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| Re: Caliber V7 17''' - pocket watch [message #12707 is a reply to message #12706] |
Thu, 25 June 2020 03:04   |
thesnark17
Messages: 654
Registered: January 2017
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Gruen Master |
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"35" on mine is the plate number. It's stamped on all the bridges. So it's some sort of numbering system. Notably, not using the SN as a numbering system --> not built in the Precision factory.
The 650k movement uses the actual SN as the plate number (last 3 digits as is typical).
[Updated on: Thu, 25 June 2020 03:07] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Caliber V7 17''' - pocket watch [message #12714 is a reply to message #12708] |
Thu, 25 June 2020 12:19 |
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Case
Messages: 1178
Registered: May 2019
Location: Cincinnati
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Gruen Authority |
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It would be Marc Favre’s numbering system on the early ones. This wouldn’t be the first pocket movement he’d made for Gruen, nor was it the only pocket movement he was supplying to one of the Gruen factories in ‘20-‘21.
The Gruen #s would not necessarily match (you confirm they don’t) nor even be always sequential with the front plate, since they were likely stamped at different steps in the manufacturing. The Gruen numbers could have been stamped when being finished, possibly at the Precision factory (note no stamps on the more fragile train bridges). But more likely some or all of it could’ve been done at Favre prior to shipment—or even possible that bridge came to Favre pre-stamped—given the strange stamps without gold leaf during transition to Adj Temps. The “pre-stamped” theory would be one more way the Gruen #s could vary so much in shipments/casing.
So we can safely say the V7 was coming from a 3rd party at launch through at least mid-1922. Wouldn’t it be interesting if the Gruen serial #s replace the Favre stamps around 607k-610k—whichever coincides with May 1923, when Gruen filed his patent.
My two caveats:
1) I'm wrong many times a day --just ask my wife!
2) Always seeking to learn more
[Updated on: Thu, 25 June 2020 12:44] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Caliber V7 17''' - pocket watch [message #12718 is a reply to message #12717] |
Sat, 27 June 2020 04:00 |
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Case
Messages: 1178
Registered: May 2019
Location: Cincinnati
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Gruen Authority |
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Wow, it is amazing the difference between the two. The later looks like a different watch, so many of the parts have been refined. The earlier looks rougher and even somehow rushed, slapdashed.
Could the specs have been that loose, or were they just learning as they went? I can only imagine what the 601s that did make it out early look like. A cheaper movement for sure! Easy to see how there could’ve been quality issues.
Thanks for sharing (and for doing!) this work.
My two caveats:
1) I'm wrong many times a day --just ask my wife!
2) Always seeking to learn more
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