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Princess by Gruen

Blue Precision Watch Box; Tue, 09 November 2021 18:46

Description - Princess by Gruen

Fairly large box for a ladies watch, 25 centimeters in length. The insert reads "$59.50 F.T.I." Federal Tax Included. The box inter shell is tin and has heavy metal hinges. The covering I have no clue of the material.

Period: 1950?
Watch type: Ladies?
Size: Unknown
Inventor: Unknown
Patents: Unknown

Box maker: Unknown

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8733&private=0

1950s | 4 comments

Gruen Curvex Royal 311

Sat, 06 November 2021 16:22

Hi All,

Purchased my first Gruen wristwatch! Looking for confirmation/completion of what I think I was able to identify below from here and other resources. Any other info you think might be helpful about this watch is appreciated too! I had a tough time finding much searching the "260" style number from the caseback, but the thread on here titled "Is this a curvex from 1936?" ID#12489 (sorry can't post links yet!) was helpful in identification. I'm also interested in what bands folks have chosen for the curvex, I'm not thrilled with expansion bands in general, this one seems to emphasize the narrow dimension rather than the long one. I've heard band choice can make a huge impact on these watches. Thanks!

Model name: Gruen Curvex Royal
Type:
Period/date: 1936 or 1937
Gender: M

Case Maker: Wadsworth
Case Material: 14k GF
Case Serial: 2368309
Case Style no: 260

Caliber: 311
Movement Maker: Gruen
Movement Serial: 367178

Bracelet: A&Z Azium expansion band

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8710&private=0

1930's | 18 comments

Cannon pinion remover

Wed, 03 November 2021 22:48

I dont like cannon pinions when they are stuck.

Gruen did have a tool for it (even patented). Does anyone have one of these?
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8700&private=0

Gruen Watchmaking Tools | 4 comments

cartouche 37

Wed, 03 November 2021 22:34

Model name: car. 37
Type: cartouche
Period/date: end of 1923
Gender: female

Case Maker: wadsworth
Case Material: 14k gold reinforced with metal
Case Serial: 761996
Case Style no: 59

Caliber: 833 (15 jewels, 4 adjts)
Movement Maker: aegler
Movement Serial: none

Bracelet: black ribbon with B&N 1-10 k pat 830021? Clasp

Other: nice scratched numbers inside bezel

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8690&private=0

Edit: named! (Or should say, numbered)

1920's | 12 comments

Unknown Wristlet with enamel

Wed, 03 November 2021 22:02

Model name: unknown
Type: wristlet
Period/date: 1915-1925?
Gender: Ladies

Case Maker: Wadsworth
Case Material: Gruen Ultra Quality white gold filled (W inside case) with black enamel
Case Serial: 746300
Case Style no: none

Caliber: gruen guild 819? 15 jewels 4 adjts —> case mentions 819 1/2
Movement Maker : Aegler (Gruen Guild)
Movement Serial: none

Bracelet: ribbon strap with 18K clasp

Other: it looks like the fifteen and four texts were later added on the movement. Hands probably replaced.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8685&private=0

1920's | 10 comments

Two-Diamond Brookline - possible Baguette 519

Sat, 30 October 2021 15:09

Thanks to Barney for help possibly ID'ing this one!

Model name: Unknown, a diamond variant of Baguette 75 (Brookline)
Type: Baguette
Period/date: circa 1933-1934
Gender: Ladies

Case Maker: Gruen
Case Material: --k Gold Filled (no numbers)
Case Serial: 2240302
Case Style no: 134

Caliber: 327
Movement Maker: ?
Movement Serial: 255895

Bracelet: Sturdy Allegheny, marked "patent pending" (possible reference to US2082621, filed 6/1933)

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8649&private=0

Other info: Baguette 75 shows the same stair-step case decoration, caliber 327, "filled w-y" implying two-tone. Baguette 519 image is missing from book. Its description matches Bag 75, and the 500s models do appear to be slightly dressed-up diamond gold filled variants of others. It is possible this was a Bag 75 that was later "pimped out." IMO, the cleanness of the diamond mounts & borders mean this was made like this at the start. But the fact it isn't two-tone may negate that.

