Gallet Watches

Gallet: The Chronograph Pioneer You've Probably Worn Without Realizing It

If you collect vintage chronographs, odds are you’ve come across a Gallet — whether you knew it or not.

This is the chronograph brand that made watches for everyone from U.S. military pilots to IndyCar drivers, and yet somehow never gets the hype it deserves.

Before Heuer was king, before Omega Speedmasters went to the moon, Gallet was already making multi-scale, waterproof, wrist-mounted chronographs that could time a lap, a flight, and a war mission.

Gallet didn’t copy the playbook — they wrote it.

Brand History: Swiss Roots, Military Backing, and Timing Everything That Mattered

Founded in 1466 (yes, really) and registered in Switzerland in the 1800s, Gallet & Co. is one of the oldest watchmaking names in the world. But it’s the 20th century that really made their name — specifically, their work with military and motorsport timing.

They were early adopters of wrist-mounted chronographs, and in 1916, released the first wristwatch with a 30-minute counter. By WWII, Gallet was issuing Multichron chronographs to U.S. officers and engineers under MIL-spec contracts.

They even developed the first waterproof chronograph case and pioneered the multi-scale dial layouts that brands still riff on today.

In short: if you like chrono history, Gallet is the real deal.

Collector Highlights: Vintage Gold, Military DNA, and Tool Watch Royalty

  • Multichron 12 / 30 / 45 / 60 – The backbone of the vintage Gallet world. These hand-wound chronos were used by militaries, race teams, engineers — anyone who needed to time with precision. Variants used Excelsior Park and Venus calibers.

  • Flight Officer Chronograph – Designed in 1939 for U.S. Army Air Forces. 24-hour rotating bezel, world time cities, and military-grade reliability. A true legend.

  • Excel-O-Graph – Slide-rule bezel for pilots and engineers. Looks like a cross between a Breitling Navitimer and a military field watch.

  • Decimal Chronos – Unique dial layouts with decimal-minute scales for scientific timing.

  • Medical Dials – Pulsometer scales made for physicians, collectors love ‘em.

These watches are function-first, beautifully proportioned, and often available for shockingly reasonable prices considering their historical weight.

Why Collectors Should Care

  • Legit chronograph pioneers — not a marketing claim, a horological fact.

  • Used by the U.S. military — especially officers and aviators.

  • Incredible vintage value — Multichron 12s still trade below what modern entry-level chronos go for.

  • Movements matter — many run Excelsior Park or Venus calibers that are smooth, robust, and worth servicing.

  • Quiet grails — If you know, you know. If you don’t, someone at a RedBar meetup will definitely notice.

Gallet is one of those brands that makes you feel like you’ve discovered something — because you have.

What They’re Making Now: Quiet Comebacks, Custom Orders, and Collector Love

While Gallet doesn’t have a massive modern catalog, they’ve begun slowly reintroducing pieces — often in limited runs or direct-to-collector drops.

Current efforts focus on:

  • Multichron reissues — faithful to vintage specs, often with manual movements and vintage-style finishing.

  • Pilot chronographs — using new-old-stock components or reimagined designs from their archives.

  • Customized orders — for serious collectors who want something special.

Still indie. Still low-volume. Still built with care.

If you want to buy new, you can — but vintage is where the soul lives.

Fed’s Take

Let me be blunt: Gallet is criminally underrated.

They were doing tool watches before it was cool. They were in cockpits, on racetracks, and in lab coats while other brands were still making pocket watches for bankers. And they did it all without the marketing budget.

I’ve handled Multichrons that feel better balanced than anything from the same era. I’ve seen Flight Officers that look like they belong in a museum. And I’ve seen collectors light up when they spot that Gallet logo at 12 o’clock — because they know.

If you’re collecting chronographs and don’t have a Gallet in your box yet? That box is incomplete.

Before the Hype. Before the Icons. There Was Gallet.

If you want vintage cred, military DNA, and real horological significance — without paying five figures — Gallet is one of the smartest buys in the game.

Delray Watch has a rotating selection of vintage and collectible Gallet watches — from Multichrons to Flight Officers

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