The Richeville history - Intro

Dec 29, 2014,01:08 AM
 

Friends,

Earlier this year I promised you to talk about the Richeville family and the origin of the line...
As you know, my autumn/winter was quite stressful and the time for deeper research was not allowed.

But, a promise is a promise, so I would like to share with you the information I got so far.

The Richeville name and logo was registered by Girard-Perregaux in 1964. 

The Richeville logo: Interesting is that on the initial logo Richeville was spelled with only one “e”.

[Sorry for the small pic]





But on the watches it was spelled Richeville, with two “e”.

The first series of Richeville was only produced during a couple of years before it was stopped. The reason GP stopped the line was that they got aware of the American expression “coming from Richville” which is not very positive…

Which reference that was the very first Richeville I am not sure and also not how many different there were. Hope to find out one day…

One of the first, if not the first was the reference 8444. 




It was released in 1964 and produced during a couple of years. 
Silver burst dial with applied steel makers, also applied Tower logo and the name. Automatic movement, no date. 

Total production was 5000 in steel, 500 in gold plated and 100 in solid gold.




First batch had the Caliber GP 31-09, based on the caliber AS 1649 and later on the Caliber GP 31-19, based on the AS 1737, was used.




Another interesting detail is that on the dial it says “Automatic” instead of “Gyromatic” which was much more commonly see on automatic GP’s from this time. But even if it says "Automatic" on the dial, on the movement it says “Gyromatic”.

The reference 8444 also came with Chronometer certification. 




Unfortunately there are no records of how many that was Chronometer certified. Different dial design with “pie-pan” dial and luminous on the hands.




Same movement inside, Caliber GP 31-19. You see the extra Chronometer number below the balance wheel in this shot.





There were a Richeville with date as well, reference 8445. 




I have no production numbers, but the watch was produced at the same time as the reference 8444.
Same dial design as the no date Chronometer which leads me to suspect that the pie-pan dial was used for the Chronometers while the “flat” dial design was for the non-Chronometers. Another detail I have not been able to confirm…

Another guess is that the reference 8445 also existed as non-Chronometer… I still have to find one to be sure!
smile




Inside is the Caliber GP 32-19, based on the Caliber AS 1738.





So, my Richeville story so far, Automatic, Automatic Chronometer and Automatic Date Chronometer.





As you can see, they all share the same case shape.





The evolution of this watch/case we all know very well… The Chronometer HF!
You see the resemblance clearly. The C-shape has come to a full C on the Chronometer HF.





Please see this post as a first step in uncovering the Richeville history. I will return when I found out more…

FYI, the modern Richeville line was introduced in 1993, another chapter in the Girard-Perregaux history we will for sure discuss here in the future!
smile


Best wishes for the year end
Blomman
This message has been edited by blomman on 2014-12-29 01:08:59

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Thank you

 
 By: crown comfort : December 29th, 2014-02:18
my friend for all those details you found. Another report to print out and store in my archive. I have had a few attempts to get a steel vintage Richeville, even one Chronometer, but did not get it at the end. I do have my gold-plated Richeville. The only...  

The Richeville is hard to find....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 29th, 2014-13:01
Especially in good condition. Like many other vintage GP's... Hopefully I will find more information during 2015! Best, my friend Blomman

Agreed on the difficulty

 
 By: crown comfort : December 29th, 2014-13:38
to find one of those vintage Richevilles, but as always patience will pay off in the end. My very last buy this year was a vintage GP, not a Richeville but with the same classic case. I'm very thrilled on that but I will not say more for now. ;) One of my... 

Intriguing! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 29th, 2014-13:41
So, you started to influence your family! :) Looking forward to the reports! Best Blomman

For sure!

 
 By: crown comfort : December 29th, 2014-13:44
if anything there's got to be something to learn from Dad ;) First daughter already was given a Vintage 45 Lady this year, and in May the second one will receive her first GP!

Steel automatic richeville GP

 
 By: siebe7kooystra : July 12th, 2020-04:41
I got from my grandfather a watch hè bought near Brussel. No box, no wristband. He was a pensioned director of Philips and worked in Brussel. The watch says : Girard Perregaux automatic ...it has a tower beneath with Richeville written... is it valuable ?... 

Excellent, Blomman. That is a great trio to get!

 
 By: amanico : December 29th, 2014-02:58
The two no date are, of course, my favourite, but the Date version is very nice, too, and I would not complain finding one. 1964, you said? Hmmm.... ;) Best, Nicolas

No date from 1964...? Are you trying to tell me something...?! ;)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 29th, 2014-13:04
If I understand it correctly, the Richeville series was only manufacture during 1964-1965 or 1966. But I am still trying to get confirmation on that detail, that is why I didn't put it in the review. Personally I prefer the more classic case shape of the ... 

Trying? No... You are too smart for that. :))))

 
 By: amanico : December 29th, 2014-13:32
Agreed on your preference, my friend. The more classic, the better, in this case. Best, Nicolas

But if you really insist, I can send you my details...

