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Strap 393 [message #8409] Mon, 09 October 2017 21:26 Go to next message
testguy is currently offline  testguy
Messages: 9
Registered: September 2017
Location: Ottawa, Canada
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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=0index.php?t=getfile&id=3487&private=0index.php?t=getfile&id=3488&private=0I 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 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barney Green
Messages: 1747
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)
Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #8413 is a reply to message #8412] Tue, 10 October 2017 10:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
testguy is currently offline  testguy
Messages: 9
Registered: September 2017
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Gruen Apprentice
Thanks Barney
Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16829 is a reply to message #8412] Thu, 30 June 2022 23:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Benjamin_Rush is currently offline  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 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
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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
Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16831 is a reply to message #16830] Fri, 01 July 2022 05:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Benjamin_Rush is currently offline  Benjamin_Rush
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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 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barney Green
Messages: 1747
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

Barney


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 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
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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.

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

[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 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Benjamin_Rush is currently offline  Benjamin_Rush
Messages: 94
Registered: June 2022
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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
Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #16849 is a reply to message #16847] Fri, 01 July 2022 20:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
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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. Wink
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.



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: Gruen Mens ID [message #19092 is a reply to message #16849] Sat, 05 October 2024 03:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
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I recently acquired a VT Greyhound that has this style hands. I suggested to the OP that the hands have radium.
Whatever it is, it is not radium or any other luminescent material.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=11223&private=0

The hands definately have a channel or groove, that is all the way through the hand and material that is infilling.

front side:
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=11221&private=0

back side:
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=11222&private=0

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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

[Updated on: Sat, 05 October 2024 03:33]

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Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #19098 is a reply to message #19092] Mon, 14 October 2024 22:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
afire is currently offline  afire
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Maybe it's just black filling to complement the black and silver of the hours chapter (Am I using that word correctly?).
Re: Gruen Mens ID [message #19102 is a reply to message #19098] Tue, 15 October 2024 17:27 Go to previous message
JackW is currently offline  JackW
Messages: 1935
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afire wrote on Mon, 14 October 2024 16:02
Maybe it's just black filling to complement the black and silver of the hours chapter (Am I using that word correctly?).
Yes, I think you are correct. For contrast.

Someone posted another Gruen model with this style hand on one of the FaceBook groups in the last week or so. I asked for their assessment, but did not get a response.


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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