About five years ago, when another vintage Galal Chronograph watch landed on my collection, I told my wife that I had been fantasizing about for quite some time: “I’ll buy the Garrett brand one day!” Well, it seems that I wasn’t the only one.
I felt sad just after learning about Breitling’s plan to get a galette a few years ago. I was really planning on buying a galette brand, but it’s a slutty thing that you might hear. Meanwhile, the idea of ​​my most beloved watch brand, Garette, was rising from the ashes under the management of Breitling. That’s mainly because people today at Breitling know how well they understand the brand’s legacy and how they should treat it. For me, this article is one of the most exciting articles I’ve written since joining the Fratello Editors team over six years ago. So let’s take a look at what Breitling bought, the reasons behind it, and what the Garrett brand reboot will look like next year.
Garret means potential
Since the arrival of Khan’s team in Breitling, two books have been published on Navitimer and Premier. Despite multiple false promises by previous galette brand owners, there is no book on galette history yet. And there’s a lot about it, so that’s a shame. Looking at the breadth and diversity of Garrett’s chronograph portfolio since the 1930s, it’s pretty surprising, with multiple innovations and a range of specialized chronographs. Tomorrow we will be looking into the top models of galette history in another deep dive article.
The steady and rather high prices of vintage galette watches can sometimes reach or even reach $10,000, suggesting there is a hardcore collector base. But that’s not as big as possible. Watch Eric Wind, one of his most important vintage dealers, to see what his favorite watch is. Don’t be surprised if he drops Gallere in the first sentence. Try the exercise with Breitling historian Fred Mandelbaum. That way you can see why we are here today.
Large cleanup time
Someone has to say it: in the last decade, the previous owner has to say it. Their claims are often unfounded, dates were manufactured and stories were unconfirmed, but I do not give them favor by reflecting either of them. What I say is I’m glad it didn’t stop the people of Breitling from their plans. On the contrary, they decided to clean up the brand’s heritage by removing all the nonsense and going back to hard archive work.
What we know
The Giel family lines between the 15th and early 19th centuries are not easily seen. The related story began in 1826 with Ratchakd Fonz, when Julian Garrett founded Watchmaker Garrett & Company. However, the core business story was written in the US. One of the founder’s sons, Leon Garrett, may have been the driving force behind the existence of the United States, which began in 1856. He “created large clientele in the US, where he often traveled,” his obituary says. He eventually died on one of his trips to the United States.
The next pivotal role in Garrett’s history was played by Jules Racine, the son of Leon’s sister, the founder’s grandson. He left for the United States in 1875, and in 1890 he was in New York by Charles Pellett and Jules Racine & Co. was established. For an astonishing 45 years, Joule Racine held the torch as the sole distributor and importer of US galette watches. As confirmed by the Smithsonian, Garrett assembled two pocket stopwatches and marked the Light Brothers flight on December 17, 1903. A few years later, in 1907, Garrett acquired Societe D’Horlogerie Electa. Electa has introduced the novelty that provided the boost needed to file a patent and has brought its success in Gallet International recognition, exhibition awards and chronometry contests.
Business spirit in your pocket
In 1920, George Wallace replaced Charles Pellett as Racine’s business partner. A 1930s article in Jewelers’ Circular explains why vintage Gallat catalogs of that era are full of pocket watches. “We will import most of the timers used in this country (USA).” Thus, it suggests the size and association of galette operations in the United States in a year when Americans spent $1,000,000 a year on pocket watches. The article further explains that the stopwatch markup is “higher than the average watch, but never below that,” so here’s a true business genius. Stopwatches were large, staying large until the late 1970s, often occupying a significant portion of the catalogue offering.
After the year of Racine
In the 1940s, Galal entered a golden age, but there was no Jules Racine, who died in 1934. With the rise of automobiles and aviation, consumers have given more support for pocket watches and have begun to swap pocket watches. Shock resistance, waterproofing and other advances make watches more reliable and desirable. Garrett’s chance didn’t let this slip through his fingers.
In the late 1930s, Gallet introduced some of the most iconic models, including the multicron regulator and waterproof multicron, in its “clamshell” case, sold as “the first timing instrument of this kind in America.” In 1939, Garrett introduced the Flying Officer, the world’s first chronograph list watch that displays multiple time zones. A very early model of Garrett Flying Officer was presented to Sen. Harry S. Truman, who later became President of the United States.
Excelsior Park
In the 1940s, Gallet was movement manufacturer Jeanneret-Brehm & Cie. developed a strategic partnership with Gallets include Venus, Valjoux, Landeron, as well as Martel, Jeanneret-Brehm & Cie. They used various movement suppliers, such as, but later became Excelsior Park, which was most important. The majority of Watches Gallets co-designed and commissioned were from the EP. Similarly, most of the watches on the EP were manufactured for galettes, despite offering watches to other brands.
The last galette family member on the steering wheel
Quartz Technology was also doing a devastating job in the United States, but Garrett was unimmunized. Since 1975, Pierre and Bernard’s galettes have made several attempts to revive the Swiss galettes. Sadly, even the multiple subcontracted delivery for the army could not bring galal to the glory before it. In 1994, Garrett Family Bond broke forever, and the company acquired personal ownership. I don’t think it’s that far when I say this is a chapter in Garrett’s history that all enthusiastic collectors want to forget. Luckily, Breitling recognizes the brand’s rich history and heritage and decides to return the echoing galette name to the map. What will Gallet look like when restarting in 2026?
Why did Breitling get galette?
Currently, Breitling covers the mid- and subsequent segments, with an average watch price of around CHF 7,200. The idea for Universal Geneve, purchased by Breitling in 2023, is to have a functionally separate and dedicated design, product and development team. UG also has its own CEO and will move to Geneva at certain stages. It’s not cheap to develop detailed internal movements. So, I think you’ll need to add an extra number to the price for a rebooted Universal Geneva watch. Applying basic mathematics here, Breitling lacked an entry-level portfolio, but that’s exactly the gap Garrett should be filling in. “A luxurious entry point,” the press release says.
Number Game
Looking at the numbers, in 2023, Breitling almost doubled its revenue compared to the 2021 fiscal year. Ever since Khan and his team took the wheels in 2018, we have seen Breitling gradually stepping into the annual report on topwatch brands, with estimated revenues from LuxeConsult and Morgan Stanley. Breitling’s revenues fell slightly last year. The Bull Run, which began at No. 16 in 2018, appears to have been a hit with Plateau over the past three years, but holds a promising position at No. 9.
Get some popcorn
That’s exactly why UG and Galal are renewed. The country appears to be a key market as Breitling has expanded its US boutique network significantly over the last few years. And don’t forget that Garrett’s “Home Market” was in the US. Internal movements are out of question, judged by the brand’s entry-level luxury positioning. I was disappointed that I had “hope” about this idea, but I realized that it was always galette. And I like the idea that galettes are more affordable. As Georges Kern confirmed for us here, the new watch should be in the 3,000-5,000 range.
When it comes to certain models, you wouldn’t be surprised to see the iconic flying officer reopening. How close (or far away) is it to the original? There’s no missing diving watches from recent products. I’m very interested in how Gallere handles it. I consider this an opportunity to develop some fresh designs.
Over the past three years, Breitling has confirmed that it will further develop its strong position and appetite. Let’s revisit this article in three or four years to see how UG and Garrett helped Breitling’s position in the top 10. How expensive is that?
