Retrospective: Tomas Sports A Puzzling Late Blue-Dial Gallet Chronograph

I saw some potential in its attractive dial. But since it was so simple and powered by a pretty standard Valjoux movement, I truly didn’t expect this blue-dial Gallet to become my beater. It’s funny how, every so often, a watch I’d least expect finds a way to wriggle itself into my heart.

Despite what some may think, I do indeed pass on some Gallet chronographs. That applies mostly to later ones from the 1970s, when cushion cases and Valjoux-powered models made up a large portion of the offerings.

A mysterious blue dial

For the record, we haven’t seen a blue-dial Gallet chronograph officially printed in any of the brand’s catalogs. In the last few years, I remember uncovering two loose blue dials with big lume dots around the edges. What we know for sure is that in the 1971 and 1972 catalogs, there was a black reverse-panda twin-register chronograph presented in a cushion-shaped case. That is one of the Gallet watches I’ve passed on…twice. I was considering buying it, but I hesitated for so long that both sold before I made up my mind.

Be careful, boy!

When this rare version of blue-dial Gallet popped up on eBay, it instantly grabbed my attention. But since it belonged to a highly suspicious group of Gallet chronos, I was very careful in assessing the listing. If you want to understand where all the suspicion comes from, look at the picture below from my archive, showing a blue-dial Gallet diver’s chronograph. I have no proof, and the ’70s were a crazy time, but I had a hard time believing it came from Gallet like that. It was another hard pass.

Pulling the trigger on a blue one

I am still not 100% sure if the watch I bought is legit. However, I will walk you through my assessment and why I decided to make the purchase. Consistency is the core reason here. The minute and hour hands are slim, and they fit the dial and the era. What concerned me was that they didn’t quite match the hands fitted in the cushion-shaped Gallet from the catalog above. That’s why I paid special attention to the lume, which seemed consistent in color and patina. Happily, this was confirmed upon the watch’s arrival. The UV test suggests that the hands haven’t been changed. They glow and fade exactly like the lume dots do, and I have zero doubt that those are original.

Chronograph handset

My focus then shifted toward the chronograph hands. The small arrow in the minute counter is unusual but very typical of old Venus-powered Gallet watches. Most importantly, it’s slim and fits the other hands in style. Furthermore, these three hands are all black, and the two small pointers don’t stick out beyond the sub-dials’ outer rings.

Zooming out, the crown fits the case as well. The pushers are original, not some late Chinese replacements, and the caps and tunnels match the case. Speaking of which, the case back is signed “Gallet & Co” on the underside, as is the Valjoux 7733 movement. However, since there is no conclusive evidence (ideally, a catalog listing showing this specific model), I will have my doubts.

Spa time

Since the service history of my blue-dial Gallet was unknown, it went straight to my watchmaker. It was sold as functional, but the chrono did not reset. “The zeroing lever was broken. It couldn’t be screwed on properly because the threaded tube was damaged. So I found a new tube that the lever fits on and screws on. It’s on a screw with a stop. These screws are on chronographs where rotating parts are screwed on but, at the same time, allowed to move,” said my dear watchmaker. Otherwise, the watch was in good condition.

Wrist time

I decided to fit the watch with a modern Cordura strap, which is a water-resistant textile. I am pretty happy with its simple style and how perfectly it matches color-wise. Right now, it’s a bit difficult to strap it to my wrist, but I guess it will break in and get easier over time.

I must admit that I bought this watch because the obsessive Gallet completionist in me has become stronger. There are models I still pass on, but with each Gallet watch I add, fewer and fewer pieces are missing. I liked the blue dial, but the completionist part of me played a bigger role, meaning that I didn’t expect to wear this watch much. Well, you know what? I wear it a lot.

Reasons I “shouldn’t” like it

The Valjoux 7733 movement is reliable, but it is no horological wonder. Delicate and smooth Excelsior Park calibers spoiled me. I am used to a gentle press and subtle click of pushers. My blue-dial Gallet just came back from a service with a brief to pay special attention to pushers, but they rattle loudly anyway. And I feel like I should do 10 push-ups before activating the chronograph since the pusher is pretty resistant. I am not sure you will like my comparison, but going from an EP4 or EP40 to a Valjoux 7733 feels like getting out of a BMW 5 and jumping into a Dacia Duster (no offense).

Last thoughts on my blue-dial Gallet

Despite the above statement, this year, I have driven a Dacia Duster a lot. That wasn’t expected. I am still surprised how addicted I am to this Gallet with its late logo design, which Georges Kern and his gang took as a blueprint for the new Gallet brand revival. Honestly, I thought it would end up in watch roll, but it still occupies its spot on my shelf and gets into regular rotation with other “big-shot” Gallet chronographs.

I assumed that the Valjoux movement would downgrade it into instant oblivion, but here we are. It’s just Thursday, but I’ve already worn this watch for two days this week. It makes me happy for another reason: it’s nice to know that I don’t need a €10,000 Flying Officer to feel good. If I am not mistaken, besides the Gallet Excel-O-Graph, this is the only light blue Gallet chronograph. It’s also the only shiny, sunburst blue Gallet ever. It was a pretty good catch for one-tenth of the budget you’d need for Flying Officer. Happy hunting!