Gallet & Cie has been around for so long that archeologists have probably dug up a fossilized Gallet clock right next to trilobites. Ok, that’s slightly exaggerated, but when a watchmaker has been around since 1466, it’s fair to say they know a thing or two about horology. Gallet is well known to hard-core vintage collectors, but they’ve flown under the radar among enthusiasts in general. Interestingly, the manufacture has long been on the forefront of horological innovation, and they’ve racked up a number of impressive wristwatch “firsts”: including the first waterproof chronograph wristwatch, the first wristwatch with a 28,800 BPH escapement, first wristwatch with rotating bezel and the first chronograph wristwatch with a 24-hour GMT complication. Considering how often we see these features in watches from nearly every significant brand today, one cannot overstate Gallet’s contributions to the watch industry. Of the many watches produced by Gallet in the 20th century, the MultiChron chronographs are some of the most significant and collectible today. Although they are refined and stylish, many were intended as tool watches for military and industrial professionals, featuring decimal, pulsometer and telemeter tracks on the dials. The MultiChron 12H, so known for its third register and capability of recording up to twelve hours, would likely have found use in aviation, motorsports, or military use, as the easily readable dial, black Arabic numerals and colored outer scales, allow for quick and precise reading. The look of the entire watch, from its sharp steel lines and beveled edges to its barrel pushers and uncluttered dial, is simply breathtaking, and is absolutely one of our favorite expressions of 1950s chronographs. Internally, the MultiChron 12Hs were fitted with either Valjoux 72 or Excelsior Park 40 manufacture movements - win/win options! This particular example is fitted with the revered Valljoux 72 manually-winding movement and is in absolutely excellent condition. This is a stylish high-quality watch from one of the most important brands in the Swiss watch industry. We strongly believe that Gallet's time is coming as collectors begin to discover just how brilliant these oft-overlooked timepieces really are - the time to get into them is now, before everyone and their brother has figured it out...
