Vintage Gruen: 1920's » Gruen SemiThin

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Gruen SemiThin [message #2461]

Sun, 29 December 2013 22:21

shawntaylor
Messages: 3
Registered: December 2013

Gruen Apprentice

Model name :SemiThin
Type :
Period/date :1920
Gender :Gents

Case Maker :
Case Material :
Case Serial :
Case Style no :

Caliber :740
Movement Maker :Lavina
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Other info :

index.php?t=getfile&id=977&private=0

I am trying to figure out some information on this pockset watch. It was my dads and I thought it was unique with the Masonic Symbol. I know that it is a DG&S Pocket Watch but I cannot find any with the symbol on it. If anyone has any information please let me know.

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[Updated on: Sun, 04 February 2018 22:21] by Moderator

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Re: Pocket Watch [message #2463 is a reply to message #2461]

Mon, 30 December 2013 13:49

mikey
Messages: 709
Registered: May 2013
Location: Paris, Ontario

Gruen Master

hi Shawn. Can u provide a photo of the movement and the inside of the case back?

Still here....

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Re: Pocket Watch [message #2466 is a reply to message #2463]

Tue, 31 December 2013 02:58

JackW
Messages: 1938
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

Hi,

With the Mason's symbol it is certainly two things - 1) it has been personalized and thus is an exceptional item 2) the mason symbol was likely done after it left the factory. There have been some discussions in the past about the connections between the Gruen Family and free-masonry. Though to what degree their involvement in FM contributed to their business practices can only be speculated over.

As Mikey said, when you get a chance, pictures of the movement and the inside of the case back will help to some degree in a) getting an approximate age b) telling you more about the "history" of the pocket watch (potentially the movement maker) and c) satisfy our own curiosity on the movement.

It is a nice piece and the connection to family I hope makes it sentimental. My first PW I bought was sold because the seller had forgotten to whom the watch belong in their family and thus wasn't interested in keeping it.

Happy New Year!

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

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Re: Pocket Watch [message #2470 is a reply to message #2463]

Tue, 31 December 2013 18:47

shawntaylor
Messages: 3
Registered: December 2013

Gruen Apprentice

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Re: Pocket Watch [message #2471 is a reply to message #2466]

Tue, 31 December 2013 19:10

shawntaylor
Messages: 3
Registered: December 2013

Gruen Apprentice

You know what is really strange (at least to me) If you look at the back inside piece there are numbers really small engraved in it and a date at the top. Can you see it?

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Re: Pocket Watch [message #2473 is a reply to message #2471]

Tue, 31 December 2013 19:59

mikey
Messages: 709
Registered: May 2013
Location: Paris, Ontario

Gruen Master

Quite likely they are service marks. I'll leave this one to the pocket watch experts here though...

Still here....

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Re: Pocket Watch [message #2479 is a reply to message #2473]

Wed, 01 January 2014 19:41

Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France

Gruen Master

What you have is a pocket watch from Gruen's "SemiThin" range, which was a thicker alternative to their "VeriThin" range. The earlier examples have sometimes dials signed like yours with DG&S (D. Gruen & Sons). Later ones will be signed Gruen only or with the addition of SemiThin.

The SemiThin range was positioned below the VeriThin PW's, but still featured high quality movements with 15, 17, 19 and even 21 jewels. Your movement is as far as I can see a 17 jewel Cal.740, 17 Ligne, which you should be able to confirm as this number is normaly stamped in the pillar plate just below the crown wheel. Recent research information has confirmed that these movements were produced by "Lavina - Manufacture d'Horlogerie DUBOIS-PESEUX & Cie" in Villeret. Other similar calibers were the 756 (15j), 758 (17j) and the 16 size 720 available in 7, 15, 17 & 21 jewel grades.

I have once read that the SemiThin range was sold by Gruen to people that didn't like the very thin VeriThin watches and were looking for something chunkier in their pocket. However I have never seen any proof of this. Information I do have is that in the "1916 Blue Book" Gruen was advertising this range as "Made under D.G.S. guarantee mark, a good watch at a low price"

A production date is difficult to give as there are no records, but if I would have to make a guess I would say it is from around 1920. You can find another example of your watch in this post link.

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