Cartouche 368

Ladies Art Deco Gruen; Tue, 19 September 2017 01:18

Model name : Cartouche 368
Type : Cartouche
Period/date : 1920's ~ 1930's
Gender : Ladies

Case Maker : Wadsworth
Case Material :14k GF reinforced with extra gold
Case Serial :3355786
Case Style no :OS-63

Caliber :153
Movement Maker :Marc Farve
Movement Serial:1306207

Bracelet :Not known

Other info :

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Is it possible to identify this watch?
Thanks
Brian

1920's | 2 comments

Curvex Ristside Falcon aka Batwing

Mon, 18 September 2017 08:43

Model name : Ristside Falcon
Type : Curvex
Period/date : 1949
Gender : Male

Case Maker : APEX Watch Case Company Co.
Case Material : 10k Gold Filled
Case Serial : C27761
Case Style no : 440-641

Caliber : 440
Movement Maker : Gruen
Movement Serial: C2430

Bracelet : Original Gruen. The original strap however may have been a special strap allowing you to wear it on the side of your wrist with the buckle centrally positioned under your wrist (need confirmation).

Other info : The same case fitted with a metal stretch band was named the Fraternity. In addition to the black dial a silver dial existed as well.
The same time Gruen launched a solid gold version with a different case design named Royalty.

The launch ad from November 1949 is promoting the Ristside models as "the first major advance in watch making design since the introduction of the wristwatch". Interestingly Gruen is not capitalising on their own history by making reference to the earlier 1938-1939 models like the Lord, Envoy and Admiral which apparently were not very successful. The early models could only be worn on the side of the wrist while these new Ristside models with their flexible lugs could be worn either way. I guess Gruen did learn from their mistakes in the past...

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1940's | 1 comment

Curvex Royal

1935 Curvex; Thu, 07 September 2017 01:44

Model name : Royal
Type : manual
Period/date 1935
Gender : Ladies/Gents

Case Maker : Gruen
Case Material : 14k gf
Case Serial : 2379900
Case Style no : 202

Caliber : 311 , 17j
Movement Maker : Gruen Precision
Movement Serial: 352300

Bracelet : Leather

Other info : First year for the Curvex. Odd the 00 endings of the case and movement serial. 352300 almost sounds like this was a 1935 movement batch 2300. The inscription is hard to read and I cannot make out what it says. The number is a mystery too.

Rant info: I should kick myself for getting this posted months after I acquired it. I need to get back to my Gruen watches!

Enjoy!

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1930's | 2 comments

Gruen Celebration

Sat, 02 September 2017 18:51

Model name :Gruen Celebration
Type :Gruen 21
Period/date :1953
Gender :Gents

Case Maker :Gruen
Case Material :Unknown
Case Serial :Unknown
Case Style no :

Caliber :335
Movement Maker :Gruen
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Other info :

I have my fathers wind up Gruen which is in a Curvex style with plastic crystal. Under Gruen where Curvex would be is a logo instead. Do you know when logos were added to the face? The back says Gruen Base Metal with logo & no numbers. I am assuming this is a watch from the 60s. He died 20 years ago at 80.

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edit (jw) - added images per member request

1950's and Up | 3 comments

1927 Tank 13

18K WG, Engraved and Enameled.; Fri, 25 August 2017 19:50

Model name : Tank 13
Type : Wristwatch
Period/date : Circa 1925
Gender : Men's

Case Maker : Gruen Cincinnati
Case Material : 18k White Gold, Black Vitreous Enamel
Case Serial : 1127104
Case Style no : N/A

Caliber : 115
Movement Maker : In-house
Movement Serial: 623407

Hand engraved case "rails" sides and back, hard-fired enamel inlay between the lugs, similar to a couple of Cincinnati-cased Quadron models with the same case details. The listing for Tank 13 in the Master Book shows a different case, also 18k engraved, but a different pattern with no enamel, and this case doesn't show up at all, which initially had me thinking it might be uncatalogued. But then I looked in the 1927 Stock Record Book, and sure enough, there it is listed as Tank 13. I've noticed this with a few models.

1920's | 9 comments

1st Generation Verithin

AKA LV1, LV2 and LDG(2); Tue, 15 August 2017 17:49

I am hoping that someone can help me verify this watch! I appreciate any and all help!

