Gallet chrono...thoughts?

Norfolk · Nov 21, 2020

This popped up for sale locally...I know very little of this brand outside the Multichrons. Came from an estate. Looks to be almost unworn. Box and papers. Steel caseback unmarked. I guess gold filled? All working and crowns pushing smoothly. Can anyone supply me with more info? Am guessing late 1950s to 1969s. An indication of value would be helpful too as might consider making an offer on it. I was slightly put off by the plainness of the dial and the font numbers. No tachy scale? Assume it’s a much more dressy version.

Dan S · Nov 21, 2020

The logo font transitioned to the G with the watch hands in the late 60s I believe, so this is before that. Probably early or mid-60s if I had to guess, so I agree with your estimate. Gold/gold-filled multichrons are less common, but I don't think that the gold-filled case makes it particularly desirable. I think it's very hard to value without knowing the movement.

Norfolk · Nov 21, 2020

thanks - agreed if it had been a steel case I would have been more interested. Difficult to get the guy to open it up - case back appears never to have been off and its a press-on rather than screw. So no idea what movement. Its a goodish size and reasonably sizeable for that period. Would estimate 36-38mm? I liked the box and guarantee being with it - gave it more authenticity.

janice&fred · Nov 21, 2020

Norfolk
Difficult to get the guy to open it up

Difficult to deal with that guy to begin with and don't swallow his "estate sale" baloney. That watch doesn't even belong to him.

Norfolk · Nov 21, 2020

Indeed....I think it will be for someone else's collection rather than mine but always keen to learn about models I dont know about...

Joe_A · Nov 21, 2020

It's a Multichron 45M.

If the back is stainless steel and pressed on then the size should be about 36 mm and the case would be gold-filled or plated.

The 37.5 mm versions employ screw-back cases.

A photo of the movement would help to narrow the date range. I learned only recently that Gallet continued to produce watches with oval pushers even after they introduced the round pushers, so the watch can't be considered "early" just because the pushers are the older style.

Some of us prefer the uncluttered look of the spartan dial sans tele/tachy scale.

I have an MC-45M of the 37.5 mm variety with screw back case, circa 1965 to 1967:

I have another 100 photos of this watch if you'd like to see more! 😀

I also have two 37.5 mm Multichrion 12 watches, one "cluttered" with a tachy/tele dial and one plain. 😉

If the clean dial does not appeal to you, perhaps it's better to wait for a Gallet that feels more like love at first sight.

Price range for the one you show us can be anywhere from $1,800 to maybe $3,000 if it houses an EP4-68.

Hope that helps a little.

~ Joe

janice&fred · Nov 21, 2020

Joe_A
Price range for the one you show us can be anywhere from $1,800 to maybe $3,000 if it houses an EP4-68.

😵‍💫

Norfolk · Nov 21, 2020

Joe that is amazingly helpful - thank you. I agree about feeling the love....although not unattractive, compared to your steel version, round pushers and blued hands, it pales somewhat. Yours is lovely!

Dan S · Nov 21, 2020

Respectfully, I can't agree with that valuation if it is gold-filled/plated. Even if it does have a column-wheel movement.

Joe_A · Nov 21, 2020

Dan S
Respectfully, I can't agree with that valuation if it is gold-filled/plated. Even if it does have a column-wheel movement.

I haven't see a Gallet Multichon sell for much less than the low-end of the range I stated.

Upon reflection though, even were the case to house an EP4-68, $3000 would be too high.

It's actually worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

Dan S · Nov 21, 2020

Joe_A
I haven't see a Gallet Multichon sell for much less than the low-end of the range I stated.

I basically agree with this, but I have also never seen a gold-plated/filled MC sold. I have a 37.5mm SS MC with EP4 that I would happily sell for $2k (ok, has a few dial issues), and I can't believe that a gold-filled version would be anything close to the same value. Going by other brands, gold-filled has about 50% of the value of SS IMO. Collectors just don't want them. I would have a hard time paying more than $1k for the OP watch. That's just me.

Norfolk · Nov 22, 2020

I concur - I saw it around 800-1000 max. Gold filled case just not so attractive. It was box and papers that caught my eye. (FYI the seller was asking a lot more). The hunt continues....

janice&fred · Nov 22, 2020

Norfolk
(FYI the seller was asking a lot more)

You should have seen the piece of junk gold capped constellation he was doing his best to stir excitement over. Gotten from the same "estate sale" last week which in reality is a shifty guy named XXXXXXX who left the two watches with him that morning to try and pop. Worn down medallion sans stars, generic crown and mismatched plated BOR so short it wouldn't even fit my um...never mind you know what I mean. 😁

Larry S · Nov 22, 2020

Agree on the sub 1k valuation. Despite its being in good shape, it’s not interesting in any way to me and the case materials are an additional turn off. I feel the same way about Angelus chronographs in filled or plated cases. Meh.

