Vintage Gruen: 1930's » Gruen "Strap 130"

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Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2491]

Mon, 06 January 2014 10:25

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

Gruen Master

Model name : "Strap 130"
Type : Barrel case
Period/date : approx. 1931
Gender : Male

Case Maker : Wadsworth
Case Material : Nickel "Tarnish Proof" (rhodium plated)
Case Serial : 8540089
Case Style no : 315-80

Caliber : 315
Movement Maker : Gruen?
Movement Serial : 192252

Bracelet : Original nickel band "Flex No. 25" marked "Sturdy".

Other info : Shown in the Guild Book Supplement 9-31 Page 12A as part of the "Sturdy Gruen Wrist Watches for Young Men" range.

index.php?t=getfile&id=987&private=0

index.php?t=getfile&id=987&private=0

index.php?t=getfile&id=988&private=0

index.php?t=getfile&id=989&private=0

index.php?t=getfile&id=990&private=0

Edit: data updated following new information below

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[Updated on: Thu, 09 January 2014 08:32]

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2492 is a reply to message #2491]

Mon, 06 January 2014 11:08

timeliz
Messages: 602
Registered: May 2013
Location: Northern California

Gruen Master

Very nice, Thojil & awesome looking band...Nice find!

"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones..." -John Denver

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2493 is a reply to message #2492]

Mon, 06 January 2014 15:47

JackW
Messages: 2006
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

Very nice!

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: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2500 is a reply to message #2491]

Mon, 06 January 2014 18:57

Bazzab
Messages: 181
Registered: May 2013
Location: Tampa Bay Fl

Gruen Guildsman

Nice Watch
I not sure about the case maker, It would seem that Western Watch Case went out of business in the 1900's according to Pocket Watch Repair Site.
http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/case-companies/ca se-companies-10.html,
and may have been sold to The Illinois Watch, But I cant, at the moment confirm this.
It could have also connected with the Illinois Case Co, which would seem more likely, but I cant confirm this either!

WWC seems to have been a Trade name for Wadsworth according to the NAWCC
http://mb.nawcc.org/showwiki.php?title=Wadsworth_Watch_Case_ Co

I also have the same model in a WWC marked case, my Movement no is lower than yours, but the case number is higher, not sure what that means, just thought I would add it
B

http://www.watchesoftheguild.com/

[Updated on: Mon, 06 January 2014 20:38]

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2501 is a reply to message #2500]

Mon, 06 January 2014 19:14

Gary
Messages: 2206
Registered: May 2013
Location: Seattle

Gruen Authority
Cheerleader

Nice! I'm surprised to see the nickel band and back in such good shape, no corrosion.

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2509 is a reply to message #2501]

Mon, 06 January 2014 23:22

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

Gruen Master

GaryM wrote on Mon, 06 January 2014 20:14

Nice! I'm surprised to see the nickel band and back in such good shape, no corrosion.

Well, the brochure promised "tarnish-proof" nickel. Maybe not all Marketing messages are just bla bla Laughing

Laughing

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2510 is a reply to message #2500]

Mon, 06 January 2014 23:27

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

Gruen Master

Bazzab wrote on Mon, 06 January 2014 19:57

Nice Watch
I not sure about the case maker, It would seem that Western Watch Case went out of business in the 1900's according to Pocket Watch Repair Site.
http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/case-companies/ca se-companies-10.html,
and may have been sold to The Illinois Watch, But I cant, at the moment confirm this.
It could have also connected with the Illinois Case Co, which would seem more likely, but I cant confirm this either!

WWC seems to have been a Trade name for Wadsworth according to the NAWCC
http://mb.nawcc.org/showwiki.php?title=Wadsworth_Watch_Case_ Co

I also have the same model in a WWC marked case, my Movement no is lower than yours, but the case number is higher, not sure what that means, just thought I would add it
B

Thanks B, that was all I could find in a short time. The watch being from the 1930's and the fact that Wadsworth was one of the main case suppliers to gruen make Wadsworth as the manufacturer more likely then.

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2512 is a reply to message #2510]

Mon, 06 January 2014 23:42

JackW
Messages: 2006
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

opening can o'worms...3....2....1.....

Barry, I would like to point out that this case is not marked Gruen yet it matches exact to the images that Thomas has posted. It does have the caliber and case style number (tm) - Barry and Mike (LOL!). My point is back to this discussion - LINK.

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

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2515 is a reply to message #2512]

Tue, 07 January 2014 00:03

Gary
Messages: 2206
Registered: May 2013
Location: Seattle

Gruen Authority
Cheerleader

http://www.annaguirre.com/wp-content/uploads/can-o-worms.gif

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2520 is a reply to message #2515]

Tue, 07 January 2014 01:46

C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013

Gruen Guildsman

It's a Wadsworth case and it's correctly marked for what was an "entry level" watch.

"Tarnish Proof" nickel had a thin rhodium plating to help prevent the corrosive reaction that nickel often shows when exposed to acidic perspiration. The case on thojil's example is in extraordinary condition.

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2521 is a reply to message #2512]

Tue, 07 January 2014 02:07

Bazzab
Messages: 181
Registered: May 2013
Location: Tampa Bay Fl

Gruen Guildsman

JackW wrote on Mon, 06 January 2014 18:42

opening can o'worms...3....2....1.....

Barry, I would like to point out that this case is not marked Gruen yet it matches exact to the images that Thomas has posted. It does have the caliber and case style number (tm) - Barry and Mike (LOL!). My point is back to this discussion - LINK.

Cheers!

LOL

http://www.watchesoftheguild.com/

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2522 is a reply to message #2520]

Tue, 07 January 2014 02:10

Bazzab
Messages: 181
Registered: May 2013
Location: Tampa Bay Fl

Gruen Guildsman

C. Hurt wrote on Mon, 06 January 2014 20:46

It's a Wadsworth case and it's correctly marked for what was an "entry level" watch.

"Tarnish Proof" nickel had a thin rhodium plating to help prevent the corrosive reaction that nickel often shows when exposed to acidic perspiration. The case on thojil's example is in extraordinary condition.

Thanks for confirming what I had previously stated and the additional information
B

http://www.watchesoftheguild.com/

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2529 is a reply to message #2520]

Tue, 07 January 2014 04:21

afire
Messages: 1354
Registered: May 2013
Location: Wisconsin

Gruen Authority

C. Hurt wrote on Mon, 06 January 2014 19:46

"Tarnish Proof" nickel had a thin rhodium plating to help prevent the corrosive reaction that nickel often shows when exposed to acidic perspiration.

Interesting. That explains why these cases are so very white (relative to the comparatively cloudy gray I usually associate with nickel in other applications).

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2550 is a reply to message #2529]

Fri, 10 January 2014 02:40

Gary
Messages: 2206
Registered: May 2013
Location: Seattle

Gruen Authority
Cheerleader

Another one pertaining to the open can of worms.

291054498133

Cheers!

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Re: Gruen "Strap 130" [message #2551 is a reply to message #2550]

Fri, 10 January 2014 02:55

C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013

Gruen Guildsman

GaryM wrote on Thu, 09 January 2014 20:40

Another one pertaining to the open can of worms.

291054498133

Cheers!

Aftermarket Star Watch Case Co. case, usually seen with Elgin or Waltham movement. Not sure if the bezel is nickel or brushed chrome plate.

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