Found: Three Great Vintage Chronographs To Watch At The Upcoming Kaplans Auction

The auction season is just starting in Geneva – the team recently picked favorites from the dreamy selection at Christie's and Phillips, here and here – but there are many other exciting watches in some other locations right now – like, say Sweden. One look at Kaplan's catalog revealed three really cool chronographs from the 1970s to be soon offered. Let's introduce you to these sweet watches – a Tudor "Home Plate," a Lemania "Viggen," and a Heuer Autavia 2446C. That might be a lot of chronographs at once but, trust me, you won't regret it.  

Tudor 'Home Plate' Reference 7031

I would love to go back in time and find out who would purchase this funky Tudor, in conservative Sweden back in the early 1970s. Yet, someone definitely did, and almost 50 years later it will be offered for auction. This is the "fresh to market" piece in all its splendor, in seriously good condition. The dial is stunning; the bakelite bezel is great too, and the case has most likely never seen any polishing.

I had the chance to try this reference 7031 on, and the massive case nails it. It is, indeed, a big-for-the-time 40mm in diameter, while its Rolex chronograph contemporaries were only 36-37 mm. The Tudor also boasts a much bolder design, from the orange second hand to its unique indexes – their shape prompted some baseball enthusiasts to nickname these Tudor models, "Home Plate." It comes with the original pushers and bracelet, as you should expect.

The listing can be found here, with a very conservative estimate – below $15,000, so you can be sure the final bid will be considerably higher.

Lemania 'Viggen,' Made For The Swedish Air Force

What better place to find a Lemania "Viggen" (the name of a famous Swedish-made fighter jet; it means "thunderbolt") than a Swedish auction? This chronograph was manufactured for the Swedish Air Force in the early 1970s, and the total order was estimated at around 400 pieces; this one carries the number 291. Most were worn by the pilots of the well known and highly regarded Saab 37 Viggen fighter jet, hence the official nickname of this Lemania reference 817. The military provenance can be verified on the case back where the three crowns are engraved; these are the "Tre Kronor" usually found on Swedish military watches.

The case is pretty similar to the one found on the Breguet Type 20 of the time, with the same massive straight lugs and and the cross hatched crown, characteristic of a compressor case. On the listing, its diameter is indicated at 42 mm, but I suspect that it's actually 40mm. Importantly, this Viggen still has its original bezel, and the second hand is original. True to its military destiny, this watch looks killer on a NATO strap.

The listing can be found here with an estimate slightly above $3,500, but the pre-bid has already reached $7,000, so a new record for this Lemania reference might be reached on Saturday. Note that some live pictures can be found on the OmegaForums here.

Heuer Autavia Reference 2446C

Last but not least is this Heuer Autavia, with a larger Compressor-type case and a tachymeter bezel. Its snap back case indicates a later production than the 1960s; the serial number would date this watch to the early 1970s. Heuer aficionados would refer to its dial and handset as a fourth execution, easily identifiable as such by the striking red second hand.

Again, the condition is pretty compelling, with a splendid reverse panda dial. The crenelated pushers and the signed crown are correct for the reference, while the massive lugs will make this reference 2446C wear much bigger than most vintage Heuers. Inside, you can find the ubiquitous Valjoux 72, (also featured in the Rolex Daytona of the time, as most HODINKEE readers will know). All in all, a great vintage Heuer, and a type that becomes increasingly hard to find in the current market.

The listing can be found here, with an estimate strangely placed around $1,200; as expected pre-bids already reached $5,600.

The full catalog can be found here, with the auction happening Saturday in Stockholm at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. New York time). Interestingly, it is possible to pre-bid on each listing directly from Kaplans website, the auction will then start at the level reached then, and the watch will eventually go to the highest bidder.

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