What are we looking at?

A HEUER Autavia ref. 73463 in the familiar Villeneuve colour scheme: black dial, grey registers and orange hands and accents.

The grey registers give the dial a contrast that’s easy to appreciate in the photograph. Orange segments in the minute counter pick up the colour of the hands, while applied hour markers add depth. The date sits neatly at six.

The broad, angular steel case is paired with an MH bezel carrying both minute and hour scales. Inside is the manually wound Valjoux 7734.

This example comes on our 20 mm Desert Drift strap. Its sandy tone works particularly well with the warm lume, grey registers and black dial.

What do we need to know?

The dial is in excellent condition, with all dial lume intact and aged to a warm vanilla patina. The grey registers, clear white printing and vivid orange details make this a particularly attractive example of the Villeneuve colour combination.

The case remains sharp, with visible brushing and signs of wear. The MH click bezel also shows surface and edge wear, while its scales remain legible.

The original crystal has minor signs of wear. The original crown and pushers remain in place, and the Valjoux 7734 has been serviced.

I particularly like how the sandy strap brings out the warmth in the dial. Choosing a strap was supposed to be the easy part. Taking the watch off afterwards proved harder.