Vintage Gruen: 1930's » The Quadron 3

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The Quadron 3 [message #1126]

Mon, 22 July 2013 20:54

Thojil
Messages: 650
Registered: May 2013
Location: Concorès, France

Gruen Master

Model name : Quadron 3
Type : Quadron
Period/date : approx. 1930
Gender : Male

Case Maker : Gruen
Case Material : 14k yellow gold
Case Serial : 1136582
Case Style no : 117/67

Caliber : 119
Movement Maker : Gruen
Movement Serial: 657748

Bracelet : Leather

Other info : This example has the beautifully engraved gilded "Precision EXTRA" version of Cal. 119. Although in execution the movement resembles the famous 50th Anniversary VeriThin pocket watch caliber there is no evidence that these engraved Quadrons were also produced to celebrate that occasion.
Case and dial equal the Quadron 3 & 4 however these are respectively Green and White Gold. One possibility is that it is actually the Quadron 5. Quadron 5 is missing from the Quadron listing in Shawkey's "A Collector's Guide", but could be the Yellow Gold version.

Another interesting detail on the movement is that the caliber number is milled out where you normally find it on the pillar plate (between barrel bridge and center bridge). Could this mean a Cal.117 or 123 was used as a base to create this special 119?

index.php?t=getfile&id=509&private=0

Edited the title and info as I positively ID'ed as a Quadron 3 and not 18.

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[Updated on: Mon, 09 March 2015 22:31]

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Re: The Quadron 18? [message #1130 is a reply to message #1126]

Tue, 23 July 2013 02:05

JackW
Messages: 1939
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

Freakin' beautiful! WOW!

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: The Quadron 18? [message #1131 is a reply to message #1130]

Tue, 23 July 2013 04:05

afire
Messages: 1331
Registered: May 2013
Location: Wisconsin

Gruen Authority

A few thoughts...
1) It is a Quadron 18. I know the book specifies cal. 157, but it's wrong. The dial in the photo is marked "Precision" and I've never seen a 157 with a Precision dial and I don't believe such a thing exists. And I've had a couple 157's in this style of cut-corner case and they aren't marked Precision and the cases aren't marked for 117 or 119 movements. I think the book is wrong and the watch is right. This watch is correct with a 117 or 119.
2) Don't worry about the milled out marking. That spot is where the pillar plate would originally have been marked 117. I have no clue what the difference is between a 117 and 119, but I've seen enough of them to realize that when Gruen made the switch, they milled out the 117 mark and just added the 119 mark in different location.
3) You are correct that these movements have nothing to do with the 50th anniversary. Check the 1929 catalog (and maybe 1931 supplement?). They do mention these movements, usually regarding Import models. There are no references to any anniversary. They just mention movements "engraved in the old guild manner".
4) Those auction pics were terrible. With better pics the competition might have been stiffer. Congrats on a great watch at a reasonable price!

[Updated on: Tue, 23 July 2013 05:56]

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