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Gallet "Big Date" Chronograph Venus Cal. 211, 1950s — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Gallet "Big Date" Chronograph Venus Cal. 211, 1950s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Gallet (maker)
Date
1950s
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 35 mm
Stock no.
GLTBDV211
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (GLTBDV211)
Catalogue title (original)
1950s Gallet "Big Date" Chronograph Venus Cal. 211 (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number GLTBDV211), this is a wristwatch by Gallet, made in Switzerland, dated 1950s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 35 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

Gallet & Co. has been synonymous with horology for 550 years dating back to the year 1466 when founded by Humbertus Gallet. Gallet & Co. introduced some of the most useful wristwatch complications of today including the first wrist-worn chronograph, regatta timer, and GMT chronograph. Gallet today remains well respected among vintage enthusiasts alike and appreciated for its fine attention to detail and wonderfully executed wristwatches. The Venus 211 movement is nicknamed the "Big Date" for its larger than normal date window placed in the middle of the bottom portion of the dial. Uniquely, the date display is comprised of two wheels that move independently to display the correct date. This is a method still used today by prestigious watchmaking houses such as Patek Philippe, FP Journe, and A. Lang & Sohne. Stock # GLTBDV211 Brand Gallet Style "Big Date" Chronograph Model Venus Cal. 211 Serial 451XXX Size Men's Material SS Dial Silver Millimeters 35mm Bracelet 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The stunning case shows signs of being lightly polished along the lugs, however, the rest of the case appears to remain completely unpolished. Through the sides of the case, bezel, and case back the factory finishing remains crisp and untouched. The square pushers are both charming and original to the watch, as is the unsigned winding crown. The case back factory markings remain deep and unaltered. The watch will come supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The silver "big date" dial features a red telemeter scale and a blue tachymeter scale, along with rose gold numerals to form a balanced and sophisticated dial format. The Rose gold markers and Arabic numerals remain in excellent condition and are free of degradation. The original rose gold hands are a unique shape and remain well preserved like the dial. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time and functioning perfectly, previous service history is unknown.

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

Atlas type guide

Chronographs and split-seconds watches

A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.

Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.

What to look for

  • Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
  • Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
  • Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
  • Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).

Dating clues

  • Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
  • Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
  • Automatic chronographs: from 1969.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph

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