Vintage Gruen - RDF feed
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.php
Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17128&th=2291#msg_17128
Flipping through the Gruen photo books, I often stop to peer at Strap 184. The winged disc logo stands out, but I couldn't find any info on it, or when it was made. Today, while watching promotional footage celebrating the Lindbergh flight, I saw the watch. Well, almost,
because the watch in the video is labeled Avigo.
Went back to Strap 184 to check the logo, only to be reminded it's obscured by the bulbous luminous hour hand. But there it is, without luminous on the dial, the same winged disc design language, quarter Arabics, and circular lume plots, only aircraft wings instead of Egyptian iconography.
As the story goes, the Avigo was released to commemorate Lindbergh's successful transatlantic flight, which means the design for the commemorative dial on Strap 184 is likely no earlier than 1927. As for the name hidden under the hour hand, who penned the dial design, or who brought it to market first, I'll leave that for someone else to investigate.
]]>Benjamin_Rush2022-08-13T05:27:57-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17129&th=2291#msg_17129
The Avigo from your photo also has a decorated bezel, while strap 184 appears to have a plain one.
Other than that I agree that there are similarities.]]>Barney Green2022-08-13T07:00:14-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17130&th=2291#msg_17130
Ephemerald2022-08-13T15:55:15-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17131&th=2291#msg_17131
Ephemerald2022-08-13T16:16:59-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17132&th=2291#msg_17132
]]>Barney Green2022-08-13T16:38:10-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17133&th=2291#msg_17133
Ephemerald2022-08-13T17:52:41-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17134&th=2291#msg_17134
]]>Barney Green2022-08-13T19:43:00-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17135&th=2291#msg_17135
Case2022-08-14T18:37:03-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17137&th=2291#msg_17137
The Aviator did come with a good 17 jewel movement, though not that many adjustments, but a good gold filled (most likely Wadsworth) case. But it sold for $42.50, almost double the price of the Elgin.
Considering the short life of the Elgin despite its low price males me think that it has been unsuccessful, and the attempt by Gruen to grab some buyers can't have been much better at the high price of the Aviator.
Just my explanation why we have never spotted one.]]>Barney Green2022-08-14T19:07:20-00:00Re: Strap 184 - Winged Disc
https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.phpindex.php?t=rview&goto=17138&th=2291#msg_17138
Case2022-08-15T02:34:06-00:00