#TBT The Unobtanium Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal Chronograph

The Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal is as rare as a hen’s teeth, with only three examples known before this one. Watch purists may not accept this one because I managed to put it together from old parts. Still, everything is genuine and correct for the period.

First, I encourage you to read Mike’s eight-year-old story on his “basic” Gallet Multichron 45 Decimal, which doesn’t have a 12-hour totalizer. These seldomly models pop up, but you can find them. One is available on Chrono24, but the asking price is very optimistic. No matter the listing, they are pretty valuable and quickly sell in the €4,000–8,000 range, depending on condition. So imagine what the price tag could be for Multichron 12 Decimal. I know at least three people who would pay more than €10,000 if any were available.

Image: Daniel Horton

Master example

One of the very first Multichron 12 Decimal examples belongs to Daniel Horton, a huge Gallet enthusiast and Gallet Facebook page admin. Daniel also owns the Gallet Multichron 45 Decimal, which his grandfather used when he was working with Carl Norden on the famous WWII bombsight. Daniel says it’s the oldest known version of a Gallet Decimal chronograph.

My Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal with other iconic Gallet models

Now to Daniel’s Multichron 12 Decimal, which is not pristine but perfectly honest. “I came across this EP40 Decimal around 2013. It was from a watchmaker who purchased the entire inventory of a retiring authorized Gallet repair station in New York. I’ve had Gallet give it a going-through, and it’s all correct. He also told me the building that the Gallet shop was using was sold to John Mayer,” Daniel says, sharing the story about his watch and a bit of celebrity gossip.

A puzzling Decimal

About two years ago, an unusual Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal resurfaced. It was first sold on Chrono24, but it had the wrong hands. Someone made an effort and found the correct ones. However, seasoned Gallet collectors could immediately tell that the case back was not signed by Gallet, and there was no “H” stamping on the back of the lug. That would explain why it was sitting on eBay for months.

But what was the most interesting about the watch was the dial, especially the imperfect printing of the decimal track. All the Gallet experts I showed it to believed that the dial was original, but we all could only guess what gave the decimal track its wonky look. As the decimal track looked either flat or wavy depending on the photo, I believed it could be just an illusion caused by a crappy Plexi crystal. That’s why I gave it a shot and bought it. As seen in the picture above from my watchmaker, the decimal track is indeed not precise. We are still not sure if it was due to moisture or temperature or if it was simply a “reject” dial.

Finding a new dial

Since I am constantly sniffing out any Gallet-related stuff, I came across another guy who had a nearly perfect Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal dial. Without much hesitation and no bargaining, I simply bought it. I already had a case from a Gallet donor watch, which I had been searching for for a few years. It took some time because I wanted it to be correct. I took Daniel’s watch’s serial number, which starts with 93X XXX, as a benchmark. Happily, my case number also starts with 93X XXX.

The movement

Sadly, there are no archived sales records for Gallet; the Quartz Crisis flushed it all to darkness. But based on Daniel’s enthusiastic work on the Gallet serial number project he kept running for years, his and my watch cases date to circa 1965/1966. That means that the correct movement for the watch is the earlier Excelsior Park EP40, which later made way for the slightly updated EP40-68.

A happy reunion

You cannot imagine how happy I was when my watchmaker called me a day or two after New Year’s Eve to say my Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal was ready. It looks phenomenal. If I hadn’t told you, you would hardly have guessed that this watch was not a pure factory setup. All of the parts are Gallet originals now, including the crown, which is not signed but is very specific.

The blued hands reflect nicely on the pearly white dial. Plus, the color combination of blued hands with a red central chrono hand and red decimal chapter ring is beyond satisfying. It looks so fresh and sporty. This Excelsior Park movement is one of my favorites too; the response and sensation you get from chronograph pushers are unique. No wonder I wore this watch for a few consecutive weeks early this year. Ultimately, from about 50 Gallet chronographs, this one is in my top five.

Image: Daniel Horton

Last thoughts

While multiple ads show the Gallet Multichron 45 Decimal, to my knowledge, there is just one catalog showing the Decimal version of the Multichron 12. Interestingly, it does not feature diagonally beveled lugs but straight-beveled lugs. It also features the so-called “coat-hanger 7” dial and central chronograph seconds hand in blue.

This dial style also resurfaced, making it the third known example, the owner of which is unknown. The fourth and last known example is one like mine and Daniel’s. It belonged to my watch friend, who gifted it to his partner. Believe it or not, fitted on a good old Bonklip bracelet, it became her daily beater. The idea of her sporting it casually all around the world makes me smile with pleasure. Happy hunting!