A Pioneer
Takes Flight
to Preserve
Timekeeping
Gallet Releases Iconic Watch
to Benefit World-Class Museum
F
or most of the twentieth cen-
tury, one Swiss watchmaker’s
timepieces were found on the
wrists of more professionals worldwide
than any other watch brand. Gallet
held a reputation for durability and
functionality that was unsurpassed
among aviators, sportsmen, doctors,
nurses, automotive teams, scientists,
and other professionals.
Then came the “Quartz Crisis”
of the 1970s and 1980s that nearly
devastated many of the great Swiss
watchmaking houses. Gallet con-
tinued to thrive during this difficult
climate by doing what it does best—
research, development, and supplying
the company’s top-quality timepieces
to military, industrial, and profes-
sional clients. Among these clients
were the United States and Canadian governments, who
commissioned tens of thousands of Gallet pilot’s watches, is-
sued under the names “Marathon” in the United States and
“Adanac” in Canada. Gallet also enjoyed status as a supplier
of timepieces to the armed forces in Switzerland. Ironically,
Japan and Asia, the loci of the battery-powered watches that
precipitated the Swiss Quartz Crisis, remained as a primary
civilian market for the mechanical watches that the com-
pany manufactured during this period.
The new millennium brought about changes for Gallet.
Walter Hediger and David Laurence became Gallet’s CEO
and COO respectively. Bernard Gallet, family patriarch
The Gallet G330-powered
Museum Edition Flight Officer, above, is the
world’s most advanced aviation watch.
by Hugh Dougherty
and long-time head of the company,
passed away. Then in 2007 a small
occurrence led to unexpected events:
The company was contacted by a re-
searcher from the National Watch
and Clock Museum in Columbia,
Pa., about a watch on loan to the
museum from the Harry S Truman
Library. The watch was to be includ-
ed in an upcoming exhibit entitled
“Time in Office” that featured presi-
dential timepieces. The researcher
was interested in learning more about
the watch, a 1938 Gallet Flight Of-
ficer, worn by the 33rd president.
Since providing the initial fund-
ing to construct the International
Museum of Watchmaking in Swit-
zerland, Gallet has been committed
to supporting public institutions that
preserve horology’s noble history. Gallet decided to sponsor
the Pennsylvania exhibit, and this new relationship between
the company and the American Museum grew.
At the same time, Georg Raytchev, Gallet’s master watch-
maker, had finalized the testing of prototypes for a ground-
breaking new chronograph movement. Ultimately dubbed
the MultiChron Duo-Force Caliber G330, this extraordinary
mechanism was engineered to resolve a number of the short-
comings inherent to chronographs. After years of work and
millions of Swiss Francs spent on development, the G330
was ready for production.
Inspired by the timing of events and a desire to assist
the Museum in offsetting recent budget cuts by the State of
Pennsylvania, Hediger and Laurence presented their new
friends with a unique proposal--to release a limited series of
Gallet’s renowned Flight Officer chronograph as a direct
financial benefit to the Museum. By installing Raytchev’s
groundbreaking Caliber G330 movement in a contempo-
rary version of the original case, the new Museum Edition
Flight Officer was born. The watch worn by Harry Truman
and pilots of the United States Army Air Forces during
World War II evolved into the most advanced and highly
developed aviator’s timepiece of the 21st century.
Noel Poirier, National Watch and Clock Museum’s di-
rector, didn’t hesitate in signing onto the plan. He says he
realized the watch’s historical significance. “It’s the kind of
watch we’d like to collect 50 years from now.” Poirier says
the joint project between Gallet and the Museum also “rep-
resents to contemporary watch enthusiasts the need to pre-
serve the history of timekeeping.
“Plus, it’s an incredible watch, and the Museum is proud
that it features our name,” Poirier says. “The most important
thing we have is our reputation, and we’re happy to be affili-
ated with a watch that represents such a significant step in
The Watch
The Museum Edition Flight Officer is a coveted hand-
built masterpiece. Unlike any aviator’s timepiece that has
come before, this extraordinary wristwatch represents the
world’s first integration of 12-hour split recording capabili-
ties, multiple time zone calculation, Silicium escape wheel,
and self-winding dual mainsprings with more than 72 hours
total reserve power.
