| Stainless Steel Quadron [message #6079] |
Sun, 27 September 2015 19:45  |
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JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver
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Gruen Authority
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Model name : Unknown
Type : Quadron
Period/date : ~1935-ish
Gender : man's
Case Maker : Gruen shops in Cinci.
Case Material : Guildite/Stainless
Case Serial : 6025839
Case Style no : possibly Quadron 118
Caliber : 157
Movement Maker : Gruen Guild (via Marc Fabre)
Movement Serial: 1114728
Bracelet : none
Other info : Case is plain without any engravings or decorations. There is a monogram on the back of the case.
Images...
cased...
dial...
Movement...
Case parts...
detail of inside case...
Gruen markings on outside...
Images are as it came to me. Won it last week on eBay.
Now that I have it and have looked through the information I have on Quadrons and Bruce's and Mike's books, I'm wondering if this is mash-up of two different watches. However, still factory original. Except the crown.
The case is surely the match to Quadron 118 in Bruce's book on page 22. The dial however isn't, but seems to match exactly the dial on the Quadron 57 which would presumably date to the 1920s. The book states that style is the 50th anniversary "157 with gold-plated movement". Say what???? The Quadron 157 didn't come out apparently until 1925; after the anniversary in 1924. Has anyone seen a cal 157 with gold-colored bridges? Seen the gold-bridges on the earlier 119 (or is it the 123?). A gold-bridge cal 157 is a new one to me. I digress... Now those with Bruce's book may say that the Quad 133 dial is similar, but look at the 12 and 6 indices and compare with the Quad 57. Hence, why I say the 57 dial is a better match.
The movement serial is similar to another Quadron (its only a few hundred difference) I have that came out of a trashed Quadron 70 which I'm pretty sure is from the early 1930s. I don't know the name but it appears in Vol. 1 (p.36) of Mike's ID Guide under 1930 and on page 37 of Mike's 1930 decade book under 1932. So I'm calling this date the lower date limit.
I have to admit that I look at pretty much every Quadron that runs through eBay. Many are in the spreadsheet. I've not seen this case before. I've no doubts that it is legit as being originally made by Gruen. It however looks more like the solid gold cases in its construction than any of the cases that were non-precious metal. Its case construction and marking are also similar to the watch I posted the other day... check out the serial numbers. Surely made by the same company and I would suspect that both were in-house by Gruen. If I had to guess on the date of this watch... I'd go with 1935. This late date may explain why the dial is from a different and earlier design and the shift into stainless seeming stamped out of the same molds for the solid gold cases is consistent with a struggling Gruen during the mid-1930s when they were trying to use up stock to to sell watches in a spend-thrift economy.
After I get the 705 finished, I'll get this one COA's. I love Quadrons, wish I had more of them but I am also trying to stick with the concept of buying only solid metal cases. No more goldfill with eliminates a lot of the Quadrons I could afford. I'm quite pleased to have a solid metal Quad for the cost of one of the goldfilled ones.
Peace!
Post script... Maybe I should repost the other Quadron I have, looks similar to this one in a white GF case (but with an engraved side)
edit - wrong link to online database. sorry.
edit 2 - now I have the link fixed. gack!
All I know is based on hard work & writing by others. I can only aspire to augment this body of knowledge. If I am wrong it is because of my own failings. -me
"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." - Newton
[Updated on: Sun, 04 February 2018 19:49] by Moderator Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: stainless steel Quadron [message #6086 is a reply to message #6079] |
Mon, 28 September 2015 09:58  |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1725
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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The date of this watch can be narrowed down a little bit further. The trademark "Guildite" was registered in April 1933 and has not been used before. The first proof of usage I have is even one and a half year later in November 1934. I expect that you are perfectly correct with your 1935 estimate.
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
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| Re: stainless steel Quadron [message #6088 is a reply to message #6087] |
Mon, 28 September 2015 15:28 |
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JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver
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Gruen Authority
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Here I thought it was thojil I might be bidding against. I figured I'd need to fight for this one.
Is the movement you show the one that came with the watch? It is an older version of the cal 157. The reduced barrel bridge design is the later model. Also your's says 'adjusted' which puts it back to 1929 or before. I ask because of the idea that Gruen was taking material on hand (or returned as unsold) and casing things to sell watches. That said I agree with what you and Barney say: this watch is surely 1935-ish. Our case serials are pretty close.
Cheers!
All I know is based on hard work & writing by others. I can only aspire to augment this body of knowledge. If I am wrong it is because of my own failings. -me
"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." - Newton
[Updated on: Mon, 28 September 2015 15:30] Report message to a moderator |
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