Gallet Flying Officer

If you've never heard of Gallet, pay attention:

One of the oldest manufactures in Switzerland, Gallet has been around since 1466, and has a colorful and diverse history of watchmaking tradition. From one-off handmade pocket watches for kings to some of the first mass-produced wristwatches in history, there is little road in the timekeeping industry on which Gallet hasn't tread in their 500+ year history. Gallet timepieces have been worn by individuals from every walk of life, including presidents, racing drivers, soldiers, and pilots.

From the dawn of the 20th century onward, Gallet has been manufacturing high-grade chronographs for sports timing and aviation usage. The brand has an outstanding portfolio of innovations and world firsts, including the first wrist-worn chronograph, the first waterproof chronograph, the first regatta timer, the first chronograph with GMT hand, and the first chronograph with built-in worldtimer…just to name a few. 

One of the more well known Gallet designs is that of the Flying Officer, an aeronautical chronograph with a 12-hour bezel and city ring that allowed pilots to track multiple time zones. Launched in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War, the Flying Officer was famously worn by President Harry Truman during his time in office. 

This particular Flying Officer dates to circa the 1980s and features a 38mm stainless steel case with a bronze bidirectional 12-hour bezel, a matching unsigned bronze crown, a matte black Tritium dial with silver sub-registers and a white minute track, a world time chapter ring, and a matching alpha hands.

In strong condition throughout, it’s perfect for the aeronautical enthusiast or the modern traveler.

Check it out today!

The Gallets have been making watches in Switzerland since 1466, when Humbertus Gallet became a citizen of Geneva. Nearly four hundred years later, in 1826, Julien Gallet registered the name Gallet et Cie for his watchmaking company and relocated to La Chaux-du-Fonds. From then on, the company only started to expanded, even into the United States, becoming one of the best-known names in watchmaking.

Gallet is well known to hard-core vintage collectors, but they’ve flown under the radar among enthusiasts in general. Interestingly, the manufacture has long been on the forefront of horological innovation, and they’ve racked up a number of impressive wristwatch “firsts," including the first waterproof chronograph wristwatch, the first wristwatch with a 28,800 BPH escapement, first wristwatch with rotating bezel and the first chronograph wristwatch with a 24-hour GMT complication. Considering how often we see these features in watches from nearly every significant brand today, one cannot overstate Gallet’s contributions to the watch industry.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.