Triplex Profesional gold (1972? version) derailleur

From a distance the Triplex Profesional apes various, illustrious, contemporary Campagnolo models. Close up the Triplex is clearly from a different planet - the Planet Cheapo. The casting lines have not been ground off, the lustreless, grey aluminium is neither well polished or well anodised and the steel parts don’t quite rust, but become horribly discoloured.

The Profesional was the ‘high-end’ Triplex model of its time. It started life asd an upgrade from the Triplex Sport with a wider p-knuckle (allowing it to be used on 6 and 7-speed freewheels) and a substantial gain in weight. I dread to think which particular ‘profession’ Triplex had in mind when it named this product, but if it was that of the professional cyclist it could have only been so through an exaggerated sense of irony.

As with all Triplex designs, the Profesional went through a veritable herd of variations:

I believe that the first version (possibly from late 1971) had the curvaceous pulley cage of the 1971 Triplex Sport, but relentlessly drilled for lightness. It was also blessed with an colourful enamelled name plate, a cable adjuster and 10 toothed pulley wheels branded 'TRIPLEX EIBAR SPAIN'. The wider p-knuckle had a rather incongruous extension molded onto the rear to catch the stop on the pulley cage.
Like the 1972 Triplex Sport, the (possibly) 1972 version of the Triplex Profesional had a redesigned pulley cage, this time without the Drillium treatment. This version was available with a name plate enamelled in an alluring choice of colours. I have red, blue, gold and green versions. I am sure there will be more colours out there.
Perhaps in 1978 the Triplex Profesional was radically simplified, losing the enamelled name plate, losing the cable adjuster and gaining the unbranded pulley wheels that Triplex favoured from that year on. The Triplex Profesional effectively became a Triplex Sport, but with the wider p-knuckle to allow for 6 and 7-speed freewheels.
In, or around, 1979 Triplex made two changes to the Profesional. First off, they moved the incongruous extension on the p-knuckle from the rear side to the front side. This gave the pulley cage humungous chain wrap. Secondly they changed the writing on the outer parallelogram plate from 'TRIPLEX PROFESIONAL' to 'TX PROFESIONAL'. The letters 'TX' were written in the distinctively Basque font that was also used for the, performatively Basque, Tximista brand (the name of which notably starts with 'TX). Models with this branding may have been sold both as Triplex items and alternatively as Tximista products.
Possibly in 1980 the p-knuckle lost the external cup between the knuckle and the outer pulley cage plate and gained a less ostentatious internal bushing. This mirrored the change that Campagnolo had introduced with the Campagnolo 980. The resulting derailleur had plenty of chain wrap, but without the excesses of the 1979 version.
Perhaps in 1986 Triplex again followed Campagnolo's lead and changed the colour of the pulleys to white.
Then, in or around 1987, the Triplex Profesional got a full redesign, adopting the smooth globular forms of the Campagnolo C-Record, initially with an aero pulley cage.
Finally, possibly in 1989, the Triplex Profesional lost its aero pulley cage and adopted a more normal design with cutouts. This model seems to have still been in production in 2002.

As always with Triplex and Tximista, I must note that all these dates are based only on brief discussions with seemingly wise Spanish cyclists. I have never seen a single Triplex or Tximista catalogue and any documentary evidence at all is extremely sketchy. Tread with care.

I think that this is a 1972? version of a Triplex Profesional in gold. It has:

An overall form borrowed from the classic Campagnolo Nuovo Record form.
A gold enamelled name plate displaying the words 'TRIPLEX PROFESIONAL'.
A cable adjuster.
A rather incongruous extension molded into the rear of the p-knuckle, to catch the stop on the pulley cage.
The second generation of pulley cage shape. This is undrilled.
10 toothed pulley wheels branded 'TRIPLEX EIBAR SPAIN'.