Vintage Gruen: 1940's » Veri-Thin Airman (Strap 417)

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Veri-Thin Airman (Strap 417) [message #7339]

Mon, 10 October 2016 01:23

dzimmerman
Messages: 2
Registered: October 2016

Gruen Apprentice

Model name :Airman
Type :Veri-Thin
Period/date :1940's
Gender :Gents

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

Caliber :460SS
Movement Maker :
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Other info :

index.php?t=getfile&id=3033&private=0

Just inherited from my father who got from his father. Any date and other detail appreciated

Attachment: image.jpeg
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[Updated on: Sun, 04 February 2018 18:07] by Moderator

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Re: ID please [message #7342 is a reply to message #7339]

Mon, 10 October 2016 18:34

Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany

Gruen Authority

Welcome,

this looks like a Strap 417 in yellow Gold Filled, the back should be made of Gruens Guildite stainless steel. It should run on a caliber 406SS movement with 15 jewels and sweep second hand. Introduced 1940 it was also available in pink gold filled in 1941, it's sales name was VERI-THIN AIRMAN. It did cost $33.75 in 1940, in 1941 and 1942 the price was $37.50. The watch with its central second hand was mainly intended for doctors and other professionals. I have not seen them being sold after 1944.

I really like the styling of the dial. Looks awesome!

Barney

Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)

[Updated on: Mon, 10 October 2016 19:25]

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Re: ID please [message #7343 is a reply to message #7342]

Mon, 10 October 2016 20:36

dzimmerman
Messages: 2
Registered: October 2016

Gruen Apprentice

Thanks! That's great information. I plan to keep it, but any idea what it's worth?

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Re: ID please [message #7344 is a reply to message #7343]

Mon, 10 October 2016 21:13

Barney Green
Messages: 1755
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany

Gruen Authority

Watches are worth whatever people want to pay for it. If it is in running order I would expect that you get about $50 to $100 for it.

Gruen, Gruen, Gruen ist alles was ich habe... Gruen, Gruen, Gruen is all I have...(German folklore song)

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Re: ID please [message #7350 is a reply to message #7344]

Fri, 14 October 2016 23:37

Gruen.watch
Messages: 7
Registered: February 2015
Location: Germany

Gruen Apprentice

Just to add to Barney's information: The watch has the style number 0460 and belongs to the family of "Veri-Thin" wristwatches, which were produced from 1938 until 1957. The 406SS movement has 15 jewels and is therefore not considered'precision' grade. There are also watches around which look identical and have the same style number but use the 405SS movement with 17 jewels. Mostly those watches show additionally the word 'precision' on the dial.
Last but not least I know also watches with style number 0460, which have the same case but do not have a sweep second hand. They use the 405 movement with a subdial and 17 jewels.
You can find pictures of all different types here: http://gruen.watch/?product_cat=veri-thin

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Re: ID please [message #7355 is a reply to message #7350]

Sat, 15 October 2016 03:06

JackW
Messages: 2006
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

Gruen.watch wrote on Fri, 14 October 2016 23:37

Just to add to Barney's information: The watch has the style number 0460 and belongs to the family of "Veri-Thin" wristwatches, which were produced from 1938 until 1957. The 406SS movement has 15 jewels and is therefore not considered'precision' grade. There are also watches around which look identical and have the same style number but use the 405SS movement with 17 jewels. Mostly those watches show additionally the word 'precision' on the dial.
Last but not least I know also watches with style number 0460, which have the same case but do not have a sweep second hand. They use the 405 movement with a subdial and 17 jewels.
You can find pictures of all different types here: http://gruen.watch/?product_cat=veri-thin

The VT Airman, which is pictured above doesn't use the same but nearly identical looking case as the VT Nomad or VT Viceroy. All three as far as I can tell were contemporaneous. The VT Airman case is designed to accommodate the indirect seconds function where as the Nomad or Viceroy won't fit together correctly. The Airman and the Nomad/Viceroy use different size crystals too. The difference between the Normad and the Viceroy is slight variation in the case design... one has slightly more tapered side and in fact having had both cases in hand, I'm not sure which is which... I think the Viceroy may have come only in karat gold. The Nomad seems to have come in both Goldfilled and karat gold. The Airman seems to have only come in a goldfilled model (although absence of evidence isn't logical) but these also came in sterling base and the non-war production nickel base.

I've a 14k Nomad on my bench now and in the last month sold a sterling-goldfilled Airman... well traded to another forum member.

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

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Re: ID please [message #7368 is a reply to message #7344]

Mon, 24 October 2016 23:52

Timeticker
Messages: 568
Registered: June 2013
Location: Somewhere in the world

Gruen Master

Barney Green wrote on Mon, 10 October 2016 21:13

Watches are worth whatever people want to pay for it. If it is in running order I would expect that you get about $50 to $100 for it.

On the price.........depending on what part of the country you're from, and depending on total originality, then you may get around $175.00 I live on the east coast, and I know people that will pay that kind of money, and have paid that kind of money. Barney is correct in assessing that people will pay what they are willing to pay. Can't really bank on a market sale, as watch collection is a "nitch" market. I suggest getting the watch cleaned and polished. That way you know it's been done, and are not doing damage to the watch due to years of sitting dormant and dirt collection. I have one like that, but in the tonneau shape. Nice watch, but then again, I am extremely biased when it comes to Gruen!!!!!

People you thought were your best friends will stab you in the back to your face!

Love them anyway.
A "Paradoxical Commandment"

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