GIGN: watches for Special Forces - Part 1

The GIGN (“Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale”) is the French national police’s elite unit that is trained to perform counter-terrorist and hostage rescue missions, to combat organized crime and to neutralize fanatics.

Ultra-sophisticated equipment

The unit’s motto is to “commit for life”. The GIGN was created in France in 1974 to fight the rising number of hostage-taking cases during the early 1970s. The unit was created as a result of combining two intervention units: the paratrooper squad of Mont-de-Marsan and the regional commando intervention team of Maisons-Alfort. In 1984, the GIGN joined the GSIGN (“Groupement de Sécurité et d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale”) with the EPIGN (“Escadron Parachutiste d’Intervention de la Gerdarmerie Nationale”) and the GSPR (“Groupe de Sécurité de la Présidence de la République”).

T.O.T. Chrono GIGN

On September 1^st, 2007, the GSIGN was subjected to a major restructuring and reverted to the initials GIGN. The unit’s ‘super cops’ are experienced and have ultra-sophisticated specific equipment, amongst which are specific time-measuring instruments. The latter can be worn in all situations or places and in the worst intervention conditions. The GIGN gained international renown in 1994 after intervening in the hostage-taking of Air France’s Airbus in Marignane and rescued all the passengers safely.

T.O.T Chronographe GIGN (2004)

An acronym of Time on Target, T.O.T is a French military watch brand. It has worked for several elite units such as Commando Hubert, the national police’s “Brigade de Recherche et d’Intervention” and the nuclear submarine crews of the “Marine Nationale” (French Navy). In 2004, the brand presented a special watch for the GIGN on the occasion of its 30^th anniversary. The project was initiated as a result of the friendship between a member of the GIGN and René Bruyeron, T.O.T’s founder. The Chronographe GIGN was produced in a limited edition of 200 pieces of which the first 100 were reserved for unit members. The piece no.101 was given as a gift to famous French actor Alain Delon, a gesture that boosted the brand’s reputation quite substantially. Such success made the brand produce two additional special series.

Breitling Super Ocean GIGN

Technical details: 41-mm steel case, 50-meter water resistance, transparent screwed back engraved with individual number and the GIGN’s patent number, sapphire crystal, matt black tricompax dial that displays the date at 6 o’clock and a GIGN badge at 9 o’clock, luminescent hands, self-winding Valjoux 7750 caliber with a 48-hour power reserve

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph

The strap comes in two versions. The first one is made of leather with white topstitching. The second one is in still with the brand’s logotype and a deployment buckle. It was produced in a 200-piece limited edition of which the first 100 pieces were reserved for GIGN’s members.

Breitling Super Ocean Steelfish  “30^th anniversary of the GIGN” (2004)

Breitling specializes in technical watches for civil and military aviation pilots. In 2004, the brand made a limited series based on the Super Ocean Steelfish model to celebrate the GIGN’s 30^th anniversary. Each of the 50 pieces produced was engraved with the GIGN’s patent number on the case’s back and featured the GIGN’s badge on the dial at 6 o’clock.

EBEL Brasilia GIGN

The steel strap comes with a deployment buckle. It was produced in a limited edition of 50 pieces that were exclusively reserved for GIGN members.

Ebel Brasilia “GIGN 1974-2007” (2009)

In 2009, GIGN chose Ebel to create a prestigious limited-edition watch as a tribute to the 1974-2007 era that preceded the unit’s major restructuration. Based on the classic Brasilia, the 308-piece limited production was exclusively made for the 308 men that were part of the GIGN at the time. A second series (with a smaller logo on the case back) was made for their wives.

Bell&Ross GIGN BR03

Technical details: 32.5-mm steel case, 50-meter water resistance,  Screwed back engraved with the operational patent number and “1974-2007” written under what was the GIGN’s badge until 2007, Sapphire crystal, Black dial with guilloché center that displays the GIGN’s original badge and the date at 6 o’clock, self-winding Caliber Ebel 120, 42-hour power reserve

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and date
 
It comes with a black leather or steel strap with a deployment buckle. Its production was limited to 308 pieces and reserved for members of the elite unit.

Bell & Ross BR 03-92 GIGN (2011)

Bell & Ross designs professional watches with the motto “functions define shapes”. The brand has thus forged strong connections with the Army, Air Force and the Navy and their special units thanks to watches that are famous for their solidity, functionality, reliability, precision and day/night readability. In 2011, the manufacture produced a special series that met the requirement of GIGN’s members perfectly. The 200 pieces produced were exclusively made for them.

Bell&Ross GIGN BR03 backcase

Technical details: Polished-satiny 42-mm steel case, 100-meter water resistance, case engraved with “Limited edition – GIGN” and GIGN’s patent number,  matt black dial with date aperture at 4:30 and GIGN badge at 6 o’clock, white luminescent hands, self-winding movement, 40-hour power reserve

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and date