Joe_A · Nov 22, 2020

Here's a gold-filled Zenith listed on Ebay very similar to the OP watch . . .

It's 36 mm with a steel case back and has an older EP4 movement (Zenith 143-6) listed "buy it now" for $2,299.00.

Would I purchase this watch? No, I would not as it does not interest me.

A better choice in my opinion is another 36 mm Gallet watch also much like the OP watch, but in a solid 14K yellow gold case.

This one also houses an older EP-4 movement and has blued hands rather than gold-filled hands. Asking price is $3.895.00.

It's hard to say what I'd offer for this watch because I am not smitten with it, but it would be below the asking price. 😉

Dan S · Nov 22, 2020

Joe_A
Here's a gold-filled Zenith listed on Ebay very similar to the OP watch . . .

It's 36 mm with a steel case back and has an older EP4 movement (Zenith 143-6) listed "buy it now" for $2,299.00.

Would I purchase this watch? No, I would not as it does not interest me.

A better choice in my opinion is another 36 mm Gallet watch also much like the OP watch, but in a solid 14K yellow gold case.

This one also houses an older EP-4 movement and has blued hands rather than gold-filled hands. Asking price is $3.895.00.

It's hard to say what I'd offer for this watch because I am not smitten with it, but it would be below the asking price. 😉

That second one gives me a re-dial feeling.

Larry S · Nov 22, 2020

Dan S
That second one gives me a re-dial feeling.

Yup.

Joe_A · Nov 22, 2020

Dan S
That second one gives me a re-dial feeling.

Of course, it's possible, but I doubt it.

The Gallet font looks good to my eye.

The paint is the same oxidized raised paint you can observe used in my watch above and typical of a Snow White:

That paint texture would be a bit challenging to duplicate.

S/N is 922122. I'm thinking early 1960s prior to the beginning of transitioning to a mobile stud carrier.

Dan S · Nov 22, 2020

Joe_A
Of course, it's possible, but I doubt it.

The Gallet font looks good to my eye.

The paint is the same oxidized raised paint you can observe used in my watch above and typical of a Snow White:

That paint texture would be a bit challenging to duplicate.

S/N is 922122. I'm thinking early 1960s prior to the beginning of transitioning to a mobile stud carrier.

Seeing that better photo, I'm now 99% sure it's a re-dial. The printing is terrible, miles away from the quality of printing on your watch. The GALLET looks really bad, letters uneven in size, spacing uneven. Sub-dial numbers are crooked, inconsistent (every "5" is different), "6" and "0" are overlapping in sub-dial, running seconds sub-dial ticks are wonky and uneven (crooked, some short, some long). Big numerals dripping into sub-dials. Outer track ticks are uneven and again every "5" is different. Some "3s" are flat, some are rounded. Just compare to your beautiful dial.

We can agree to disagree on this one, but I would never buy that watch. It's either a bad re-dial, or one of the worst Friday afternoon factory jobs I've seen.

Joe_A · Nov 22, 2020

Dan S

Seeing that better photo, I'm now 99% sure it's a re-dial. The printing is terrible, miles away from the quality of printing on your watch. The GALLET looks really bad, letters uneven in size, spacing uneven. Sub-dial numbers are crooked, inconsistent (every "5" is different), "6" and "0" are overlapping in sub-dial, running seconds sub-dial ticks are wonky and uneven (crooked, some short, some long). Big numerals dripping into sub-dials. Outer track ticks are uneven and again every "5" is different. Some "3s" are flat, some are rounded. Just compare to your beautiful dial.

We can agree to disagree on this one, but I would never buy that watch. It's either a bad re-dial, or one of the worst Friday afternoon factory jobs I've seen.

You may be correct . . .

I am not as certain as you are . . . and the discussion is not worthy or morphing into an argument. Neither of us is buying or selling the watch.

I do see the "G" is smallest of the letters in Gallet, so I suppose the dial could have been touched up.

The typically employed self-oxidizing ink used to achieve the raised look where the numerals intersect the subdials is not as clearly differentiated as we more generally see.

The printing of the hours numbers themselves seems typical to my eye.

Gallet dials often have flat printing on them and then the raised lettering . . . and especially the luminescent material can be . . . a bit sloppy.

What do you make of this?

Over at Chrono24, the "T" appears to be largest of the letters in the name. Another redial - or simply typical of variations in printing dials at the time - or merely and illusion in the photo?

(Of course, there are poor watches over at Chrono24 offered for sale regularly.)

I won't spend much more time on this.

I've seen such arguments many times here and in the end, they often end in disagreement.

Gallet chrono...thoughts?

Norfolk

Dan S

Norfolk

janice&fred

Norfolk

Joe_A

janice&fred

Norfolk

Dan S

Joe_A

Dan S

Norfolk

janice&fred

Larry S

Joe_A

Dan S

Larry S

Joe_A

Dan S

Joe_A

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