Vintage Gruen: 1940's

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Strap 393 [message #8409]

Mon, 09 October 2017 21:26

testguy
Messages: 9
Registered: September 2017
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Gruen Apprentice

Model name :Strap 393
Type :
Period/date : 1940's
Gender :Gents

Case Maker :Star Watch Case Company
Case Material :10K GF
Case Serial :
Case Style no :

Caliber :401C
Movement Maker :Gruen
Movement Serial:

Bracelet :

Other info :

index.php?t=getfile&id=3486&private=0

I picked up this Gruen today. Can anybody ID the watch and approx. date of manufacture. I'd also be interested in the movement info.
Thanks, Brian

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[Updated on: Sun, 04 February 2018 16:03] by Moderator

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #8412 is a reply to message #8409]

Tue, 10 October 2017 07:49

Barney Green
Messages: 1725
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany

Gruen Authority

Hi Brian,

nice watch! I can only provide you with the catalog ID, I have never seen this watch been advertised. So all I can tell you is "Strap 393", date of manufacture approximately 1940 (plus minus one year) and that the movement is a Swiss Gruen made caliber 401C.

Barney

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

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #8413 is a reply to message #8412]

Tue, 10 October 2017 10:57

testguy
Messages: 9
Registered: September 2017
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Gruen Apprentice

Thanks Barney

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16829 is a reply to message #8412]

Thu, 30 June 2022 23:21

Benjamin_Rush
Messages: 94
Registered: June 2022
Location: USA

Gruen Apprentice

Barney Green wrote on Tue, 10 October 2017 03:49

"Strap 393", date of manufacture approximately 1940 (plus minus one year) and that the movement is a Swiss Gruen made caliber 401C.

Barney

Barney, do you know, are these style of hands luminous? If so, would that mean radium?

[Updated on: Thu, 30 June 2022 23:22]

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16830 is a reply to message #16829]

Fri, 01 July 2022 02:39

JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

sleepyastronaut wrote on Thu, 30 June 2022 17:21

If so, would that mean radium?

The hands originally would have had radium containing luminescent material.

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: Gruen Mens ID [message #16831 is a reply to message #16830]

Fri, 01 July 2022 05:26

Benjamin_Rush
Messages: 94
Registered: June 2022
Location: USA

Gruen Apprentice

JackW wrote on Thu, 30 June 2022 22:39

sleepyastronaut wrote on Thu, 30 June 2022 17:21
If so, would that mean radium?
The hands originally would have had radium containing luminescent material.

Thanks, Jack. Was radium used in the paint for the indexes? My tuxedo dial has something akin to a champleve design, though I don't know it to be enamel, so that may not be an appropriate term.

[Updated on: Fri, 01 July 2022 06:08]

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16834 is a reply to message #16831]

Fri, 01 July 2022 08:54

Barney Green
Messages: 1725
Registered: February 2014
Location: Wolfsburg, Germany

Gruen Authority

I disagree with Jack, in my opinion most likely the hands were not Radium filled. Here a closeup of another watch with these hands, looks like the slotted hands were not filled at all:

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9511&private=0

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9511&private=0

Barney

Attachment: Non luminous.JPG
(Size: 52.97KB, Downloaded 470 times)

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

[Updated on: Fri, 01 July 2022 10:12]

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16841 is a reply to message #16834]

Fri, 01 July 2022 16:26

JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

There is one easy way to find out. Shine a UV light on it. Florescence without retaining glow is a good sign of Radium. If no florescence than likely no lumed material.

[Updated on: Fri, 01 July 2022 16:53]

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16847 is a reply to message #16841]

Fri, 01 July 2022 17:28

Benjamin_Rush
Messages: 94
Registered: June 2022
Location: USA

Gruen Apprentice

JackW wrote on Fri, 01 July 2022 12:26

There is one easy way to find out. Shine a UV light on it. Florescence without retaining glow is a good sign of Radium. If no florescence than likely no lumed material.

I know this test to work for tritium-based lume, but have read it isn't applicable to radium. It does work to detect my cotton undershirts. Wink

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16849 is a reply to message #16847]

Fri, 01 July 2022 20:39

JackW
Messages: 1869
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

sleepyastronaut wrote on Fri, 01 July 2022 11:28

I know this test to work for tritium-based lume, but have read it isn't applicable to radium. It does work to detect my cotton undershirts.

On your cotton t-shirt, it is detecting the optical brightener that was used in the detergent. UV works on my WWI watches. Zinc Sulfide, which is the phosphor in the radium luminescent material is itself UV reactive.

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