Girard Perregaux

This is my first post here and I wanted to share with everyone this beautiful Girard Perregaux Observatory Choronometer that I recently acquired. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will see, this is a superb nest of crazy GP lovers, here. 

Btw, does anyone here have any additional info on GP Observatory Chronometers and Chronometer HF, 32a movements, etc, etc, etc. I'm looking for info with sources, not just rumors
I just see a lot of conflicting information about these pieces online all the time (including my google and wikipedia searches).

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Hi Daniel,

I tried searching ebay for vintage GP straps or buckles but can't find much.
any other places you would suggest to look?
is the one in the picture yours? really nice find if it is!

i modified my search a bit and found some more on ebay. thanks for the idea! I just love that bold GP on the buckle

yes, you could find buckles etc on the usual sites, but you need to bring patience with you. It's not Omega or Rolex where you have more supply than demand
Watch out for some fake buckles on the web, but like in the picture it should look like. For a strap, I would not look for a GP strap, that's even harder to find, any vintage strap in the right size will do or even a modern strap but better choose a flat design for the smaller vintage watches.
Cheers. CC

a fake buckle? wow, I guess people will make anything fake, lol

Happy to see you here and what a great entrance.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! This message has been edited by Dan_Volkov on 2015-12-09 07:10:20

Very nice watch. Also looking for a nice 32A. Would be interested in any info, e.g., total production of Chronometer HF's, and Observatory Chronometers; the starting & stopping chronometer numbers (assume these are serially numbered) assigned to these watches.

were not serially numbered. No Girard Perregaux watches from the period were. You will no doubt find these pages of interest:
www.network54.com www.watchprosite.com www.watchprosite.com " target="_blank">www.network54.com ion/

You may have also stumbled across my article in a Google search as I own an example with matching box set. The box set has a timing certificate, bulletin de marche, inner and outer box, two hang tags, registration card for mailing to Jean Graef in New York and the watch.

Many of the urls I added have disappeared while I was away. But Dan, if you search for posts relating to Observatory Chronometers, going back to about 2003, you will find posts like this: www.watchprosite.com

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sorry they are blurry and not the best quality, but this is the best I could do this second with my iphone. will get my dslr later today.

Good to have you here with us!  This message has been edited by blomman on 2015-12-16 12:54:16

I want to get a 9444, thats the 350 I was referring to, the movement is 350.
I'm looking for one, but they are so darn hard to find.
I love the gold version with black leather strap!

Super cool watches that always put a smile on your face!

Best
Blomman

is the lowest I can remember seeing for a Gyromatic Chronometer. I had two from batch 762, one from 760, one from 758 and one from batch 574. And batch numbers don't indicate year of production as the lowest number I listed, received chronometer certification in late 1967.

do you know if these batch numbers mean anything? if they are not chronological how did they assign these numbers, just randomly? some specific movement modifications?
as far as I understand you said before that serially numbered. did you mean that serial numbers on them are not sequential?

That the chronometer certificate numbers are unique and would be assigned consecutively by the Bureau, but I don't know about batch numbers being consecutive as stamped by Girard Perregaux on the rotor bridge of each watch.

I became addicted to the Observatory Chronometer when i added mine almost a year ago, ive been prepping a post with info. About the competitions etc. To my knowledge the totals so far that i know of (from old watch ad commercials ) is 40 that were submited and passed in 1966 and 662 that passed in 1967. I believe your GP is a 1967, have you tried contacting  GP ?

 

Small P.S. It is a beautiful piece and I'd keep her on the band as well my congratulations on joining the forum and what a great post

This message has been edited by Rogi on 2015-12-20 21:22:18

Can you post some pics of your Observatory? I know I can search the forum, but some posts are a bit old and pics don't show up anymore... I'm not sure about the year of mine. If serial number is indication of anything, my SN is pretty low. But again, it probably doesn't mean anything... I contacted GP museum and first sent them pics of the watch, they said they need SN and Reference number to identify. I have sent them my SN pics, waiting for them to reply. Btw, my SN is 12699 and my reference number located between lower two lugs is 8795B. What is your SN and reference number? Can you believe it? I got another GP HF Chronometer, stainless (non observatory) with same cal 32A567, serial number (66 digits lower than mine) 12633. It was not working, mainspring issue and its in service now. Its reference number is 8795 NF if memory serves me right. I'll pick it up this Friday and check again. What are the chances of getting the same cal with serial number that close together. They are almost twins inside As for the band, unfortunately I can't wear it on a gold band, I just prefer leather. Right now its on a brown ostrich strap (non GP). I got GP shark leather strap off ebay, waiting for it to arrive now. Next is getting a buckle... Here are some pics (they are already part of another post on this forum, but just in case you missed)

Sure no worries i'll try to make a new thread and post all my pictures as soon as I head off for my Holiday break To my understanding the 32AXXX (X represents number) are the batches they were produced, 32A is the type of movement and whatever number after is it's batch, the museum will definatley know more and this is only my assumption from other watches that I've collected. GP themselves provided me with the reference info. and from digging online I've found some correlation between the numbers. For the reference 8795 the total made in Stainless was 1,500, while Solid Yellow Gold was 2,500 as well as some other numbers in different materials that I'll post later in the new topic, that way I can centralize most of the research and totals available. This is the total for the reference itself (this would include the Chronometer HF, and Observatory Chronometers etc.) I haven't been able to find out the individual totals in whatever material for all 40 Observatory Chronometers in 1966 or the 662 in 1967 that passed Neuchatel trials. Friends have started to call my GP Observatory Chronometer the "Phoenix" and the name has stuck with me, I purchased from a collector friend of mine who sent the piece to be restored by GP to this beautiful "new" condition, it rose from the ashes of oblivion (it had the wrong dial and condition was horrible really beat up, GP used an uncommon name plate that I've only seen on 2 other Observatory Chronometers), since that time, I have fallen more in love with it's connection to the Observatory Chronometer history and GP as a whole, just an amazing brand and beautiful restoration on it. Here are some pics

Congrats, Rogi!
Am I the only one without one?!

Please show this one in more details when you have time.
Best
Blomman

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sent to GP to be restored in 2012? I've been on the forum a while and I recognise the watch.

We talked about the watch via pm in June, but it is a recognizable piece indeed because of the script, good eye.