Sunday, February 26, 2012

EXTREMELY RARE 10K GOLD FILLED GRUEN LARGE MILITARY ARTDECO GENTS WRISTWATCH


BRAND/JENAMA: EXTREMELY RARE 10K GOLD FILLED GRUEN LARGE MILITARY ARTDECO GENTS WRISTWATCH
MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS
CIRCA/TAHUN: 1950 based on style no 707 stamped on the caseback
MODEL: ARTDECO
CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC
MOVEMENT/ENJIN: SWISS AGLEAR GRUEN GUILD 15 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT CAL. 707
DIAL COLOR: SILVER - NICE PATINA
FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTE AND SUB SECOND DIAL AT 6:00
HANDS/JARUM: BLUE METAL
MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: BLACK ARABIC MILITARY
CASING : 10K GOLD FILLED - 33mm with crown and 38mm lug to lug
LUGS: 16mm UNIQUE DESIGN HARD TO FIND
CROWN: big 10K GOLD FILLED
DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: GRUEN
STRAP/TALI: NEW GENUINE BROWN LEATHER BAND
SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"
WORKING CONDITION, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL & HARD TO FIND
PRICE/HARGA: SOLD (SOLD TO RUMI FROM SARAWAK, BORNEO)

Gruen Watch Company
On June 12, 1874 Dietrich Gruen applied for a patent on an improved safety pinion, which was granted on December 22. He was 27 years old.

In 1876 he formed the Columbus Watch Manufacturing Company in the basement of a downtown Columbus, Ohio bank building.

In his Columbus workshop, Dietrich modified, finished and cased raw movements that were imported from Switzerland. These new watches included his patented safety pinion. Dietrich introduced 16-size watches as an alternative to the heavy and thick 18-size and larger watches that were prevalent at the time. He also introduced the first stemwind watches sold in the U.S. market.

As the company grew, they moved to two floors in a commerical building a few blocks away.

In 1882, in collaboration with a number of new partners, the company was reorganized as the Columbus Watch Company and moved to a newly-constructed factory building located on Thurman Street, in the 'German Village' section of Columbus. Dietrich was President of the new corporation.

By 1888 production was about 45 watches per day; the company would grow to 300 employees and output to 150 watches per day. Although the company continued to issue stemwind watches, they also manufactured keywind movements for some of their less-expensive models.

After a series of disagreements with the other partners, Dietrich Gruen and his son Fred left the Columbus Watch Company in 1894, shortly before the business went bankrupt. Dietrich had lost his share of the company to the investors, and was faced with the prospect of staying on as a salaried employee at the company that he had founded. He chose to leave rather than bear this indignity. After the departure of the Gruens the firm was reorganized, refinanced and renamed "The New Columbus Watch Company."

The New Columbus Watch Company survived until 1903. The contents of the factory, including all the tooling and stocks of movements, were eventually purchased by the Studebaker family, moved to Indiana (along with many key employees) and used to start the South Bend Watch Company. Some early South Bend watches were sold with signed Columbus movements in them.

In 1894, Fred Gruen and Dietrich Gruen decided to try to start a new watch company. Using money borrowed from friends and relatives, Dietrich and Fred formed the partnership "D. Gruen and Son.".

These first Gruen watches are of very high quality and are beautifully made. Both 18 and 16 size versions were manufactured, each in both open face and hunter styles, and in 18- and 21-jewel versions. The earliest D. Gruen & Son serial numbers started around 62000. The Gruens dealt directly with individual jewelry stores; there were no wholesalers or jobbers involved in the distribution of their watches.

In 1898 George Gruen joined the firm as treasurer and financial officer. The company incorporated and its name changed to D. Gruen, Sons & Company.

In 1903 Gruen introduces its "VeriThin" line of watches.

In 1908 Gruen introduced both men's and women's wristwatches. These proved popular only with women. Gruen was one of a very few companies to take wristwatches seriously this early, seeing their potential in spite of disappointing early sales to male customers.

Gruen made both wrist and pocket watches for the military during World War I. Most had silver cases, which would tarnish but would not corrode under adverse conditions. To satisfy U.S. military regulations, these watches all have luminous dial markings and hands.

