Collection
Crown comfort shares his journey into collecting Girard Perregaux Chronometer HF watches, inspired by fellow forum members. His post details the acquisition of a manual-wind Chronometer HF with Caliber 30.7 in a gold case, despite initial reservations about its condition. This article captures the collector's pursuit of a historically significant movement and the nuances of vintage watch acquisition.
Friends,
Ever since our dear moderator has shared with us his Chronometer HFs I had been infected with the virus. It didnβt take me too long to find a nice C-shape Gyromatic Chronometer HF (Ref 9086 AF) with black dial. A white dial, ideally with the first Gyromatic HF caliber 32A is still in the hunt list, but there was another watch that had fascinated me even more.
Perhaps for historical reasons (first GP HF movement), perhaps because of the simplicity of the caliber and its design. Yes, the manual wind HF with either Caliber 30.5 or 30.7 (almost identical) was a dream I have been hunting for.
So you can imagine when almost over a year ago, I missed out
on a perfect condition steel case Chronometer HF. Really not sure how that
happened, but it did. 
I have kept my eyes open and promised myself not to miss out on the next opportunity. But as always in life, itβs not so simple. A couple of weeks back, a Chronometer HF came up for sale, but then:
- It had a gold case
- The dial has a few minor issues with dirt and spots and one index replaced.
- Crown is not original and so are likely the hands
So I struggled with myself. Should I go for it or pass and wait? The fact that the watch has a solid gold case, also made it more expensive, but I decided to negotiate with the seller on some of the issues. In the end, I decided not to miss the opportunity.
Regrets? No! The dial is actually not bad, what seems visible on photos is not noticeable when wearing, just looking like normal patina. The crown and maybe the hands can be fixed/replaced and being solid pink gold, it just adds to the long-term value of the watch. Meanwhile I even think that with the brushed golden dial and golden hands/indices, the gold case is a better match than the steel. Not 100% happy with the strap choice yet, probably want to find a light tan ostrich strap in 18/14.
So here are some photos of the watch as it is now, Reference 8856 Z. Will report back once some of the issues have been addressed.
Best,
CC
And I agree with you, the dial patina is not bad. i think the index at 12 o'clock maybe came loose and a jeweler repositioned/glued it back. but it looks OK. If you have the means to send it into GP for a rehaul I think this is DEFINITELY a rare bird! Wonderful catch! Do share more, I'd love to see it in different lighting situations! S
Yes, I will likely have the manufacture look at it. The index at 12 has been refitted, but the index at 8 is replaced. The funny part, it's really almost not noticeable on the wrist, the photos do pronounce that a lot. On the other hand that index at 8 o'clock was a big bargaining chip in the negotiation with the seller, so all good and well. Give me some time to give it the needed TLC and I will report back when it's in better shape. CC
What a wonderful catch! :) Yes, on my hunt list as well.... I don't mind the Pink Gold at all, on the contrary I find it very charming! As for the indexes - yes, and the crown... But there is an easy solution for this! :) Thank you for sharing this beauty, my friend Best Blomman
Great to have found one of them! Bravo, once again, CC. Nicolas
yes, indeed. I think the crown is a no brainer and perhaps also the hands. The dial is more tricky, need to keep it as original as possible. You will see what I mean.
I have not removed the Steel version from my list ... ;)
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