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Ladies Gruen WG758 [message #6331] Mon, 07 December 2015 21:26 Go to next message
kestrel is currently offline  kestrel
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2015
Gruen Apprentice
Model name :
Type :
Period/date :1956
Gender :Ladies

Case Maker :Jonell Watch Case Company
Case Material :14K SG
Case Serial :
Case Style no :

Caliber :275
Movement Maker :Gruen (Norwood)
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Hello - My mother gave me this watch on my 16th birthday. She visited frequently with an old woman in her neighborhood while pregnant with me in the 1960s. The woman gave my mother the watch to give to me when I was old enough to appreciate it, which I always have. It truly is my most cherished possession. I have not been able to identify it and, unless I'm doing something wrong, it doesn't seem to have a serial number. Would you help me identify it? What I do know:

1. the face says "Gruen 23 Jewels"
2. the back says "14 K gold" and has an arrow with a "J"
3. it is white gold
4. it has six diamonds around the tiny square face
5. i am unable to find a serial number
6. it hand winds and keeps great time

Thanks,
Kestrel

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[Updated on: Sun, 04 February 2018 20:01] by Moderator

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Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6332 is a reply to message #6331] Tue, 08 December 2015 03:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver
Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
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The 14k hallmark is for solid karat gold. 14K = 58.5% gold with alloys.

The 'J' is for the Jonell Watch Case Company of New York. Made cases for Gruen in the 1950s. The 23-jeweled wrist watch movements (no picture?) had no serials. Most of the later movements seem to stop using the serials.

btw... likely those are real diamonds too. Cant tell from the photo; just that with fine gold case it is a guess.


All I know is based on hard work & writing by others. I can only aspire to augment this body of knowledge. If I am wrong it is because of my own failings. -me

"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." - Newton
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6333 is a reply to message #6332] Tue, 08 December 2015 04:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
kestrel is currently offline  kestrel
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2015
Gruen Apprentice
oh, thanks for the info! yes, the diamonds are real. i had a jeweler do some repairs on it 15 years ago who confirmed that. sadly, no pics of movement. i'm afraid to try to open it myself. thanks for taking time out to respond!
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6334 is a reply to message #6333] Tue, 08 December 2015 04:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver
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You have a beautiful watch and a wonderful memento. Sorry I can't tell you the name on the watch.

All I know is based on hard work & writing by others. I can only aspire to augment this body of knowledge. If I am wrong it is because of my own failings. -me

"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." - Newton
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6335 is a reply to message #6334] Tue, 08 December 2015 13:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barney Green
Messages: 1725
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany
Gruen Authority
Jack is totally correct with what wrote about the watch.

Your watch is one of the very few 23 jewel models Gruen had, based on the "pimped" 275 caliber which was produced in their Norwood plant in the US. As far as I know this movement has only been used in high end solid gold watches. I would date it to 1956 plus minus one year, it is in the Gruen Master Book aka "The Catalog" as number WG758.
These higher end watches were rarely advertised due to the few customers who were able to afford a $200 watch at that time. These were the dream watches in the jewelers shopping windows. So I can't give you a name for this very nice watch which you can be proud to be it's keeper.


Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6337 is a reply to message #6335] Tue, 08 December 2015 16:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
kestrel is currently offline  kestrel
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2015
Gruen Apprentice
Barney - thanks so much for your reply. How lovely to know a little bit about it and to have confirmation of how special I already knew it to be. The band, a black rope, has long-since disintegrated. Any clues on where I might find an authentic one to replace it? You guys are awesome. Thanks again for your help.
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6338 is a reply to message #6337] Tue, 08 December 2015 20:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
afire is currently offline  afire
Messages: 1312
Registered: May 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Gruen Authority
kestrel wrote on Tue, 08 December 2015 10:16
The band, a black rope, has long-since disintegrated. Any clues on where I might find an authentic one to replace it?

The forum prohibits linking directly to eBay auctions, but if you go to ebay, punch in item number 231772978960. It's a period appropriate cord band with white gold filled fittings.
Or, you can just replace the cord itself if the fittings are otherwise in decent shape. The watch supply company Cas-Ker sells it, though I think they only sell to jewelers and watchmakers, not end users. But maybe worth a try.
http://www.jewelerssupplies.com/product12226.html
Or on eBay, item number 321357105966, though I don't know what quality it is. It looks a little coarse to my eyes.
Or, have your watchmaker replace it. I think most watchmakers would be able to do that. And if it's been 15 years since it was last serviced, it might be due for another cleaning if you intend to use it.

[Updated on: Tue, 08 December 2015 20:56]

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Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6339 is a reply to message #6338] Tue, 08 December 2015 23:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
timeliz
Messages: 602
Registered: May 2013
Location: Northern California
Gruen Master
Hi Kestrel,

Your watch is beautiful! & Barney was spot on with is ID.

I agree with afire that the cords in the listings are too coarse and I think yours deserves something nicer. Check your private messages if you are able to. If not, just post back here and let me know if you are interested in some replacement cord.

Liz


"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones..." -John Denver
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6340 is a reply to message #6339] Wed, 09 December 2015 05:25 Go to previous messageGo to next message
kestrel is currently offline  kestrel
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2015
Gruen Apprentice
Thanks for your input y'all! Last question: anyone know how to safely clean the face? I'd love to get rid of the grimy little halos around the "numbers."
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6341 is a reply to message #6340] Wed, 09 December 2015 05:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Gary
Messages: 2108
Registered: May 2013
Location: Left Coast
Gruen Authority
Cheerleader

kestrel wrote on Wed, 09 December 2015 05:25
Thanks for your input y'all! Last question: anyone know how to safely clean the face? I'd love to get rid of the grimy little halos around the "numbers."

That a personal preference for some. For me your dial has a good aged look, many would call it the patina look. Your dial is very readable so my view is the halos give it that unique look.

Cleaning it could be done but the logos might degrade in the process. Another option is having the watch serviced by your watchmaker and in the process giving you the dial. You could send the dial to International Dial to have it restored. Not original but it be like new.
Re: Help Identifying Gruen Watch [message #6342 is a reply to message #6341] Wed, 09 December 2015 16:28 Go to previous message
kestrel is currently offline  kestrel
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2015
Gruen Apprentice
gotcha, gary. i'll leave it as is.
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