Home » The Gruen Model Database » 1950's and Up » Strap 809
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| Re: 1944 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-529 [message #8442 is a reply to message #8441] |
Sun, 05 November 2017 17:17   |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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I think that neither hand is original to this watch.
The form of minute and hour hand is OK, but there should not be golden hands to a stainless steel case. And I fully agree with you that the second hand is absolutely unusual to this watch. I have never seen such a second hand on a Gruen watch.
The caliber 415 was introduced 1950, the sweep second version possibly even later. It is impossible that the watch is from 1944, much more likely from 1952 / 1953.
I would say this is (or has originally been ) a Strap 809, which was introduced 1953 and sold under the model name "Sea Worthy". It did cost $49.50 and was to my knowledge at that time the only non automatic sweep second model in Guildite case beside the "Sea Farer" which might have been the same watch with a different band and dial.
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
[Updated on: Sun, 05 November 2017 18:58] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: 1944 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-529 [message #8463 is a reply to message #8443] |
Thu, 23 November 2017 00:46 |
Timeticker
Messages: 568
Registered: June 2013
Location: Somewhere in the world
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Gruen Master |
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Most of the time these were blue steel hands............methinks!
People you thought were your best friends will stab you in the back to your face!
Love them anyway.
A "Paradoxical Commandment"
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #10752 is a reply to message #8463] |
Wed, 28 August 2019 13:14 |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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I just purchased the same watch (unfortunately missing the back mounting ring).
The style number needs correction, it is style 829, not 529.
This can also be seen in the picture.
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #10754 is a reply to message #10753] |
Wed, 28 August 2019 16:32 |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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Yes, 1953 is what I also anticipated. BTW, my case has serial F73076.
As this watch is listed in the Strap section and not in the Import section of the Master Book as most of the other Guildite cases of that time I would also assume this being really a US made case. The import cases I have seen all said SWITZERLAND inside.
There seem to have been two internal Fxxxxx sequences, one in 1953 and one in 1957/58. Style numbers involved in the second run are from about 966 to (1)035, movements used in my Fxxxxx watches are 215, 215RSS, 220, 415, 422RSS, 550SS.
Are you sure with the F003569 serial? Seems to be one digit too much...
The 1L movements seem to be odd. I own three which are two 460SS and one 462. I would have dated the watches towards about 1950, but if 1L would succeed 1K they would have to be at least from 1955...
And: I do not think that the Import watches were produced for the European market. Gruen did really not actively sell any of these here. It looks like these watcces were imported to the US completely cased for certain reasons.
The watches to be sold in Europe had the Gruen Geneve brand at the dial, this started mid 50s. After 1957 some of these models have also been imported to the US, most famous model is the Airflight or Super-G.
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
[Updated on: Wed, 28 August 2019 16:39] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #10758 is a reply to message #10757] |
Wed, 28 August 2019 18:49 |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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The Id-Logo is a nice hint, I do not have this one mine. I have several examples of Id-cases from the later period, but nothing yet that early.
This also explains the two different series starting with "F", this first seems to be the 1953(+) one from ID, the second 1956+ run should be in house.
Not all import cases from Switzerland have a letter at the end, some (early Weber cases I guess) are numbers only. But definitely all later imports from the 50s did have the letter at the end. It is possible that it is a year indicator. I have observed B,D,E and F so far at my Imports. Any other letters from other forum members?
Possibly A=1950, B=1951, C=1952, D=1954, E=1955, F=1956,.... but this is pure speculation. Though it seems to match not too bad...
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #10766 is a reply to message #10761] |
Thu, 29 August 2019 13:40 |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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The C at the start is a different in house series and should not have anything to do with the last letter of the imports.
The Cxxxxxx series coincidentally starts about early 1951 or may be very late 1950 but it definitely lasts until late 1953. So this clearly is not a year indicator but a consecutive prefix which started with B most likely in 1947.
My statement that it could be a year indicator purely relates to the last letter of the import cases.
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #10769 is a reply to message #10768] |
Thu, 29 August 2019 14:47 |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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Sorry for confusion. I put too many things into one post. Here as single statements:
1.) A to F in the end with import cases: probably year indicators.
2.) F in the beginning as designator for ID case factory dating probably 1953+
3.) F in the beginning with in house cases succeeding B,C and D series dating 1956+
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #10771 is a reply to message #10770] |
Thu, 29 August 2019 20:36 |
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Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
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Gruen Authority |
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Hmm, one of the very last imports, "Import 320". The last one is Import 326 which should be late 1957 or eraly 1958. So "G" could well be 1957. Why in front? Probably because it was aready part of the tooling with the GRUEN logo as one can see. And the serial number was stamped in later during production. Definitely interesting, the first "G" I have seen up to now with an import.
Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
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| Re: 1953 Gruen Veri-Thin 415 SS-829 [message #12432 is a reply to message #10754] |
Wed, 06 May 2020 22:13 |
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Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France
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Gruen Master |
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Barney Green wrote on Wed, 28 August 2019 18:32And: I do not think that the Import watches were produced for the European market. Gruen did really not actively sell any of these here. It looks like these watcces were imported to the US completely cased for certain reasons.
The watches to be sold in Europe had the Gruen Geneve brand at the dial, this started mid 50s. After 1957 some of these models have also been imported to the US, most famous model is the Airflight or Super-G.
Another way of identifying whether a a watch was destined for the European market is the fact that there is no GXC code on the movement. I have observed that with many of the Gruen Geneva branded models including my own Super-G that I recently posted.
Obviously this is not entirely reliable as many cases don’t have their original movement anymore.
[Updated on: Thu, 07 May 2020 18:18] Report message to a moderator |
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