Ever buy a watch that you knew would be impossible to fix but it was too beautiful to pass up?

This is not that far-fetched. It would be a valuable service. Maybe not so much flying but establishing the network and working out the logistics for overseas contact and delivery.

I had a friend here in Portland who sadly died early. He was a sculptor who was also a Vietnam vet. His job was as a translator so he studied Vietnamese in the Army. He kept at it and over the years traveled regularly to Vietnam. A few years before he passed, he helped start a foundry in Vietnam, which is still successful. His plan was to take sculptors to Vietnam where we would stay in a nice hotel, eat great food, and get a sculpture cast in bronze. I was looking forward to it after retiring but he passed away a few months before I could retire.

This story still makes me tear up:

http://m.thanhniennews.com/society/american-veterans-tribute-to-heroic-mother-2984.html
https://vietnamnet.vn/en/us-veteran-sculpts-the-pain-of-vn-past-E73326.html

Well at least you have a case for yours.
... and a decent dial, and an hour hand.
even if I had the hour hand, it snapped off the hub.

Actually the dial does not bother me. In person it has less contrast. A camera lens with better depth of field would also help ...

Just arrived. May not be as impossible as it looks. Good balance and can set the hands. I have more spare parts like the winding wheel. Will see what overnight in Evap-O-Rust does.
For 10 bucks plus that again for S&H not a bad deal. Balance and jewels are worth twice that.

It’s starting to sound like the guy who had the Humphrey Bogart watch and wouldn’t give it back. Belonged to @collector1946 who eventually got it back. Influenced or facilitated by OF members if I recall.

Update:

After talking to Larry at the Gallet Service center we agreed to return my watch. He did not have a pusher replacement. To his credit, he returned my service fee. What's more, he sent me a pusher he said he found at the last minute. It is steel, but I can get it gold plated if it fits.

While he said they also serviced the watch, unfortunately it doesn't run. It ran for a minute then gets hung up at about 5 seconds. They did not return any parts so I suspect it still has a weak barrel spring, or at least needs adjustment. Also, pushing the reset doesn't get the chrono had back to 12. No emotion, just the facts.

The watch looks amazing. I've got a couple leads and hope to figure this out.

Larry said thar the Multichron Service center is no longer affiliated with Gallet. He still has whatever parts he acquired and will continue to service Gallet watches, but not as the brand's official center. He made it sound like Gallet no longer exists.

The first phase is now complete. At least I have my watch back after 18 months. It still looks amazing.



EDIT: Larry emailed me to explain why my watch wasn't working, which makes sense. Also, after visiting my local watchmaker, the watch is keeping time because we loosened the caseback. Just wanted to set the record straight. I appreciated his explanation and feel more comfortable with the service. Here was his explanation for anyone interested:

"You will also notice an issue where the movement functions well with good timing until the case back with hold down spring is tightened down. Then the watch only runs for a couple of minutes. This is a minor issue requiring adjustment of dial feet that hold the dial to the movement. Since this adjustment requires removing the 2 small date corrector assemblies again to access the dial feet, we decided to wait until the watch was ready for full completion with freshly gold plated pusher cap so as to not put any additional stress on the these correctors until we were ready to complete the job."

Update: Almost a year later, the watch is still out for service, but now at RGM watches in PA.

I often forget I even own this watch. Kindof a love/hate relationship.

They've supposed to be making a new one.