 
 By: amanico : December 29th, 2014-13:37
Silly me, you already know my détails. ;) Best, Nicolas

Trio Fantasticus my friend

 
 By: Ares501 - Mr Green : December 29th, 2014-03:16
Soon your GP collection will surpass JLC ;) Yours Damjan

LOL! Not even close....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 29th, 2014-13:27
I guess I need 15 years to get even... But then again, my pace is faster now than it was before.... So maybe in 5-7 years?! ;) Thank you, my friend! Best Blomman

Terrific readout & pictorial !.. Richeville(s) like the 3 Musketeers.. And ..

 
 By: hs111 : December 29th, 2014-08:28
.. the Gyromatic HF could well be D'Artagnan ! - Congrats, that you again assembled the Troika - very nice ! 2 Qs be allowed: - Were the 3 versions produced in parallel or more sequentially, with overlap, of course ?? - Secondly, did only one part of the ... 

I think parallel....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 29th, 2014-13:31
Definitely the non-chronometer/chronometer ref 8444 was parallel. Of the 5600 ref 8444 a unknown number was COSC certified. I don't know the production number of the ref 8445 and I don't know if it existed in non-chronometer, but I suspect it did. Thank y... 

Thx for Info .. I'm quite in love with these Richevilles.. Have to look for one, I think..

 
 By: hs111 : December 30th, 2014-00:41
.. But at the same time I like some others from GP.. Hmmh .. enough to chew on ! ;) Best & Thx for sharing, hs

One to add to the GP hunt list for sure! ;)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 30th, 2014-03:13
Hard to find, the sweeter the find! :) Best,my friend Blomman

Thank you, ALB!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 30th, 2014-03:14
Yes, so many nice pieces to discover in the GP Universe! :) Best Blomman

Bellisimi !!!

 
 By: robert11a2001 : December 30th, 2014-03:20
Davvero bellissimi orologi, complimenti Lodevole anche l'iniziativa di studiare referenze e caratteristiche di questo interessantissimo Gp. Non mi risulta che qualcuno l'abbia mai fatto prima con il rigore e la passione di Blomman. Ho trovato una scatola ...  

WOW! Giuseppe, thank you for joining! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 30th, 2014-03:38
What a great Richeville collection you have! :) Thank you for your kind words and for adding your data here. Very helpful! :) Observations: 4- Automatic date, 18KT . pie pan dial , ref. 8445, mov 32.19 Pie-pan, non Chronometer. 8- Chronometer date, flat d... 

Flat dial - Pie-pan dial

 
 By: robert11a2001 : December 30th, 2014-06:41
Si , penso che non ci sia una relazione tra quadrante e movimento. Ecco la brochure del concessionario Gp della Martinica ( una cosa secondo me fantastica ) che lo dimostra Non ci sono molte varianti di quadrante in Richeville e anche la shape della cassa...  

Great document!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 30th, 2014-09:54
Yes, this shows clearly that there is no connection between dial type and Chronometer. Thank you very much, my friend! Best Blomman

What a feast for the eye..

 
 By: crown comfort : December 30th, 2014-06:07
the black dial Richeville is to die for. The translation said that you "found a box" LOL. Since this post I have been roaming in my apartment looking for boxes... Arghh, nothing so far. Best Regards, CC

:-)

 
 By: robert11a2001 : December 30th, 2014-06:53
" trovato in una scatola" è un'espressione scherzosa per dire che dovrei mettere un po' d'ordine nella mia collezione. A volte, raramente, mi succede di trovare un'orologio che non ricordavo di avere : è molto gratificante. E' invece dammatico e succede m... 

Your collection is truly AMAZING! [nt]

 
 By: crown comfort : December 30th, 2014-07:45

Giuseppe, if you ever need help putting order in your boxes....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 30th, 2014-09:58
I volunteer! ;) Best Blomman

Same here....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : December 30th, 2014-09:57
I do find some boxes I forgot about, but no one with a full Richeville collection in it! ;) Best Blomman

Gold plated richeville

 
 By: Tam1 : February 11th, 2018-10:57
Hi. I have my gold plated richeville chorometer getting serviced. I hope to post you some pics of it.. hope that's ok.

Warm welcome here, Tam!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : February 11th, 2018-12:23
Looking forward to see your Richeville back from service! Best Blomman

Warm welcome here!

 
 By: Ares501 - Mr Green : February 11th, 2018-12:28
Please join us and enjoy Cheers D

Finally got it home

 
 By: Tam1 : April 12th, 2018-01:43
...  

Cool one! [nt]

 
 By: amanico : April 12th, 2018-01:46

That's a cool one with black dial

 
 By: crown comfort : April 12th, 2018-02:08
feel free to post it in a new thread. CC

Wonderful to see! :)

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : April 12th, 2018-11:17
Congratulation for getting it back home! Best Blomman

Crown wheel

 
 By: Tam1 : July 12th, 2020-05:31
DO es anyone know if you can get a crown wheel for my GP . I've been searching. She's running a little slow. Any help would be appreciated ...  

Thank you, my friend!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : February 12th, 2018-23:54
Such a pleasure to explore the GP Universe! Best Blomman

Thank you, dear friend! [nt]

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : April 12th, 2018-11:17