Dial is a match to Bag 72--also a 327 with same style #--so I think it is original/interchangeable.

1930's | 8 comments

Gruen "Wristlet" Watch Box

Fri, 29 October 2021 20:39

Description: ok, trying to catalog more of my boxes for the box ppl.
I would describe this as light olive green leather over wood.
I'd appreciate any feedback and expertise on putting a date to this box

Period:1912- 1922?
Watch type: Wristlet.
Size: the usual, but tall.
Inventor:
Patents:

Box maker:

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8617&private=0 .

1910s and prior | 5 comments

1947 Gold "Beetle" Box

Fri, 22 October 2021 23:12

Description. Men's "unique gold" colored "Beetle" box with Gruen Precision shield. Bottom of box: "Time Hill-Cincinatti-USA Made In USA".
Booklet copyright 1947.

Period:1947-1948
Watch type: Veri-Thin?
Size:TBD
Inventor:
Patents: Rathbun Triplex Spring Hinge.

Box maker: Ad illustrates box development for Gruen beginning with E.C.B., Rathbun then molds it, from "Beetle" plastic licensed from A.C.C.
"Beetle" is ACC's tradename for essentially the same plastic as "Plaskon" which is tradename of Libby-Owens.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8593&private=0

1940s | 0 comments

1923 14k Green Gold Men's Strap Watch

Fri, 01 October 2021 21:08

Model name: Unknown
Type: Strap Watch
Period/date: 1923
Gender: Men's

Case Maker: Unknown Swiss
Case Material: 14k Green Gold
Case Serial: 7979*
Case Style no: N/A

Caliber: 997
Movement Maker: Unknown
Movement Serial: 94508

Bracelet: Leather Strap

Other Information: As far as I can tell from reviewing the caliber 98 thread, we still do not know who manufactured the 98/99/997 movements. This watch has a June of 1926 inscription, but Case helped me pin down a likely date of 1923. Which would also explain why it doesn't appear in the Master Book. It still has its original buckle, marked "Gruen 14k-G B&N Pat. Pending". The case is marked "14C" rather than "14K". I've seen this on other cases, but have yet to identify any rhyme or reason. I would assume it's just nomenclature unique to certain casemakers. I also don't have any leads on who the casemaker might be. Weber cases can usually (but not always) be spotted by their typical X00XXX six-digit numbers. There was another Swiss casemaker working for Gruen with five-digit serial numbers that is also unidentified.
*While at a glance, it looks somewhat like 7379, I'm fairly confident that the second digit is a misstruck 9.

Pictures:

The only known advertisement featuring this model:

This is a 1925 catalog from jeweler S. Kind & Sons of Philadelphia (thanks for Jenneke and Barney for that information). While the catalog references a 15-jewel movement and has a luminous dial, this watch is from the era in which Gruen models were often shown this way, with an illustration of the case style, but then a number of options listed.

And here is a photograph of its original owner, Erret Reed Cooper:

Mr. Cooper was an attorney in LaPorte, Indiana. His great great uncle was none other than James Fennimore Cooper. He was born in 1903, so would have been 23 at the time this watch was given to him. But he didn't receive his Bachelor of Laws degree until 1929. He also held an "honorary degree of Bachelor of Oratory was conferred on him by the British Royal Academy at Christ College, Oxford, England." The article I found doesn't mention when this was received, but maybe a candidate as the occasion for which this watch was gifted.

1920's | 2 comments

Semithin 754/756/758

Pocket watch movement; Fri, 24 September 2021 15:54

Type : Pocket watch
Period/date : 1920-1930
Gender : Men's

Caliber : 756 (17 jewels), others are 754 (15 jewels) and 758 (16 jewels)
Gruen Guild - Adjusted temperatures
Size: 17ligne
Movement Maker : Lavina
Movement Serial:

Dial release: side screws

Other: The detent and detent spring make it hard to pull out the crown to set the watch. Dial made by Flueckiger et Fils/ Zelim Jacot dial factory: https://www.diju.ch/f/notices/detail/6494

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8565&private=0

Edit: corrected 758 jewels

The caliber database | 6 comments

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