Pre-Owned Wakmann Gigandet Three Register Chronograph

There is perhaps no more versatile complication than the chronograph. 

From race cars to rocket ships, boats to battlefields, you are likely to find a chronograph being employed to measure a plethora of tasks and times. From the Greek khrónos (“time) and gráph? (“to write”), a chronograph is a watch that has the ability to record time, generally via the addition of small sub-counters that register minutes and hours. 

Though many storied brands produced notable chronographs during the complication’s heyday from the 1930s through the 1970s, numerous other firms fell by the wayside during the Quartz Crisis, folding completely and disappearing or being rolled up into conglomerates that pillaged their stores of parts. 

Charles Gigandet is one such firm, launched in 1959. Based in Switzerland, they specialized in distributing brands such as Breitling, Wakmann and and Buren. They also contracted manufacture for their own private-labeled wristwatches. This particular piece, a three-register chronograph is a handsome, oversized piece from the 1960s that’s sure to give any vintage watch enthusiast cause to smile. Housed in a 38mm stainless steel screw-back case with a smooth bezel, it draws its power from the legendary, hand-wound Valjoux 72 chronograph movement.

Featuring barrel pushers, an unsigned crown, and an acrylic crystal, the real show stopper is without question its incredible luminous glossy black dial with a triple-register chronograph display.  Just look at this thing:  a ‘telephone graduated' 30-minute register; luminous ‘dauphine’ handset; three different sub-register hands; an outer 1/5th-seconds track; outer tachymeter scale; and luminous, rectangular hour indices.

The deep glossy black finish is unmarred, unscratched, and absolutely gorgeous, featuring richly patinated indices and handset. Fitted to our Shadow Black Montone leather strap, this eye-catching chrono is ready for daily wear - and lots of compliments!