1911 Dietrich Gruen dies suddenly. Fred Gruen takes control of the company.

In 1913 the company purchased Nanny Goat Hill, a pasture just outside of Cincinnati, and renamed it Time Hill. Work began on a new building designed by architect Guy C. Burroughs at a construction cost estimated at $50,000 USD. The company moved to the new location in 1917.

1921: Gruen introduces The Cartouche wrist watch calling it "The logical wrist watch shape".

1922: Gruen introduces "The Pentagon" pocket watch. "the Croix de Guerre of American achievement"

Up until 1922 there had actually been three Gruen companies: D. Gruen, Sons & Company; The Gruen National Watch Case Company of Cincinnati; and The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Company of Biel, Switzerland. In 1922 all three businesses were merged to form the Gruen Watch Company, with Fred as President.

In 1924, Gruen released a special pocket watch in an edition of 600 to commemorate their 50th anniversary. The watch cost $500 at the time.

In 1925, Gruen introduced the men's Quadron. These were rectangular watches containing very high-quality 15-j or 17-j tonneau-shaped movements.

In 1928 Gruen releases The Techni-Quadron. The famous Techni-Quadron "doctor's watches" are so-called because the large seconds dial was handy for timing a patient's pulse.

In 1935 Fred Gruen, now 63 years old, became Chairman of the Board and Benjamin S. Katz was brought in as President of the Gruen Watch Company. In 1935, Gruen was about $1.8 million USD (roughly $36 million USD today) in debt; nervous stockholders and investors were behind the change. Fred would retire in 1940, but continued to sit on the board for the rest of his life.

In 1935 Gruen introduces the most famous Gruen wristwatch- "The Curvex". These watches are one of the greatest examples of 1930s streamlined design.

1937: Gruen introduces "The Ristside" or "driver's" watches.

In 1938, continuing the success of their VeriThin pocket watches, Gruen also launched a series of Veri-Thin wristwatches. Contemporary Curvex and Veri-Thin movements often are closely related, and can share many parts. By the 1940s, most Gruen wristwatches were either Veri-Thin or Curvex models.

Although Gruen did not manufacture watches for the U.S. military, they offered the public a collection of eight military-style watches, to be used as personal watches.

In 1949, the company introduced their first watches made entirely in the U.S., a line of 21-jewel men's models called the "Gruen 21". The movements are marked "Cincinnati" or "US" instead of the usual "Switzerland."

Fred Gruen retired in 1940 and died in 1945, and his brother George died in 1952. In 1953 the Gruen family sold their interest in the company. The same year, Gruen president Benjamin Katz was forced into retirement after a scandal, and in 1954 the company bought out his shares for $2 million USD.

In 1953, the Gruen Watch Company had its highest sales in its entire history.Gruen, Rolex and Aegler

One of the most deeply-held myths about Gruen is that Gruen and Rolex at one time manufactured movements for each other's watches. Both firms did use some of the same movements—the best known examples are the Gruen Techi-Quadron and its twin, the Rolex Prince. In reality, these movements were manufactured by a third company, Aegler, who was a very close neighbor to the Gruen Precision Factory. They were Aegler's biggest customers, and were both large shareholders as well—the full company name at one time was, Aegler, Societe Anonyme, Fabrique des Montres Rolex & Gruen Guild A. Gruen and Rolex both occasionally showed pictures of the huge Aegler factory in their advertising, making the implication that this was a Gruen- or Rolex-owned facility, although ownership at the time was divided among Gruen, Rolex and Aegler itself. Gruen sold their Aegler shares in the 1930s, after they moved all production to the Precision Factory. After this time, Aegler became increasingly tied to Rolex through the sale of stock. Today, the main Rolex building in Biel is the old Aegler factory, and though it is now owned by Rolex, it is still run by the Aegler family.

