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girard perregaux gyromatic watch

WatchIdiot
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Okay talking with my parents about getting sucked down the hole of vintage watches my dad said something about a watch that was his fathers.

Its a girard perregaux gyromatic in great shape and it actually runs, but he said it wont run for long ( what ever that means ). He took it somewhere years ago and they said it was 600 to "fix" it. I assume the fix it was just a service and to him not wearing a watch anymore it made no sense to get it serviced. I will probably get it and send it out to be serviced, I told my mother this and she is fine with it. The watch will be mine someday, but its not my style at all.

It has a dial I cant find anywhere on line, it has a sign wave symbol above the 6. I found something about the high frequency watches they made, but the dates don't seem right, as it was given to my GF by my GM in 1967, it is engraved with their initials on the back and the year.

Yes I have limited pics but it does show the over all shape, the crystal is not even really foggy, and the band maybe original.

Anyone have more info on the dial? My dad said it meant something special.

20241223_183825.webp 20241223_183819.webp
 
Tony C.
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It was a manual-wind "HF" (High-Frequency" chronometer. Very nice watches, and not many were produced.
 
gatorcpa
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@Tony C., I think this one is an automatic because it has “Gyromatic” on the dial. Probably a cal. 32A movement. The sine wave logo indicates a high-beat 36,000 beat per minute movement. Maybe that’s what the OP’s father meant by being “special”.

20241223_183819-webp.3089096

You are correct in that there were manual wind versions of this watch produced and that they are quite scarce.

1735006404287.webp

https://www.watchprosite.com/page-wf.forumpost/fi-6/ti-1160596/dv-true/wf.responses.open_bLoB_s-0/

Just not the OP’s watch,
gatorcpa
 
WatchIdiot
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Oh I don't know if my father knows what is special about it. Probably just told that by his father or mother.
 
WatchIdiot
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Oh for the fun of it, they have a longines tank and a Hamilton pocket watch as well. The longines is not in good shape and does not run or have a band.

The hamilton pocket watch does not work either and is in great shape as well. It even has the chain and pocket knife on the chain.

sorry for blowing up on pics.

20241223_185208.webp 20241223_185202.webp 20241223_185113.webp 20241223_185046.webp 20241223_185037.webp
 
Dan S
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If you pry open the dust cover of the Hamilton, you will see the movement and we can give you a lot of information about it. See if you can take good photos of any engravings without too much glare.

The Longines has a lot of issues, repainted dial, replaced hands, badly worn plating on the case, etc. I wouldn't consider trying to restore that one.
 
WatchIdiot
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Dan S Dan S
The Longines has a lot of issues, repainted dial, replaced hands, badly worn plating on the case, etc. I wouldn't consider trying to restore that one.
I know its beat up, apparently it was my Grand Father's daily. I don't think its been repainted, it has not been worn or used since about 1970's. I kind of doubt they repainted them much back then.
 
Dan S
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Repainting dials goes back to the 40s and 50s. It was extremely common with these watches that had no water resistance. In fact it was sometimes done routinely when the watch was serviced. Not a big deal.

When you have looked at enough of these dials, you know how they’re supposed to look. The fonts, the subdial, etc.
Edited:
 
WatchIdiot
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Dan S Dan S
Repainting dials goes back to the 40s and 50s. It was extremely common with these watches that had no water resistance. In fact it was sometimes done routinely when the watch was serviced. Not a big deal.

When you have looked at enough of these dials, you know how they’re supposed to look. The fonts, the subdial, etc.
I stand corrected.
 
Tony C.
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gatorcpa gatorcpa
I think this one is an automatic because it has “Gyromatic” on the dial.
Apparently, so, thanks! Not sure if I've ever seen an automatic with the sine wave on the dial, which is why I didn't look closely and missed the obvious.
 
WatchIdiot
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Tony C. Tony C.
Apparently, so, thanks! Not sure if I've ever seen an automatic with the sine wave on the dial, which is why I didn't look closely and missed the obvious.
Maybe thats what is special about it.
 
Tony C.
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WatchIdiot WatchIdiot
Maybe thats what is special about it.
More likely that it is a High-Frequency Chronometer. They were a point of pride for Girard-Perregaux, and for good reason. Here's an advert boasting that they took the first five places in the Neuchatel Observatory competition.

GPad17.webp
 
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