Housed within the nearly indestructible 42-millimeter
case beats a mechanism of unsurpassed accuracy and
function. The brainchild of master watchmaker maker
tally in-house manufactured Gallet G330 0
movement is the result of more than five
years of intensive development and testing.
Its simple outer appearance belies the per-
fectly integrated complexity of more than
440 individually finished parts.
Resolving many of the shortcomings in--
chronographs; Gallet’s new Flight Officer per-
forms at impressive levels of certified chronometer accu-
racy even with both of its elapsed time recording functions
activated.
The first examples of Gallet’s new Flight Officer chro-
nographs are available in a small series of 1,050 pieces to
benefit to the National Watch and Clock Museum. Of-
fered at below market value to help the Museum quickly
receive needed funding, this is an opportunity for a select
few individuals to wear the most advanced pilot’s watch of
the 21st century before it appears in boutiques at normal
retail prices.
mechanical timekeeping.”
To help the National Watch and Clock Museum imme-
diately benefit from this special event, a unique sales strategy
has been implemented. A small series of Gallet’s new Flight
Officer chronographs are being offered at significantly less
than normal market value. To allow for this special low pric-
ing, order taking is being handled directly by Gallet, instead
of through normal resale channels. After the Museum Edi-
tion is sold out, Gallet’s G330 powered Flight Officer will
become available through watch boutiques and fine jewelry
stores at normal retail prices.
Gallet’s CEO hopes that this event will also help to in-
crease the Museum’s patronage. Hediger, who often visits
horological museums in the vicinity of his travels, is out-
spoken about his feelings when it comes to support of these
noble institutions. “Wearing an expensive watch as a state-
ment of personal success is fine,” he says. “At the same time,
everyone wearing a fine modern timepiece owes a debt of
gratitude to the hard work and sacrifice by the great watch-
For this special event, only 250 individually signed and
numbered examples will be made in stainless steel, 250
in each of the different solid gold colors, and 50 in plati-
num. Prices start at $18,500 for the stainless version, about
$40,000 for gold, and $89,700 for solid 950 platinum.
Every Museum Edition Flight Officer is built to order
in Gallet’s Swiss workshop—a labor intensive process that
takes between five and six months per watch as well as the
time required for chronometer certification by the COSC
(Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres), the
(Contr
Exploded view of Gallet’s
revolutionary Calibre
G330 showing highly-
developed double
chronograph mechanism.
making pioneers of the past. The best way to ‘Wearing an McLaren, and numerous others.
repay this debt is by supporting the museums expensive watch There are many other examples where
and learning more about what was involved Gallet supplied its cutting edge timepieces
in making this all possible.” as a statement to various industries and professions rang-
While not the most recognized brand with of personal ing from rocket production to auto racing
the general watch buying consumer, the Ga-
llet name is well established with the more
success is fine. to aviation to medicine. Gallet’s dual-split
stopwatches were utilized by NAA Rock-
knowledgeable watch connoisseur. Advanced At the same etdyne in the 1940s during the early liquid
aficionados, and those within the industry, are time, everyone propulsion testing that led to the modern
aware of what the Gallet label represents to exploration of space. Prior to this, Gallet
fine watchmaking, especially in the area of wearing a was commissioned by the U.S. Geological
professional timekeeping. fine modern Survey to build high-quality stopwatches
From the very inception of the wristwatch
until now, millions of timepieces were pro-
timepiece owes a for measuring the duration of seismic ac-
tivity and other natural phenomena, fol-
duced with the Gallet name on the dial. Most debt of gratitude lowed by beacon timers for the U.S. Light
of those watches were built for true profession- to the hard work House Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.
