As promised, I’m not leaving you for too long with the Cliffhanger from my previous post on the GP Chronometer HF 8795 in yellow gold. No need to go on a winding introduction, what I can show you today is another Chronometer HF, this time the later Reference 9086 in …drumroll… 18K White Gold.
Now you may think what’s the big deal here? There have been quite a few white gold dress watches in the 60s and 70s from brands like Patek or Vacheron, but frankly from Girard-Perregaux you will have a hard time finding many examples in White Gold. Most of them also came with integrated white gold bracelet and sometimes have even diamonds on the dial. However, finding a classic 60s/70s watch from GP in white gold seems not easy.
Maybe, this Chronometer HF Ref. 9086 is a possible explanation. Because, I tried to find some information and with the kind help from the Girard-Perregaux museum curator, we could determine that exactly only 36 watches of Ref. 9086 have been manufactured in white gold. Thirty-Six! This was back in 1971 and the watch had a retail price of CHF 1280,-. To put this into perspective, although it is hard to compare as back then the Swiss Franc wasn’t quite what it is today, it was still a lot of money to pay for a watch back then. A Rolex Submariner was on the shelf for $250 back then.
Yellow Gold and White Gold side-by-side
If you now think this is more than 50 years ago and how many of those 36 may have survived till this day, it seems to explain that you almost cannot find them at all.
When I saw this one in a sale listing, I did not immediately pay any attention. It was in Japan (always a pain with import customs) and of course described as steel case. But on a second look, I really thought, could this be…
two hallmarks can be found at the back of the lugs
What is characteristic for Chronometer HFs in solid gold is the riffled bezel. That’s how it got my attention. On close inspection, I could see hallmarks on the back of the lugs, so I took the risk and went for it, purchasing it even I had never seen this model in white gold and did not even know it existed. What kept the risk low was that for one the watch was priced like a steel version and two seemed in impeccable, almost unused condition.
You can imagine I was more than thrilled when it arrived and it turned out indeed as a solid white gold case and in like-unworn condition. I decided on a dark blue strap which I think matches well with white gold. The dial has a pronounced sunburst and wide straight hands as they became popular in the early 70s. It feels completely different on the wrist than the steel version, not so much due to weight but more with its different shine and colour hue.
As promised, I’m not leaving you for too long with the Cliffhanger from my previous post on the GP Chronometer HF 8795 in yellow gold. No need to go on a winding introduction, what I can show you today is another Chronometer HF, this time the later Reference 9086 in …drumroll… 18K White Gold.
Now you may think what’s the big deal here? There have been quite a few white gold dress watches in the 60s and 70s from brands like Patek or Vacheron, but frankly from Girard-Perregaux you will have a hard time finding many examples in White Gold. Most of them also came with integrated white gold bracelet and sometimes have even diamonds on the dial. However, finding a classic 60s/70s watch from GP in white gold seems not easy.
Maybe, this Chronometer HF Ref. 9086 is a possible explanation. Because, I tried to find some information and with the kind help from the Girard-Perregaux museum curator, we could determine that exactly only 36 watches of Ref. 9086 have been manufactured in white gold. Thirty-Six! This was back in 1971 and the watch had a retail price of CHF 1280,-. To put this into perspective, although it is hard to compare as back then the Swiss Franc wasn’t quite what it is today, it was still a lot of money to pay for a watch back then. A Rolex Submariner was on the shelf for $250 back then.
If you now think this is more than 50 years ago and how many of those 36 may have survived till this day, it seems to explain that you almost cannot find them at all.
When I saw this one in a sale listing, I did not immediately pay any attention. It was in Japan (always a pain with import customs) and of course described as steel case. But on a second look, I really thought, could this be…
What is characteristic for Chronometer HFs in solid gold is the riffled bezel. That’s how it got my attention. On close inspection, I could see hallmarks on the back of the lugs, so I took the risk and went for it, purchasing it even I had never seen this model in white gold and did not even know it existed. What kept the risk low was that for one the watch was priced like a steel version and two seemed in impeccable, almost unused condition.
You can imagine I was more than thrilled when it arrived and it turned out indeed as a solid white gold case and in like-unworn condition. I decided on a dark blue strap which I think matches well with white gold. The dial has a pronounced sunburst and wide straight hands as they became popular in the early 70s. It feels completely different on the wrist than the steel version, not so much due to weight but more with its different shine and colour hue.
Sometimes you just have to get lucky.
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