Gallet
Gallet
Gallet is a historic Swiss manufacturer of high-end timepieces for professional, military, sports, racing, and aviation use. Gallet is the world's oldest watch and clock making house with history dating back to Humbertus Gallet, a clock maker who became a citizen of Genève in 1466. The Gallet & Cie name was officially registered by Julien Gallet (1806–1849) in 1826, who moved the family business from Geneva to La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Gallet is best known during the 20th century for its line of MultiChron chronograph wristwatches. Produced primarily for military, industrial, auto racing, and other professional applications, Gallet's MultiChron watches often incorporated a number of advanced timekeeping innovations.
A Gallet timepiece of particular renown was the Flight Officer time zone chronograph. Commissioned by Senator Harry S. Truman in 1939 for pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, the Flight Officer (a.k.a. Flying Officer) had a rotating 12-hour bezel and the names of 23 major world cities printed on the periphery of the dial. These features made it possible to calculate changes in the time as an aviator flew across lines of longitude. Besides being the first time zone calculating wristwatch based upon a 12-hour system (24 hour world time wristwatches were produced by Patek Philippe in 1937),[8] the Flight Officer was the first wristwatch with a rotating bezel and one of the world's first wrist chronographs to be housed in a water-resistant case. Truman wore a Gallet Flight Officer during his terms as 33rd president (1945–1953).
History
Gallet watches were recognized as pioneers in 1895 as they were the world's first producer of wrist watches for both men and women. In 1916, Gallet was the world's first supplier of true wrist chronographs to the British Army. During the Second World War, it supplied watches to the armies of the Great Britain, Canada and the USA. Among the Gallet's professional timekeeping innovations are:
- The first wristwatch with a center-originating sweep second hand for heart rate calculation (1912)
- The first timepiece designed specifically for yacht racing (Gallet Yachting Timer, 1915)
- The first wristwatch with a faster 28,800 BPH escapement (Racine Quick-Train, 1928)
- The first wrist chronograph with a waterproof case (Gallet MultiChron Clamshell, 1936)[6][10]
- The first chronograph wristwatch with multiple time zone calculator (Gallet Flight Officer, 1939)[5]
- The first wristwatch with rotating bezel (Philippe Weiss, inventor) (Gallet Flight Officer, 1939)[5]
- The first miniature chronograph wristwatch for professional women (Gallet MultiChron Petite, 1939)
- The first 45-minute recording wrist chronograph (Gallet MultiChron 45, 1942)
- The first stopwatch with a built-in spare parts compartment for quick repairs (1943)
- The first chronograph wristwatch with additional 24-hour GMT hand (Gallet MultiChron Navigator, 1945)[28]
- The first "waterproof" stopwatch (Gallet Yachting Timer, 1945)
- The first 24-hour reading wrist chronograph (Gallet MultiChron 24HR, 1947)
