Vintage Gruen
The forum for Gruen watch enthusiasts.

Show: Today's Messages :: Unanswered Messages :: Polls :: Message Navigator

Autowind Veri-Thin ~1947-ish

Cal 460 with blued Slim-bo hands; Wed, 05 March 2014 02:52

Model name : unknown - Import 264 (p. 194 in Shawkey's guide)
Type : Autowind Veri-Thin
Period/date : 1947-ish
Gender :Mens

Case Maker : Swiss (potential Gabus Freres)
Case Material : Stainless steel
Case Serial :146898
Case Style no : n/a

Caliber : 460
Movement Maker : Gruen
Movement Serial: None

Bracelet : Later addition flexible bracelet from Spiedel

Other info : I posted on this watch shortly after I bought it. Linked here. I've now over-hauled the watch, tore it down completely, then lubricating (that is for you Mike B.) the movement as it was reassembled. Having taken apart several cal 420 and others of the 405 series, the 460 is so similar once you strip off the automatic parts and get into the watch that to me, the 460 and the 405 are designed by the same person*. No hard evidence to support that claim. I'll get a photo on the next one I rebuild and maybe you'll see what I see. And now photos...

Before:
index.php?t=getfile&id=833&private=0
After:
index.php?t=getfile&id=1281&private=0
Before:
index.php?t=getfile&id=832&private=0
After:
index.php?t=getfile&id=1280&private=0

*Henri Thiebaud's name is on the patent for the 405. I believe he is credited with designing most watches in the Katz period. Though if you think about the differences in the 405 and the 460, verses the Curvex designs of the period (330, 440, etc) and the 460 that the designers, the latter by Frey, are shown in their work. Cary discusses here in a thread Barry started: Here

1940's | 4 comments

Electra

Wed, 26 February 2014 05:00

Model name: Electra
Type: Electromechanical
Period/date: 1961
Gender: Men's
Case Maker: Unknown
Case Material: Gold base metal bezel, stainless steel back.
Case Serial: N/A
Case Style no: N/A
Caliber: 760SS, 12 jewels
Movement Maker: Landeron 4750
Movement Serial:N/A
Bracelet: 17mm

Other info: 35mm in diameter, and nearly 14.5mm thick at the thickest. The Landeron 4750 was the first electric movement from Switzerland and it uses a fixed coil. The watch was repaired by Paul at http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/index.php and at his site you can find a great deal of information about electric watches in general, and this movement in particular.

index.php?t=getfile&id=1255&private=0, index.php?t=getfile&id=1256&private=0

1950's and Up | 13 comments

Alpina 130 years

Tue, 25 February 2014 17:17

This is interesting reading published by Alpina on the history of the brand. Not a lot of information in there that was not already known, but some additional information that is interesting like the fact that Marc Farvre bought the ébauches from Universal Genève. The same time there is questionable information saying that calibers like the 117,119,123,311 were were sourced from "Gruen, and thus Aegler..."

I have not been able to find the document on the Alpina site, but there is a cached PDF file still on the web.

Search for 130 YeArs of WAtchmAking historY

Watches from the Guild | 6 comments

Imperial Tank 14K

Tue, 18 February 2014 02:55

Model name: Imperial Tank
Type: Tank
Period/date: late 1920s
Gender: Men's

Case Maker: Gruen
Case Material: 14 karat white gold
Case Serial:
Case Style no: 885 8

Caliber: 885
Movement Maker: Fontainemelon
Movement Serial:

Bracelet: 18mm strap

A plain bezel Imperial Tank, likely the most common of these rarely seen models. Also available in coin gold, and in gold-filled, and in an engraved bezel design.

index.php?t=getfile&id=1196&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1197&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1198&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1199&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1200&private=0

1920's | 0 comments

Gruen Carré

Mon, 17 February 2014 04:54

A few pictures of my recently acquired Gruen Carré. No competition on eBay, so bought for a fair opening bid. Seller didn't know how to open it, so was unaware that it was enamel over solid silver. A little dusting and cleaning is all I've done.

index.php?t=getfile&id=1183&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1184&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1185&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1186&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1187&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1188&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1189&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1190&private=0

I'll work it into the proper format eventually. I date this one to 1931 or so, mainly due to the adjustment data being milled out on the 885 movement.