This article taken from Complete Price Guide to Watches, American Wriswatches, Rolex Wristwatches: Best of Time and Gruen Master Book

PREVIEW - HIGH GRADE TIFFANIY BY C.H. MEYLAND BRASSUS


beautiful higfh grade wolf teeth movement similar used in Patek Philippe

Friday, February 24, 2012

REAL VINTAGE HALLWATCH ARTDECO GENTS WRISTWATCH


BRAND/JENAMA: VINTAGE HALLWATCH ARTDECO GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN/BUATAN: UNKNOWN - BY KOFFMAN WATCH COMPANY

CIRCA/TAHUN: COULD BE EARLY 1920's

MODEL: ARTDECO

CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC - BIT YELLOWISH

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: HIGH GRADE 15 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT

DIAL COLOR: SILVER TONE VERY NICE PATINA - REAL VINTAGE

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR AND MINUTE AND SUB SECOND AT 6:00

HANDS/JARUM: BLUE METAL

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: BOLD GREEN ARABIC

CASING : LOOK LIKE 14K WHITE GOLD FILLED BUT NOT HALLMARKED

LUGS: 16mm UNIQUE DESIGN HARD TO FIND

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 30mm DIAMETER EXCLUDING CROWN and 36mm LUG TO LUG

DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: NONE

CROWN: WHITE GOLD FILLED

STRAP/TALI: NEW GREEN LEATHER BAND

SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"

WORKING CONDITION, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL & HARD TO FIND

PRICE/HARGA: RM800 (NEGOTIABLE)


RARE COLLECTORS' ITEM - JAEGER LE COULTRE FUTUREMATIC POWER RESERVED GENTS WRISTWATCH (SOLD)


BRAND/JENAMA: AUTHENTIC VINTAGE JAEGER LECOULTRE FUTUREMATIC GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1950's

MODEL: POWER RESERVED - FUTUREMATIC

CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: JAEGER LECOULTRE 17 JEWELS AUTOMATIC BUMPER MOVEMENT- CAL.497

DIAL COLOR: GOLD TONE WITH POWER RESERVED DIAL AT 9:00

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: POWER RESERVED, HOUR, MINUTE AND SUB-SECOND DIAL AT 3:00

HANDS/JARUM: GOLD TONE METAL HANDS

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: RAISED GOLD TONE ARROW HEAD MARKERS

CASING : 10K GOLD FILLED

LUGS: 18mm

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 35mm WIDE and 44mm LUG TO LUG

BEZEL: 10K GOLD FILLED

DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: -

CROWN: NO SIDE CROWN - HAND ADJUSTED USING BACK BUTTON AT CASE BACK

STRAP/TALI: NEW BROWN LEATHER/TEXTILE BAND

SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5" FULL LENGHT

DISCONTINUED LECOULTRE MODEL... RAREST!

EXCELLENT CONDITION, KEEPING GOODTIME AND RECENTLY SERVICED

PRICE/HARGA: SOLD TO MY FRIENDLY NEIGHBOUR FROM KJ

SOLD FOR RM3500

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LE COULTRE WATCHES

A brilliant inventor and self-taught watchmaker, Antoine-LeCoultre founded his first workshop in 1833, following the invention of a machine to produce watchmaking pinions. Ever since, the Manufacture Jaeger-Lecoultre has developed constantly around the founder's original workshops.

Surprisingly enough, it was neither a physicist nor an engineer who first measured the micron; it was Antoine LeCoultre, in 1844. He had created watch components that were so perfect no tool could actually detect their degree of inaccuracy. He followed that up by inventing the world's most accurate instrument: the Millionometer, which served as a benchmark for over half a century.

In 1847, LeCoultre created a revolutionary system that was to do away with the need for keys to rewind and set watches. His simple and brilliant solution was a pushbutton that activated a lever to switch from one function to another. It was the first keyless winding mechanism, and the first reliable system that eliminated the need for keys to wind or set a watch.

In 1866, when Swiss watchmaking was still structured around small home-run workshops, Antoine LeCoultre and his son Elie decided to bring together under one rood the many skills involved in making watches, and installed a steam-driven machine to operate their new tools. LeCoultre & Cie thus became the first Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.

