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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

Brown leather Quadron service box

Thu, 16 September 2021 19:41

The hand of this box feels like real leather. Mine is missing the insert. I’ve seen another, with a late 20’s Quadron inside, and I’m thinking that’s what it’s for. Came with Wrist Watch guarantee paperwork inside.

Period: late 1920s
Watch type: Quadron ?
Size: 2” W x 2.875” D x 2.75” H
Inventor: Harold R. Haerr (University of Michigan grad, class of 1921 early)
Patents: Mar 10 1925 & color scheme Pat pending

Box maker: Star Case Company

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8522&private=0

1920s | 2 comments

Caliber 515SS

Thu, 16 September 2021 14:16

Here’s a later caliber, found in style number 1046 cases (1960s?). The case & movement are made in France. Imagine my surprise to see it stamped for Alpina!

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8521&private=0

The caliber database | 14 comments

Cartouche 260 - diamonds with enamel

Wed, 15 September 2021 18:17

Model name: cartouche 260
Type: cartouche
Period/date: 1927/1928
Gender: ladies

Case Maker: gruen
Case Material: 14k white gold
Case Serial: 1146665
Case Style no: 66

Caliber: 107 (precision 17 jewels)
Movement Maker: gruen
Movement Serial: 618155

Bracelet: tbd

Other info: 6 diamonds and inlaid black enamel

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8514&private=0

1920's | 15 comments

Gruen article on watch boxes. May 1931.

Wed, 15 September 2021 17:16

Article on Gruen boxes that gives insight into relationship w Star Case Co & ID's Star as maker of one type of Baguette box, a Carré box, and cedar lined Quad box.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8509&private=0

1930s | 4 comments

Red & cream Plaskon boxes - ribbon identifier

Wed, 15 September 2021 01:58

Here are the men’s and women’s boxes, I think early 1940s. Outer box style was used for several years with different interiors.

On this version, ribbon identifies if it is Precision or Veri-Thin. The men’s measures 3.75” x 5.75”, the women’s 2.875” x 4.75”, and there is a different holder for the watch. I have one with a broken base, and I found a mark imprinted in the glue residue: “Rathbun”, from somewhere in NY. Could that be the maker?

Period: 1940s
Watch type: Verithin & Precision
Size: men’s/women’s wristies
Inventor: ??
Patents: ??

Box maker: possibly Rathbun

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=8489&private=0

1940s | 5 comments

Import Tank

14k green gold; Wed, 08 September 2021 18:01

A new addition today. I'd like to give it a name, but I'm coming up with bupkes. I've checked the Master Book, 1927 Stock Record Book, and the 1920s advertisements thread to no avail.

All I can say is that it runs a cal. 98, has a June 8, 1926, inscription, and a 14k green gold Swiss case with a four-digit serial number of 7979. And the presumably original B&N buckle has no patent date, rather patent pending. It would presumably have been a Strap model, because I don't think the Import designation existed this early. But it might also predate the Strap designation. Tough to say exactly what was going on in the early 1920s (and the inscription gives the latest possible date, but I'm open to the possibility that it was actually made a few years earlier). Here are a couple of pics:

And if you think the case and buckle look like they're tinted blue and purple, they are. All I know is that the previous owner stored his watches in felt-lined leather binders, and all the green watches developed this patina. I'm bummed that it'll probably fade with use, but enjoying the look for now.

I'm not sure anybody's going to find anything on it, but if anybody has a cache of mid-1920s ads that haven't been posted, let me know if you find anything. If nothing turns up, I'll do an entry in the 1920s database. I'd prefer to have an ID first, but not holding my breath on this one.

1920's | 23 comments

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