DAMAN^AUGUST/SEPTEMBER2019173“More than just stunning
timepieces, however, the newly-
launched TAG Heuer Autavia
watches truly live up to the
Techniques d’Avant Garde part of
the brand”
The original Autavia dashboard instrument;
Chris Hemsworth wearing a TAG Heuer
Autavia with a blue dial
Opposite page The newly-launched
TAG Heuer Autavia watchestheir namesake by capturing the energy and
excitement of rally racing and prioritizing
legibility in all conditions—the latter being
a hallmark of pilot watches and also much
appreciated by racers.
This chapter of the Autavia’s saga, however,
was cut short in 1985 when production of the
line ceased ... until 2019, that is. Earlier this year,the world got it first glimpse of a reborn Autavia
line at Baselworld 2019. Fast forward to last
June and the collection was officially launched at
a charming event in Sydney. And there to add a
bit—well, definitely more than just a bit—of star
power is one of Australia’s greatest gifts to the
world and a longtime brand ambassador of TAG
Heuer, the one and only Chris Hemsworth.D
elve into the history of TAG Heuer
and you’ll soon encounter familiar
names like Carrera, Monaco, Formula
1, Aquaracer and Link. Dig a bit deeper, and
you’ll find also find the name Autavia. Sounds
familiar? Longtime fans of the brand would
definitely have heard about it and more recently,
at this year’s Baselworld fair, “Autavia” resurfaced
as the name of a new standalone collection from
TAG Heuer.
Now, not too long ago, that collection was
officially launched, and DA MAN was front and
center—quite literally that is—at the launch
event. But before we go to the new Autavia
collection, perhaps a look into its origins might
be a good idea...
Chapter One
From 1933 to 1957 the name Autavia referred
to a dashboard instrument used both in racing
cars and aircraft—hence the name, which is an
amalgamation of the words “automobile” and
“aviation.” While production of the dashboard
timer ceased, the name lived on when Jack
Heuer—at the time CEO of the company—
decided to adopt the name for the chronograph
wristwatches launched by his brand in 1962.
The Autavia watches became incredibly
popular, especially among racing enthusiasts
and members of various armed forces around
the world. More importantly, they maintained