1930's | 4 comments

Pan-American in steel

Sun, 16 February 2014 16:00

Model name : Unknown
Type : Pan American
Period/date : 1947-1948 (J.Wood & M.Barnett Cal. dating)
Gender : Male

Case Maker : Unknown Swiss
Case Material : Guildite (steel)
Case Serial : 97834
Case Style no :

Caliber : 420SS
Movement Maker : Gruen
Movement Serial: B188933

Bracelet : Leather, period original

Other info :

index.php?t=getfile&id=1179&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1181&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1180&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1182&private=0

1940's | 5 comments

The caliber 839

Extra precision; Sun, 09 February 2014 21:36

The Gruen 839 movement is probably an inhouse movement from around 1921. It has 18 jewels and is a Gruen Precision Extra grade. It is 6 ligne.

Seller's photos. Will change them when movement arrives.
index.php?t=getfile&id=1154&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1155&private=0

The caliber database | 22 comments

14 Karat White Gold Quadron

A story we wll never know; Wed, 05 February 2014 14:38

This watch should have a story with it! This is one story that will never be told! The watch has historical significance. Why? the watch was give to someone's son December 25th 1929 as per the personal engraving inside the case back, History tells us that this watch was purchased 2 months after the great depression started. Think about that for a minute. A person still could afford to buy a solid 14 karat white gold Quadron two months after the largest financial collapse in US history! Who had the means to do that? Who had the financial confidence to buy this watch not knowing what was ahead financially. Wow?

Model name : Gruen
Type : Quadron
Period/date : 1929
Gender :Male

Case Maker : Gruen
Case Material :Solid 14 karat white gold
Case Serial : 1228163
Case Style no : ?

Caliber :117
Movement Maker :Gruen
Movement Serial: 638287

Bracelet : Lizard with 14 karat white gold buckle

Other info : Inscription From Mother and Father December 25 29


http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g444/slinfiniti/Mobile%20Uploads/0C5C146F-8DB1-4247-8177-555B9C735996_zpshju8f7ow.jpg


http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g444/slinfiniti/Mobile%20Uploads/2A6E439C-74F8-470E-9E57-74F3595FE4AB_zpspnuxs0bd.jpg

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g444/slinfiniti/Mobile%20Uploads/567B9472-9147-4D14-9BEF-3F572F5BDACA_zpsmjyyep4h.jpg

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g444/slinfiniti/Mobile%20Uploads/AA771687-730D-4F50-A54B-4CFED986BE45_zpsuxpf8smm.jpg

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g444/slinfiniti/Mobile%20Uploads/52E8D81D-5649-46D6-8691-F24D51711E96_zpsnpyasapx.jpg

The caliber 117 was sent to Tomas Garcia. It did not need a full O/H, but Tomas worked his magic and was able to clean and adjust what he thought was needed and it now purrs. I have sent several Quadrons to Tomas and he has managed to breath new life into 80 to 90 year old timepieces with great results. If the watch is stubborn, he is more stubborn. A rare trait in the repair trade, I should know as a run a multi million dollar jewelry store and have been in the watch and jewelry industry for 28 years.


1920's | 3 comments

Strap 610, annapolis

Wed, 29 January 2014 20:37

Model name : annapolis, strap 610
Type : wrist watch
Period/date : 1949
Gender : mens

Case Maker : star watch case co
Case Material :
Case Serial : 0388385
Case Style no : 632

Caliber : 420ss
Movement Maker :
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Other info :

I finished one more of my projects, which started life as a NOS dial and 420SS movement that I bought of eBay two years ago. At that time the dial was id'ed by a fellow Gruenite on the old forum and he posted a picture (I forgot who, but if it is one of you guys apologies for using your picture Embarrassed ). This picture is what drove my 2 year quest for the right case...

index.php?t=getfile&id=1101&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1102&private=0

...and this is the final result. A perfect match with the watch above, but next to "Strap 610" in Shawkey's identification book there is one little difference, the 610 doesn't have Italic digits. So were there two different dial versions of the Strap 610?

index.php?t=getfile&id=1107&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1105&private=0

The only model I found with the same dial is this one, which I have not been able to identify. I may have gone for the wrong case at the end Confused

index.php?t=getfile&id=1106&private=0

edit - removed image because of present copyright.

1940's | 3 comments

Ladies Wrist Watch - Cartouche 213

Identify & Discuss; Sun, 26 January 2014 07:15

Model name : Cartouche 213
Type : Wrist Watch
Period/date : 1920's
Gender : Ladies

Case Maker : Wadsworth
Case Material : 14K gold filled reinforced with extra gold
Case Serial : 5285665
Case Style no :

Caliber : 835
Movement Maker : Gruen Guild
Movement Serial: 1668143

Bracelet : Hadley

index.php?t=getfile&id=1085&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1086&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1087&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1088&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1089&private=0
index.php?t=getfile&id=1090&private=0

1920's | 6 comments

Pages (44): [ «    26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  40  41    »]
Current Time: Sat Feb 15 20:57:52 UTC 2025

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.03529 seconds