What We Know
As we walked around Geneva on day one of Geneva Watch Days, we saw signs being put up for Gallet, and I thought how poetic. On the eve of the brand’s relaunch, it’s certainly an exciting time for fans of the brand. The parent group, House of Brands—Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet—already relaunched Universal Genève earlier this year and is rounding out 2026 by bringing back Gallet today, with one of the brand’s most enduring models, the Flying Officer, in two variations: the Flying Officer Chronograph 40 and the Flying Officer Automatic 40.
Today’s reintroduced Flying Officer arrives in four dial colors across two versions, all cased in 40mm steel. Case specs are shared across the range: 20mm lug width, a screwed-in steel caseback, cambered sapphire glareproofed on both sides, and 100 meters of water resistance. The chronograph case is 15.02mm thick with a 47.55mm lug-to-lug; the three-hand case is thinner, at 10.67mm, with a 47.49mm lug-to-lug. Both versions share a bezel with a city ring listing 24 destinations, mixing major international airports with more remote locations.
The Flying Officer Chronograph 40 comes in light blue or black, both with tone-on-tone subdials, and runs the Gallet 23, an automatic caliber based on the Sellita SW510. It measures 30mm in diameter and 7.9mm thick, runs at 28,800 vph (4Hz), and offers an approximate 62-hour power reserve. It offers quarter-second chronograph timing with a 30-minute counter.
The Flying Officer Automatic 40 comes in orange or dark blue; the orange colorway is based on the patina of an aged vintage model. It runs the Gallet 17, based on the Sellita SW200, measuring 25.6mm in diameter and 4.6mm thick, running at 28,800 vph with an approximate 41-hour power reserve. Unlike the chronograph, it adds a date window.
Straps use the quick-release system shared across the wider relaunch collection: leather, rubber, field, and fabric in a range of colors, swappable without tools, or a stainless-steel bracelet with the same quick-release system plus an integrated micro-adjustment clasp.
The Flying Officer Automatic 40 is priced at $2,900 on a strap and $3,100 on a bracelet; the Flying Officer Chronograph 40 runs $4,400 on a strap and $4,600 on a bracelet. They’ll be available starting today.
What We Think
When House of Brands reintroduced Universal Genève earlier this year, much of the talk was about price and how it came in higher than most folks, myself included, were expecting. My skepticism did subside a bit, however, when I saw the collection in person—there were a few references in there that I thought were really great on the wrist, perhaps justifying some of the elevated pricing. Here, the opposite is true, and I think the pricing is a pleasant surprise, coming in lower than folks might have guessed, especially after UG came in high. Which makes sense—House of Brands wouldn’t want Gallet competing directly with the other brands in its portfolio, and vice versa.
As I did with UG, I want to withhold my full opinion until I see these in person—that hands-on impression swayed me before—but on paper, I like these new Flying Officers. The light blue chronograph, with its tone-on-tone subdials and a beige strap, is my pick of the bunch, and has me wishing summer had a few more months left in it. But between four dial colors and two movement architectures, I’d be hard-pressed to find one of these I wouldn’t want on the wrist. My real question is how that 40mm case wears in person.
At $2,900 to $4,600, the Flying Officer is stepping into a crowded field of sub-$5,000 travel watches and chronographs. Still, this collection feels like a strong statement of intent for Gallet’s relaunch. I’m anxious to get my hands on one this week in Geneva.
The Basics
The Flying Officer Chronograph 40
Brand: Breitling
Model: The Flying Officer Chronograph 40
Reference Number: AG2301131B1X2, AG2301131C1W1
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 15mm
Case Material: 47.6 mm
Dial Color: Black or blue
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Yes, hands and markers
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet, leather, rubber, or textile options available.
Caliber: Gallet 23 (Sellita SW510 base)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, 30-minute chronograph
Power Reserve: 62 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Chronometer Certified: No
Price: $4,400 (strap), $4,600 (bracelet)
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
The Flying Officer Automatic 40
Brand: Breitling
Model: The Flying Officer Automatic 40
Reference Number: AG1701131O1W1, AG1701131C1W1
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 10.7mm
Case Material: 47.5mm
Dial Color: Orange or blue
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Yes, hands and markers
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet, leather, rubber, or textile options available.
Caliber: Gallet 17 (Sellita SW200 base)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power Reserve: 41 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Chronometer Certified: No
Price: $2,900 (strap), $3,900 (bracelet)
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