als. “We have always had a strong commit- A number of innovations found within
ment to professional timekeeping,” Laurence and sacrifice today’s fine timepieces came about as a re-
says. “This is what drives our research and de- by the great sult of research conducted by Gallet. The
velopment. Gallet watches are used in every watchmaking company introduced the first wrist-worn
field where durability, reliability, and precision alternative to the pocket chronograph in
are critical. Unlike some other manufacturers, pioneers of the 1914 with its MultiChron 30 and supplied
professional watches were never a sideline past.’ it to the British Royal Air Force. The Mul-
with us.” tiChron 30 model went on to become the
As an example, he points to Gallet’s status Walter Hediger, first chronograph with a waterproof case
as the first and longtime official timekeeper Gallet CEO in 1936. Time zone calculation, a stan-
for the Indianapolis 500. The company ful- dard feature on many contemporary pilot’s
filled contracts to supply the iconic racing institution with watches, debuted in 1938 with the Flight Officer. The Mul-
stop watches and timers that often also featured the logo of tiChron Petite, introduced in 1939, was the first miniature
Gallet’s co-sponsor, the Champion Sparkplug Company. Ga- wrist chronograph specially designed for enlisted and profes-
llet’s wrist chronographs were worn during competition by sional women.
some of racing’s greatest legends, including Jim Clark, Bruce The first chronograph wristwatch with an additional 24-

The Gallet MultiChron model 12 worn by Jim Clark, the The 1938 Gallet Flight Officer endorsed by Senator Harry S
world’s greatest Formula One driver, when he won the 1965 Truman for pilots of the US Army Air Force. Truman wore a
Indianapolis 500. Flight Officer during his term as 33rd President.

Master watchmaker Georg Raytchev, left, with CEO
Walter Hediger at the company’s Swiss workshop.
hour GMT directional hand was introduced in 1943 with
the MultiChron Navigator. The world’s first yacht racing
stopwatch, pioneered by Gallet in 1920, evolved into the
MultiChron Yachting Timer. Introduced in 1950, the Yacht-
ing Timer became the first wrist-worn chronograph with re-
gatta countdown function.
The original 1938 Flight Officer was a well-known favor-
ite of President Truman, who recommended it as a require-
ment for pilots of the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII.
The new Museum Edition Flight Officer joins the long list
of Gallet innovations by being the first self-winding, split
recording chronograph with dual mainspring barrels and Si-
licium escape wheel.
Gallet’s classic watch models are highly prized by today’s
collectors. As part of the company’s commitment to main-
taining a strong connection with its long history, Gallet
sponsored a team of volunteers to create GalletWorld.com, a
web site dedicated to the company’s past achievements and
renowned timepieces.
“That was then, and this is now,” Laurence says. “We’re
proud of our 545 year tradition of innovation, and we live
by our slogan ‘Pioneers in Professional Timekeeping.’ When
you wear a Gallet, you’re wearing the real thing. Form follows
function. We produce watches that look like a professional’s
watch should. Gallet timepieces do not include frivolous bells
and whistles added purely for marketing purposes. Instead, our
watches incorporate only the very best of what is required.”
Due to Gallet’s status as the world’s oldest surviving watch
and clock maker, Laurence believes that the company has a
unique responsibility: “Because of whom we are, we have an
obligation to advance and also preserve the art and science
of timekeeping.” In the company’s long-held tradition, Ga-
llet plans to tie future models to other philanthropic causes
similar to the Museum Edition project.
“We see ourselves as a corporate citizen of the world at
large,” Laurence says. “Timekeeping has always, and will
always play an important role in world events. It’s fitting
that a company such as Gallet does what it can to assure
that those who strive to make the world better can con-
tinue their efforts.”
For Information:
Gallet Watch Group
www.GalletWatch.com
www.GalletWorld.com
USA & Canada: 888-9-GALLET (425538)
lnternational: +813-712-49-66

The Museum
The National Watch and Clock Museum is part of the Nation-
al Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC). With
more than 18,000 members, it is the largest international organiza-
tion dedicated to the art and science of timekeeping. One of the
world’s largest collections of over 17,000 timepieces is housed at
NAWCC headquarters in Columbia, Pa. The 45,000 square foot
facility contains 19,000 feet devoted to displays that are open to
the public. In addition to the museum, the association operates
a library and research center containing more than 19,000 horo-
logical books, catalogs and periodicals, as well as a 21,000 volume
special collections archive containing patent filings, records from
several watch companies, and personal papers from famous horolo-
gists. The NAWCC also operates an accredited School of Horol-
ogy where students learn to become professional watch and clock
makers.
More information is found at www.nawcc.org
and www.museumoftime.org.