Girard Perregaux Olimpico Chronograph

The late 1960s, early 1970s were sort of like the Wild West, horologically speaking.  Brands were leaving their traditional beats, experimenting with new designs and complications. 1970s fashion had injected itself into the marketplace, making room for bright colors and large cushion cases, allowing for fresh takes on well-worn deigns.  

Just about every Swiss manufacture pulled out the stops during the '70s, making watches from this era some of the most interesting vintage pieces on the market today. Sadly, with the 1970s also came the Quartz Crisis, which buried a good portion of the Swiss watch industry. Smaller brands that couldn't compete with cheap, plentiful, battery-powered watches were swept away or absorbed by larger firms and conglomerates.  

While Girard-Perregaux was never forced to close its doors, the production of its mechanical timepieces was significantly affected by the advent of quartz. Interestingly, the brand produced its first quartz watch in 1970, a feat that would become a harbinger of the next few decades of the manufacture's focus.  

Ultimately, GP produced a fair number of quartz watches, setting industry standards along the way. That said, its chronographs of the mechanical, pre-Crisis variety remain most desirable and collectable. 

This piece, an Olimpico Chronograph Reference 9075, dates back to the 1960s and features a radially brushed, 39mm stainless steel case with a rotating, elapsed-time bezel; recessed, barrel chronograph pushers; and an unsigned crown. 

The reverse-panda dial features a triple-register display with a 30-minute totalizer at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour totalizer at 6 o’clock, and a running seconds display at 9 o’clock. The dial is treated to flashes of orange accents from its pulsations scale, subdial, and center chronograph ‘syringe’ seconds hand, offering just the right amount of contrast to an otherwise monochrome look. Rounding out the dial’s features is a matching handset and ‘exclamation’ indices — which by the way, have developed a cream patina — as well as a peripheral tachymeter scale.

Powered by a manually-wound Girard-Perregaux chronograph movement with column wheel, this piece is dressed to the nines with a Ralstra Nero Black Desk Diver leather strap with a matching steel pin buckle. 

On the hunt for a mid-century mechanical chronograph with the right amount of riz? These black-dialed, cushioned-cased variations of the Olimpico Chronograph don’t pop up too often, and frankly, they're the best looking out of the Ref. 9075 bunch.

Make your move before somebody beats you to it! 

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.