Gallet Officially Enters Its Renaissance for the Brand’s 200th Anniversary

It was nearly a year and a half ago that Breitling announced its acquisition of the long defunct Swiss watch brand Gallet. Since then, we’ve been waiting for an official comeback, and now it’s finally here in the year of the Maison’s 200th anniversary. Today marks the beginning of a new era of the historic watchmaker. In the 1800s when Gallet was first founded, La Chaus-de-Fonds was a global hub for watchmaking, giving rise to several legendary brands, including Breitling as well as Heuer, Zenith, and Girard-Perregaux. The period coincided with the Industrial Revolution, which trickled into the field of watchmaking, transforming it from a bespoke craft for the elite to an increasingly accessible craft thanks to growing mass production. The democratization of the watch opened doors for timekeepers to serve as more than a status symbol but a tool for adventurers in the realms of aviation, racing, and sailing. Gallet’s watches went on to time the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight, helped pilots track the time in world cities during the earliest intercontinental flights, and commemorated racing champion Rex Mays’ victory at the Springfield Mile. Gallet continues this lineage while bringing it into the modern era thanks to the technical expertise of Breitling. From the movements powering the models down to details like interchangeable quick release straps, Breitling has revived Gallet with contemporary upgrades while maintaining the original essence of the brand. The inaugural four collections joining the lineup each draw on pieces from Gallet’s archive – this is the new Flying Officer, Multichron Pilot, Multichron Sport, and Gallet Classic. The Flying Officer reprises Gallet’s flagship line with a new edition offering modern oversized proportions at 40mm. Here, the collection’s distinctive city ring informed the visual language but is now entirely reconsidered around 24 contemporary destinations, with a mix of major international gateways and more remote points of exploration to reflect how travel has evolved. The warm patina of an aged vintage model inspired Gallet’s signature orange-and-blue palette, which we see across the colorways in the new lineup. The chronograph edition is available in two styles: light blue with tone-on-tone subdials and black with tone-on-tone subdials. Each is powered by the Gallet 23 chronograph caliber (based on Sellita SW510) with an approximate 62-hour power reserve. The automatic iteration also comes in two colors: one in orange edition and one in dark blue. Both models are powered by the Gallet 17 automatic (based on Sellita SW200) with an approximate 41-hour power reserve. Alternatively, the Multichron family embodies Gallet’s tool-watch heritage and is presented in the new lineup in two forms, the Multichron Pilot and the Multichron Sport. The pair of models in this family are quite similar thanks to the classic tri-register chronograph layout. There’s a difference in the bezel design as well as the size, with the pilot boasting a slightly larger build at 42mm over the sport at 41mm. In addition, a similar color scheme is used across both models with the option of black with white subdials or blue with black subdials with the shade in the pilot line being a more subdued dusty blue and the hue in the sport line being a bolder and brighter blue. Powering both models is the Gallet 23 chronograph caliber (based on Sellita SW510) with an approximate 62-hour power reserve. Lastly, in honor of the year marking Gallet’s 200th anniversary, there are also three special-edition Gallet Classics tribute pieces joining the other two core collections. This trio of watches is particularly special not only in commemorating Gallet’s rich history in the field of watchmaking but also in integrating Breitling’s innovative spirit to elevate the brand in its modern incarnation. With that, each of the Gallet Classic models – the Tribute to Multichron Yachting Big Eye, the Tribute to Multichron 45, and the Tribute to Silverlight – is exclusively powered by the Caliber B09, Breitling’s hand-wound manufacture chronograph movement. The Flying Officer, Multichron Pilot, and Multichron Sport lay the foundation for Gallet’s modern catalog while the Gallet Classics models are special editions. For more information, including pricing, head over directly to Gallet.