TAG HEUER The Autavia

TAG HEUER The Autavia

The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer is releasing three new TAG Heuer Autavia models in 2022. The collection debuts a flyback chronograph and the first-ever three-hand GMT within the Autavia collection.

The Autavia wristwatch collection, the first product launched under the leadership of Jack Heuer 60 years ago, got its name from a portmanteau of two pillars of TAG Heuer’s history: automobile and aviation. Initially used for dashboard timers for cars and aircraft starting in 1933, the Autavia name would later make its way onto wristwatches as the segment became of increasing interest to the company. 

The newly developed Calibre Heuer 02 COSC Flyback manufacture movement now allows TAG Heuer to flirt with its past. A rarely seen function in chronographs due to its difficulty to implement, the flyback function makes it possible to reset the chronograph hand and commence a new timing without the need to stop it first, saving valuable time in high-pressure situations, such as recording lap times at the racetrack.

The launch of the two flyback chronographs is also another nod to the rich history of TAG Heuer. During the late 1960s, it was Heuer who were most closely associated with a particular order from the German Bundeswehr. The reference 1550 SG – a model still very popular among collectors – was specifically created as a flyback chronograph for their Air Force to meet the special requirements of their pilots, who appreciated the ease of use and reliability