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HEUER Vintage Skipper Chronograph, Reference 1163V, Stainless Steel, Blue Dial, Year 1970, Rare

Long before the Skipper name became a cult favorite among vintage chronograph collectors, it started life as Heuer's answer to a very specific problem, timing the countdown to the start of a sailing regatta. This 1163V example carries that yachting DNA in full color.

The case follows the cushion shaped Autavia design at 42mm, brushed with polished chamfers along the flanks, giving the watch the same commanding wrist presence as its motorsport siblings even though its actual purpose lay out on the water rather than the track. This particular Skipper is finished in a matching blue theme across dial, bezel and bracelet, one of the more visually striking configurations the model was offered in.

What sets a Skipper apart from a standard Autavia is its distinctive 15 minute countdown subdial, split into white, blue and red segments, each marking a five minute phase in the run-up to a regatta start so a skipper could time their approach to the line with real precision. It is a genuinely functional complication, not just a design flourish, and one of the reasons the Skipper has become such a favorite among collectors of unusual vintage tool watches.

Inside runs the automatic caliber 15, jointly developed by Heuer and Breitling as part of their Chronomatic project, recognizable by its crown positioned on the left side of the case, keeping the winding crown out of the way of the chronograph pushers during operation.

This example is in very good to excellent, all original condition.

"A Skipper built for the start line of a regatta, still wearing its blue dial and countdown timer exactly as Heuer designed it - this model is cult!"

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