Girard Perregaux.. To Restore or..

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d3cam110

·May 30, 2021

I picked up this Gyromatic at an estate sale yesterday. It has a 14K bezel with SS case. The watch runs. The glass is quite cloudy and was loose so I removed it for better pictures.

I have looked around on google / eBay / forums and have not been able to find this exact watch made by Girard anywhere. The closest model I found that has a similar face and exact same hands is the Seahawk model [which to my knowledge is not Gyromatic]. I am thinking this might be one fo the first gyromatic models form the late 60's.

So regarding the title of this post.. what's everyones take on getting this restored? I have been wanting a cool vintage watch that keeps time well, what's everyones thoughts on cost of getting this up and running?

If any Girard experts could give their 2 cents on the model I would really appreciate it!

 

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Dan S

·May 30, 2021

It's an interesting reference, but the watch has some issues. My sense is that the dial is not original, and I'm not 100% sure that the hands match the dial, although possibly they are correct. Can we see the movement?

 

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amcclell

·May 30, 2021

Unfortunately, even if the dial was original, there is nothing distinctive about this watch that makes it worth the investment. Very plain design, rough dial and gold capped case. There are so many other similar styled watches from this era that are in decent condition that negate investing in this one.

 

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amcclell

·May 30, 2021

Thanks for the photos. I was writing my post when they were posted. I am no expert on GP but this movement looks very suspicious to me. The rotor is unlike any that I can find. The regulator and general finishing look similar to what you would find in a knock-off.

Also, I think that Gyromatics started in the 1950's.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/red...n-girard-perregaux-gyromatic-with-box.105728/

Edited: May 30, 2021

 

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d3cam110

·May 30, 2021

Thanks for taking a look. Surprising someone would go to the trouble of reproducing one. I wonder if the 14k bezel is even real at this point.

 

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X350 XJR

·May 30, 2021·Vintage Omega Aficionado

Looks perfectly genuine including the movement (photos now deleted).

 

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Dan S

·May 30, 2021

X350 XJR

Looks perfectly genuine including the movement (photos now deleted).

I agree that it's fundamentally legit, but the dial is definitely repainted IMO. Aside from printing issues, I can see white paint on the side of the markers. And I'm just not sure that the style of the hands, with black inlay and lume, matches the dial, although obviously the dial might originally have had lume dots.

 

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amcclell

·May 30, 2021

@X350 XJR knows far more about these than I do, so I would defer to him and concede that it is genuine. All I can say is that it is one poorly finished movement for a Swiss made watch. I guess they were under pressure to reduce costs.

 

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d3cam110

·May 30, 2021

Sorry one of the previous photos[deleted] was a full screenshot of my desktop so I am reposting the movement photo.

Maybe they took the hands from a Seahawk [attached]

 

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Dan S

·May 30, 2021

D d3cam110

Maybe they took the hands from a Seahawk [attached]

That's quite plausible, since those applied markers have black inlay that matches the hands.

 

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d3cam110

·May 30, 2021

I normally only purchase things at estate sales that I know enough about, so this purchase was a gamble for me.

I saw Gyromatics on eBay [same condition] [without gold bezel] for $180-$300 so I took the plunge paying $120 for it. Caveat Emptor

 

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Dan S

·May 30, 2021

amcclell

@X350 XJR knows far more about these than I do, so I would defer to him and concede that it is genuine. All I can say is that it is one poorly finished movement for a Swiss made watch. I guess they were under pressure to reduce costs.

IIRC, the earlier generation Gyromatics were built on a A Schild base movement, so they were not particularly high end. This one has also seen some moisture apparently.

 

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X350 XJR

·May 30, 2021·Vintage Omega Aficionado

Yes, totally agree dial on OPs watch is refinished and not very well. Since the figures are integral to the dial and not applied they have been polished down as part of the refinishing and quite likely originally looked much like the SeaHawk posted above.

GP went through a rough period and quality fell, unfortunately this one is from that period.

 

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Dan S

·May 30, 2021

X350 XJR

Since the figures are integral to the dial and not applied they have been polished down as part of the refinishing and quite likely originally looked much like the SeaHawk posted above.

Sure enough, when I look closely, I can see the grooves for the inlay/paint in some of the markers, and even a bit of paint left in some of them. 👍

 

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amcclell

·May 30, 2021

X350 XJR

Yes, totally agree dial on OPs watch is refinished and not very well. Since the figures are integral to the dial and not applied they have been polished down as part of the refinishing and quite likely originally looked much like the SeaHawk posted above.

GP went through a rough period and quality fell, unfortunately this one is from that period.

When I looked at the movement photos, I didn't see any jewels showing, which combined with the poor finish quality looked very suspicious to me.