Gallet: history, models and value

Founded

1826

Founder(s)

Julien Gallet

Owner / group

Revived brand, owned by Breitling

Gallet: origins and founding

Gallet traces its family roots back to Geneva and claims a clockmaker ancestor, Humbert Gallet, who became a citizen of Geneva in 1466. The company as such was registered in 1826 by Julien Gallet (1806–1849), who moved the business from Geneva to La Chaux-de-Fonds. The 2026 relaunch counts its 200th anniversary from that date.

Founders and family

Several generations of the Gallet family ran the company. Léon Gallet expanded it from 1855 and helped build its export business, including early sales in the United States. Under Julien Gallet (1862–1934), the firm registered the name "Gallet & Cie, Fabrique d'horlogerie Electa" in 1906; Electa became its line of high-grade watches. Georges Gallet later directed the International Museum of Watchmaking in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Gallet history and milestones

• 1890: Jules Racine & Co. becomes Gallet's distributor in New York; the Racine name appears on many American-market watches.
• 1918: at Gallet's urging, the Jeanneret-Brehm workshop starts making movements under the Excelsior Park name, later used in Gallet chronographs.
• 1936–1951: the MultiChron "Clamshell", an early water-resistant wrist chronograph.
• 1939: the Flying Officer chronograph, commissioned by Senator Harry S. Truman's staff for US Army Air Forces pilots. Truman wore one as president.
• 1983: after Excelsior Park closed, Gallet acquired its remaining stock and assets.
• 1970s–1990s: like many mechanical makers, Gallet lost ground and became largely dormant by the mid-1990s.
• 2002: the company moves to Grandson under new management linked to the Neresheimer family.
• 2026: relaunch under Breitling with four collections.

Famous Gallet models

• Flying Officer: chronograph with a rotating bezel and world-city scale for working out time across time zones.
• MultiChron: the professional chronograph family, including the MultiChron 30, 45 and 12, Yachting and Pilot versions.
• Excel-O-Graph: a pilot's chronograph with slide-rule bezel.
• Electa and Racine: names found on many older Gallet-made watches.

Movements and technique

Vintage Gallet chronographs often use Excelsior Park movements, a respected chronograph maker closely tied to Gallet. The relaunched models use movements based on Sellita (Gallet calibre 17 based on the SW200, calibre 23 based on the SW510). The Classics tribute models use Breitling's hand-wound calibre B09.

Gallet today

Gallet is now part of Breitling's group of brands, next to Breitling and Universal Genève. The watches are assembled at Breitling Chronométrie in La Chaux-de-Fonds and serviced by Breitling. Gallet is the group's entry point, with new prices starting around USD 2,900 at launch.

Gallet prices on the pre-owned market

Collectors mainly look for vintage chronographs: Flying Officer, MultiChron models (especially the Clamshell and Yachting versions) and pieces with Excelsior Park movements. Original dials, unpolished cases and a working, serviced chronograph drive value. Simple three-hand Gallet, Electa or Racine watches are much more modest. Later Gallet watches from the 1990s and 2000s are less sought after than the vintage pieces.

How to recognise a genuine Gallet

On vintage chronographs, open the caseback (or have a watchmaker do it) and check that the movement is signed and fits the model, often an Excelsior Park calibre. Redials and replaced pushers or crowns are common problems on old chronographs. Dials marked Racine or Electa can be genuine Gallet products. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch explains the general checks.

What is your Gallet worth?

Take clear photos of the dial, case, caseback and, if possible, the movement, and use our free watch value estimate. For estates or insurance, a written watch appraisal gives you a documented value.

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