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Home » The Gruen Model Database » 1950's and Up » Day Night hands (correct hands for Day Night model)
Day Night hands [message #788] Wed, 26 June 2013 14:01 Go to next message
Habitant is currently offline  Habitant
Messages: 19
Registered: June 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Gruen Apprentice
Model name : Day Night
Type : Aviator
Period/date : 1950-60
Gender : Male

Case Maker : Gruen
Case Material : Steel


Caliber : 510
Movement Maker: Gruen

Hi folks

Just bought this Day Night, but suspect that someone has changed the hands for some reason. I've only ever seen them with luminous filled Dauphine style hands. Can anyone tell me if they also issued them with the baton style herein?

Thanks in advance,

Michael

index.php?t=getfile&id=402&private=0
Re: Day Night hands [message #803 is a reply to message #788] Thu, 27 June 2013 15:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Thojil is currently offline  Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France
Gruen Master
Never seen one with Baton style hands. I also think your dial has been refinished (good quality though) as the minute track should not be there. Here is a LINK to one which is in original condition.
Re: Day Night hands [message #809 is a reply to message #803] Thu, 27 June 2013 18:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
C. Hurt is currently offline  C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013
Gruen Guildsman
The Day-Nite (as well as the Airway) was resurrected late in Gruen's history, so I would guess it is possible that someone has taken a complete Day-Nite movement, dial and hands from a late 1960s/early 1970s case (which are often seen badly worn. They were that funky, big, not so popular style) and installed it into an earlier case.

Here is one of my originals...
http://www.knology.net/~churt4/ebay/DN/DN1.jpg
Re: Day Night hands [message #812 is a reply to message #809] Thu, 27 June 2013 21:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Thojil is currently offline  Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France
Gruen Master
Didn't know that. It explains the good quality dial, which already didn't look like a redial to me.
Re: Day Night hands [message #813 is a reply to message #812] Thu, 27 June 2013 21:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
How does that jumping mechanism from day to night work?


You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje
Re: Day Night hands [message #822 is a reply to message #813] Fri, 28 June 2013 00:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
C. Hurt is currently offline  C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013
Gruen Guildsman
Jenneke wrote on Thu, 27 June 2013 16:16
How does that jumping mechanism from day to night work?


This watch was made using both the 522CA and 510CA movements. It's a pretty simple adaptation of the standard calendar mechanism, modified so that the calendar is tripped at 12 hour intervals instead of 24. The standard date ring is replaced with one showing 12 alternating bands of black and 12 of luminous green. When the mechanism trips at the 12th hour, the ring advances one notch. On a standard calendar, this gives you the next day in the single cutout window. In this modification, with 12 cutouts in the dial, the disc advances showing one color through all the cutouts. 12 hours later, it advances again, so the other color shows through.

If that isn't clear, I'll try to get pictures of a parts movement.

[Updated on: Fri, 28 June 2013 00:55]

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Re: Day Night hands [message #833 is a reply to message #822] Fri, 28 June 2013 15:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Habitant is currently offline  Habitant
Messages: 19
Registered: June 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Gruen Apprentice
Thanks, all. As to the Day Night dial I sent in, it seems to me that there was a later version with a calibrated chapter ring, such as the one I sent in. The link C Hurt sent is to a model that I believe to predate mine; but I await further information from those who know more about the sequence of events. Most of the Day Nights I've found are like C Hurt's, but there are a fair few around like mine (teardrop window cut-outs versus rectangular, etc), which suggests, but doesn't in any way prove, that there existed two variant models, just as there are around 4 variations on the AIrflight dial.

BTW, a quite nice looking Airflight has just popped up on the Bay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281128084262?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619 - the later configuration with the revolving bezel ring, etc. But no purple to be seen...

[Updated on: Sat, 29 June 2013 08:27]

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Re: Day Night hands [message #835 is a reply to message #833] Fri, 28 June 2013 21:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
Quote:
When the mechanism trips at the 12th hour, the ring advances one notch.


Simple solutions can be very hard to come up with. Stupid enough I was thinking it would jump forward and back. Embarrassed

If I understand it correctly, it is in fact a huge circular hand moving underneath the dial.


You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje
Re: Day Night hands [message #836 is a reply to message #835] Fri, 28 June 2013 21:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
C. Hurt is currently offline  C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013
Gruen Guildsman
Jenneke wrote on Fri, 28 June 2013 16:54
Quote:
When the mechanism trips at the 12th hour, the ring advances one notch.


Simple solutions can be very hard to come up with. Stupid enough I was thinking it would jump forward and back. Embarrassed

If I understand it correctly, it is in fact a huge circular hand moving underneath the dial.


That's one way to describe it.

The mechanism in the Airway (aka Airflight) does require it to flip back and forth, and is a much more complex affair, requiring a seperate module on the pillar plate. Maybe that will be my next ID thread...
Re: Day Night hands [message #883 is a reply to message #788] Mon, 01 July 2013 18:04 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Habitant is currently offline  Habitant
Messages: 19
Registered: June 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Gruen Apprentice
Hi folks

Watch arrived - in pretty good shape,I must say. Here are the pics I promised you. DIal is original, I'm pretty sure of that now, by the way.

index.php?t=getfile&id=425&private=0index.php?t=getfile&id=424&private=0index.php?t=getfile&id=423&private=0
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  • Attachment: _MDH5186.jpg
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[Updated on: Tue, 02 July 2013 08:29]

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Re: Day Night hands [message #906 is a reply to message #883] Tue, 02 July 2013 12:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Thojil is currently offline  Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France
Gruen Master
Habitant wrote on Mon, 01 July 2013 20:04
Hi folks Watch arrived - in pretty good shape,I must say. Here are the pics I promised you. DIal is original, I'm pretty sure of that now, by the way.


Pretty good shape? Looks almost new to me.
Re: Day Night hands [message #909 is a reply to message #906] Tue, 02 July 2013 13:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
C. Hurt is currently offline  C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013
Gruen Guildsman
Seeing better photos, I believe this one to be all correct. I think it's a later watch that was cased in a conservative stainless case at the factory. Any markings inside the caseback?.

[Updated on: Tue, 02 July 2013 13:41]

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Re: Day Night hands [message #910 is a reply to message #909] Tue, 02 July 2013 17:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Habitant is currently offline  Habitant
Messages: 19
Registered: June 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Gruen Apprentice
Hi Cary

(Aside from Gruen Watch Co...) It has the caliber number - 510 RSS CA, as well as 'Made in France,' which surprised me a bit. France, not Switzerland, huh? But the dial is pretty darn clean, case is good, and I've popped decent strap on it and so it's looking good now.

Michael
Re: Day Night hands [message #913 is a reply to message #910] Tue, 02 July 2013 18:42 Go to previous message
C. Hurt is currently offline  C. Hurt
Messages: 243
Registered: May 2013
Gruen Guildsman
Made in France is typical for these mid to late 1960s models. It refers just to the case, not the entire watch. I think that seals it that this is a correct all original example. Good score.
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