Model name : Verithin
Type : Pocket Watch (AKA LV1, LV2 and LDG(2))
Period/date :1902
Gender :Gents

Case Maker : Nat'l Wac Co
Case Material : 14k Yellow Gold
Case Serial : 160213
Case Style no : Open face

Caliber :
Movement Maker : Verithin
Movement Serial: 340644

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mod edit (JW) - added images to body of message

1910's and prior | 5 comments

Autowind Import 272

Mon, 24 July 2017 19:35

Model name : Autowind Import 272
Type : Bumper automatic
Period/date : 1950
Gender : Male

Case Maker : na Swiss made
Case Material : Stainless steel with gold bezel
Case Serial : 14901B
Case Style no : na

Caliber : 460SS
Movement Maker : Gruen
Movement Serial: IG24322

Bracelet : It will get a leather strap Laughing

Other info : One of the few Gruens featuring a dial with roman numbers. It has the same movement and dial as the Autowind Sportsman (Import 296) as well as a two tone case. The only difference between the two cases as far as I can judge is that the Sportsman has a gold "cable" bezel instead of the plain one on the Import 272.
I have not been able to find a name for the Import 272, so any info is welcome.

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1950's and Up | 3 comments

Lavina Gruen wristwatch cal 713

Wed, 05 July 2017 15:23

I have seen a few examples of Gruen pocket watches branded Lavina, but this is the first time I see a wristwatch.

I recall Gruen owning the Lavina brand name and judging from the low grade movements (7 jewels) that both the pocket watches as well as this wristwatch have, Gruen must have positioned the Lavina brand below the Watch Specialties Co. DG&S branded pocket and wristwatches which were sold in the same period. These were advertised as Watch Specialties Co's line made under D.G.S guarantee mark "A good watch at a low price"
But contrary to Watch Specialties Co. I have never seen any mentioning of Lavina in the Gruen documentation that I know.

Anybody has more info on Lavina?

Lavina Gruen pocket watch example
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Watch Tables | 4 comments

Autowind Farragut

Mon, 03 July 2017 18:43

Model name :Farragut
Type :Autowind
Period/date :1950"s
Gender :Gents

Case Maker :Gruen
Case Material :
Case Serial :
Case Style no :

Caliber :480
Movement Maker :
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Other info :

I finally finished a project that took me more than 2 years to complete. There were many parts missing and somehow it seemed too much work to get motivated. It ended up at the bottom of the list. Laughing

The Autowind FARRAGUT aka "Strap 854", featuring cal. 480, was one of Gruen's few true water resistant rectangular watch cases and was introduced in 1955. (Mike Barnett-Gruen Watch Model Identification Guide Vol.2). The only other water resistant case that I'm aware of is the Veri-Thin "Import 274" (cal. 430). I recall that both watches are shown in an older post discussing the special crystals that both of these watches require.

The dial was done by International Dial. When I have time I will make some more pictures of the inside.

Before
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This afternoon
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1950's and Up | 4 comments

Strap 96

A uniquely styled case and dial! Needs dating! ; Mon, 26 June 2017 16:33

Model name :Strap 96
Type :Strap
Period/date :1927
Gender :

Case Maker :Wadsworth
Case Material :14K GF
Case Serial :5290246
Case Style no :

Caliber :885
Movement Maker :Jean Aegler
Movement Serial:165639

Bracelet :

Other info :

index.php?t=getfile&id=3376&private=0 index.php?t=getfile&id=3377&private=0 index.php?t=getfile&id=3375&private=0 index.php?t=getfile&id=3374&private=0 index.php?t=getfile&id=3373&private=0 I recently added this watch to my collection! My research has come to a dead end, not only for the case style but for the dial itself! The unusual octagon shaped bezel with the beautiful engraving adds to the mystic of this Wadsworth case! The font on the dial is also unique, the numbers are positioned pointing towards the hand shaft, the European style 7 is found only on a very few Gruen dials, I believe it first appears in the early 1920's! This watch is running and it is in fantastic condition! It measures 32mm lug to lug x 25.5mm excluding the crown x 8mm thin! I know watches where small back then, but is this size still considered a mans watch? Any help with this model would be appreciated! Respectfully Michael!