It's hard to play favorites with so many great vintage watches coming through our hands, but there is no denying that we have a special place in our hearts for the Heuer "Siffert" Autavia.  With its signature panda dial and blue accents, there is no mistaking it in a room full of cushion-case chronographs.  It is almost as much of a rockstar as the man himself was.

Jo Siffert was a Heuer enthusiast (not to mention amateur pit-lane dealer) in the late 60s and early 70s, and also happened to be one of Formula I’s best drivers.  He taught Steve McQueen many of his track secrets and was the very man who introduced McQueen to the Heuer brand. When McQueen was filming Le Mans, he insisted on imitating Siffert’s uniform down to the smallest details, including the prominent Heuer patch.

This particular example is referred to as a Mark V, featuring blue-tipped hour and minute hands and Arabic quarter markings on the 12-hour register, unlike the complete Arabic markings on the later and much more common Mark VI versions.  With an incredible case retaining strong factory brushing and an untouched dial, this is truly a remarkable piece, and a favorite of the analog/shift team. 

Making it even more delightful is the inclusion of a highly sought-after period Heuer box with a red racing motif which would be correct for the model. Paired up with one of Autodromo's excellent Rally straps, we also have a Gay Freres Rice Bead bracelet with correct end links available - just hit us up if you're interested!

For the full story on the history of the Jo Siffert Autavia, check out a great article over at Hodinkee, .