Hi Jack,
i feel quite flattered, but itīs just my amateurish 2 cents!
Nonetheless, i think GPīs history does have quite some interesting stories previously untold and pieces not known on a wide base.
Actually, the Mimo and FHF bits are easily explained:
In 1928, GP was bought by Otto Graef who happened to be chairman of MIMO, a swiss watch factury specialized in (particularly gold) cases.
In subsequent years, both brands focussed on innovative pieces (Mimo more than GP) and quite some watches were available as a model by Mimo and, often a bit more elaborate, as a GP. There are even some pieces known to bear both names.
In later years, GP focussed on US, UK, Russian and South American markets while Mimo mostly sold in Europe.
Among the pieces of the mid/late 1930īs with a special "extra" was the big date you have there, as well as a rectangular watch called "Mimo-Meter" with a small date and a two-faced ladiesī watch. Those were new in their times and quite innovative; iīll look through the recent posts later, as we covered a few of them before.
Now most pieces came with movements based on ebauches by other makers. One of the is FHF, the oldest ebauche factory in Switzerland (founded 1793) and so is the base of your pieces, while i recall the big date mechanism to be added by GP.
They did likely with other movements; one example is the vintage GP86 covered in our GP Reference Gallery. Itīs a bit different than other iterations of the same base, therefore iīm under the impression GP did some work with it (and iīm backed by some vintage archives, as far as they still exist).
Itīs truly a special piece you have there; a likely watch, but by Mimo and with a black dial/steel case, is today kept in the GP Museum at La Chaux-De-Fonds.
Envious greetings
Peter
