1940s Racine By Gallet In Francois Borgel Case

Why This Watch Matters You'll need to "race in" to grab this Gallet-manufactured time-only wristwatch that packs a real punch in its small package. The Full Story If you ever come across a low priced, maybe simple looking vintage watch with an "FB" and key insignia stamped inside the caseback, just buy it. That mark means early "waterproof" greatness. That mark means quality, and that mark means François Borgel. You're not likely to come across these at low prices; the mark is typically found within Patek Philippe's ref. 565 Calatrava and ref. 1463 "Tasti Tondi" as well as watches from Movado, Vacheron Constantin, and IWC. Borgel was born in 1856 and came to be one of the most important innovators and inventors the Swiss watchmaking world would ever know. In 1891, he patented the Borgel watch case. François took his show on the road to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago two years later, and the rest was history. A perfect storm of sorts, the "impermeable" case took off in pop