| Re: Need some help with a Gruen pocket watch [message #5467 is a reply to message #5466] |
Tue, 21 April 2015 11:58   |
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Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France
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Gruen Master |
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Very nice watch you have there. Gruen introduced the 1st generation Veri-Thin movements already in 1903. These were replaced by the "V" caliber series in 1910 and were produced until about 1938. Yours has a Gruen produced solid gold case and was supplied as a complete watch to the customer. At the time this was still a novelty as most manufacturers just supplied the movement and the customer would chose a generic case to put it in at the jeweler.
The "V" series were available in various quality levels.
- VE-21j "Extra Precision"
- V1-21j; V2-19j; V3-17j "Precision"
- V1.5-21j; V2.5-19j; V4-17j; V5-15j "Regular Adjusted"
Your movement is a V4 17j, which was Gruen's best selling movement in the range. It is not a V3 as these movements had a different ratchet & click spring design and also had "Precision Chronometer Balance" engraved on the barrel bridge. The following description of the V4 is taken from the 1916 Gruen Blue Book
"Center jewel in red gold setting, adjusted to five positions, temperatures and isochronism. It has every known improvement, such as double roller, visible steel escapement, patent regulator, time adjusting screws, brequet hairspring, compensating balance, safety sliding click, finest hardened materials"
About dating your movement I would add 2-3 years, so 1917-1918. In my serial number database I have a few serial numbers between 470k and 480k that have cases with date inscriptions of 1917/1918. The same time you have to be careful dating this way as it is not very reliable. So Barney could still be right...
For my information, can you confirm if the inscription on inner dust cover says "Verithin Model 14K" over the serial number?
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