Tropical Heuer 1163 GMT ‘Red Needle’

The 1163 GMT is one of the Heuer’s diamonds in the rough. Though the myriad vaguely-racing-oriented chronographs they’ve produced can easily be confused, this GMT stand out. It may not have been a commercial success for Heuer, but, like the early Daytonas, that has only made it more desirable to collectors today. Pieces like this 1163 are what Heuer collectors rightly lose their minds over.

Rarity is made more acute in this example by two details. This 1163 GMT is the rarest mark 2, which featured red subdial hands. However, pilot’s cockpits were lit in red at the time, making legibility very difficult. More on that here. The design was changed shortly thereafter, making this run super rare. In addition, it features a highly tropicalized original dial. That’s a detail which is particularly divisive, I know. But damn, it looks ace to me. Although you see things like 1680s and Polerouters go tropical fairly frequently, you almost never see 1163s this highly developed. If you like it, you’re really going to like this one.

Although it’s tropical, the dial is not spotted or patchy. The tone is even. The whole condition, in fact, is quite strong. The correct hands, movement, and flouted pushers are present. Its case has had a professional retouch and it should be noted that it’s really not bad. This is not like a typical over-polishing job. The correct radial brushing and polish chamfers have just been lightly reinforced. I hate refinishing and I’m fine with it. All told, it’s a strong example with a wild degree of charm.

Find this 1163 GMT here on Omegaforums for 12500 EUR.