
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Gallet MultiChron Regulator, Doctors Hand Wound Chronograph, Venus 140, circa 1940s
- Maker / attribution
- Gallet (maker)
- Date
- c. 1940s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- vws4130
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws4130)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Gallet MultiChron Regulator - Doctors Hand Wound Chronograph - Venus 140 - c.1940s (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws4130), this is a wristwatch by Gallet, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1940s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. 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 — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Rare and Collectable Gallet Doctors Watch in Superb Original Condition Powered By The Venus 140 Manual-Wind Chronograph Movement - c.1940s Gallet is one of Switzerland’s oldest watchmaking names, tracing its roots back to 1466, with modern watch production established in the 19th century. The brand became especially respected for robust chronographs and timing instruments, supplying aviators, racing drivers and explorers with reliable tool watches. Gallet played a notable role in early aviation and motorsport timing, with models like the Multichron becoming cult favourites among vintage chronograph collectors today. What's on Offer A wonderfully characterful Gallet MultiChron Regulator chronograph from the 1940s, this stainless steel doctor’s watch is a superb example of early professional chronograph design. The beautifully aged two-tone dial features a clear 30-minute chronograph counter, crisp Arabic numerals and elegant blued hands, offering excellent legibility and period charm. The stepped steel case wears beautifully on the wrist and retains all the honest character you’d hope for in a watch of this age. Powering the watch is the highly regarded Venus 140 manual-wind chronograph movement, renowned among collectors for its reliability, smooth pusher action and historical importance as one of the great mid-century chronograph calibres. Compact yet full of presence, this is a wonderfully wearable vintage chronograph with real tool-watch heritage and timeless appeal — equally at home in a serious collection or on the wrist as a daily vintage companion.
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
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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