About the reconstituted Gallet -  |
| Courtesy of Gallet |
So here's the thing, I'd like to be as excited as everyone else I'm wondering if Mr. Kern's reach might have exceeded his grasp on this one.
On the one hand, the previous custodian of Gallet would have been reported to the Watch Town authorities for child neglect if such a thing existed, so it is nice that someone with money and conviction has rescued it. That's good.
People might recall that Gallet had a rather janky business model under the prior caregiver. Prices were enough to make your eyes water, and there were only two very similar models available. An abortive pop-up at BaselWorld many years before the fair's collapse was one of the very few forays made.
On the other hand, it seems like a heavy lift for what it is - if I have read the press releases correctly, it seems that Breitling is assembling the Gallet collection. Now while that isn't exactly defacto white label assembly, it would seem that there is capacity to do this work in addition to the work required for Breitling, which given the downturn in Breitling's results this past year it is actually a sensible deployment of resources. So consider this my consultant's "atta-boy" ; )
But back to the pricing - and is the juice worth the squeeze?
Gallet has four different model families, almost exclusively chronographs, with the least expensive model weighing in at a robust $2,900 for a time & date model. The chronographs start at $4,400 US, with the Gallet Classics setting you back $6,700 US. One would assume the price gap between the two is down to the use of Breitling's manufacture movement - the hand winding Breitling B09. Which begs the question - is the B09 a + $1,500 movement? Well, maybe yes, maybe no. But the $4,400 pieces sport what Gallet is calling the Gallet 23. The Gallet 23 also goes by the title Sellita SW510. This movement will fetch between $430 - $500 from independent parts suppliers. Meaning if you are buying in bulk you are certainly paying less. So this then begs the further question, is the B09 a $2,000 movement? In truth, I'm not saying that it is, and I'm not saying that it isn't. Watch brands are not charities - nor should they be. They take the risks, they create the product, market and sell them. It is a business. We all expect to be paid for our work ; )
So the question remains - at $4,400 is the market going to have the appetite for this?
Don't get me wrong - I would love to see Gallet do very well. It is a brand that was pretty much treated like a red-headed stepchild, and certainly derserved better than it got. So we will watch, and we will wait.
