking for chronomatic and see what I find as well.

 

Thanks,

Charles K

[Geo]

$5, now that's what I call a result! I hope you manage to get the information you require Charles.

[MrBeat]

Is this the right movement ?

 

 

 

On www.cousins.uk they have Heuer 12 PDF file available, im not sure if its the same but worth a look :)

[CKelly]

Hi,

   Thanks for the info. I actually found what I needed when I searched Hamilton chrono-matic. I wanted to make sure the chrono plate was removable in one piece after removing dial and hands. It was, however things don't always go as you would hope. The set lever screw rung off in the set lever while trying to remove the stem. That was the bad news. Once I got everything apart I found that a part, oscillating pinion, at least that's what I would call it on a valjoux 7750 had been knocked out and was rolling around inside watch causing it not to run. As soon as I started removing the chrono bridge the watch started ticking. It appears as if the loose pinion is good and I can't imagine how it became loose. Maybe someone has worked on it before and couldn't get it positioned properly.

   Under the dial I did find a part that I'm not sure about. Under the date retaining plate there is a c shaped part with a tail on it The c shape fits under the hour wheel partially and the tail part extends under the date retaining plate. I was able to determine how it was positioned but I'm puzzled as to it's purpose unless it's just to keep the hour and minute wheels separated a bit.

   I did take a picture before I started working on it which I'll post later.  

[anilv]

Great story...best I ever found was a jlc memodate!

[CKelly]

Here are the pictures I promised.

[MrBeat]

Nice watch :)  Here is a break down diagram for parts numbers if it helps :)

 

Edited May 25, 2015 by MrBeat

[rogart63]

Amazing find :) . Almost like the man how found the Le-coultre watch in USA . Almost :) 

[CKelly]

Here are some more pictures of the movement. Notice that it is basically the same movement as the Hamilton micro-rotor Mark did a service walk through several months ago with a chronograph module attached.

[jnash]

i am so jealous, i actually want to cry ...

[Lawson]

i am so jealous, i actually want to cry ...

 

I'm right there with ya Jnash. :(  :P

 

What an amazing find!  Well done!

[CKelly]

In case anyone is interested in the finished watch. I got the set lever screw in I needed Saturday. So I cleaned it and put it back together- twice. Got confused a bit and put dang set lever screw in backwards and didn't notice until I started to attach set lever. Just took it off my timing machine and it was running about +3 sec. I am attaching two more pictures, one of the second counter running and one where it's reset. I'm going to tell my son-in-law that I'll let him double his money on the watch real quick if he wants.

[Geo]

Excellent result Charles. Cracking watch and cracking story! :)

[jnash]

well done, wish him well to wear it...