It was in 1903 when the Parisian Edmond Jaeger set Swiss watchmakers the challenge of producing ultra-thin calibres. It would lead to the Calibre 145, the world's thinnest mechanical movement, measuring no more than 1.38 mm, and the friendship of Antoine LeCoultre's grandson, Jacques-Devid LeCoultre. These two men would give a rise to a range of horological wonders, and eventually the birth of the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand in 1937.

In the year 1908, the Manufacture created its first rectangular-shaped calibre in response to the challenge created to miniaturize watches to wear on the wrist. By the "Roaring 20s" (1920s), very small ladies' wristwatches were all the rage, but extreme miniaturization always led to a loss of reliability and precision. The Duoplan brilliantly solved this problem by arranging its parts on split levels. It would lead to the world's smallest movement, Calibre 101. Outdoing the Calibre 145, Jaeger-Lecoultre miniaturized the Duoplan caliber to the extreme, weighing in at barely one gram and comprising of 74 parts. Its record is still unmatched to this date.

Since its founding, the Manufacture has created and produced over 1,000 different calibres in many varieties. Over 200 patented inventions have contributed to the progress of Swiss watchmaking in the field of movements, as well as that of cases, bracelets, dials, and watch functions.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE WALTHAM PORCELAIN TRANSITIONAL MILITARY WATCH (SOLD)


MADE IN/BUATAN: USA

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1900

MODEL: MILITARY~ ART DECO

CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: HIGH GRADE WALTHAM 15 JEWELS MANUAL MOUVEMENT

DIAL COLOR: CREAM PORCELAIN DIAL/PORSELIN MILITARI - IN MINT CONDITION

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTE AND SECOND SUBDIAL AT 6:00, LEVER FOR CHANGING TIME AT 6:00

HANDS/JARUM: BLUE METAL

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: ROMAN BLACK/ RED 60 COUNTER MILITARY MARKER

CASING : BASE METAL TOP/STAINLESS STEEL BACK

HINGING LUGS: 18mm

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 36mm DIAMETER INCLUDING CROWN and 37mm LUG TO LUG

DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: -

CROWN: SILVER

STRAP/TALI: NEW GENUINE BROWN LEATHER STRAP

SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"

EXCELLENT CONDITION, WORKING, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL & VERY RARE AND VERY HARD TO FIND

PRICE/HARGA: SOLD TO HAKIM ALMASIRI KAJANG


BRIEF HISTORY OF WALTHAM WATCHES

American Waltham Watch Company, founded in 1850, were one of the largest watch makers of the 19th Century. The company was founded on a relationship between three men, in Massachusetts USA.
Mr David Davis, a Mr Dension and a Mr Howard. It was based on a dream that they could produce watches that were of good quality, yet were not made from some of the more expensive materials usually found on watches of the era.

By 1851, the trio had there own production house, and the name 'American Horology Company' was adopted.

In 1852 the company had renamed themselves and watches were being produced with the signature 'The Warran Mfg. Co.' after a Revolutionary War Hero.
Watches 1 - 17, the first from the production line, were not placed on the market but were instead given to the company officials, and executives.
From then on the company went through a number of name changes, with watches #18 - 110 being engraved with "Warren Boston", the next 800 were marked "Samuel Curtis" (The Main Financial Backer of the Company) and a few were marked "Fellows and Schel" and were sold for $40.

In September 1853 the name was changed yet again to 'Boston Watch Company' an d a factory was erected in Waltham, Massachusetts in October 1854. The movements produced at this building are marked #1,001 to #5,000 and were marked with the engraving of "Dennison, Howard & Davis,", "C.T.Parker", and "P.S. Bartlett".
Times were hard and the Boston Watch Company failed in 1857, and was subsequently sold at Auction to Royal E Robbins.

In May 1857, the company was shuffled and became "Appleton, Tracey & Co.", and the watches produced in this time carried the serial numbers between, 5,001 and 14,000 ,model 1857. The C.T.Parker movement was re-introduced as Model 1857 and was sold for $12, 399 were made. In 1855 brass watches were being sold for $1. Also at this time 598 chronometers were made, and by January 1858 the P.S.Bartlet watch was made.

In January 1859, the Waltham Improvement Company and Appleton, Tracey & Co. merged to form The American watch Company.

Also an interesting fact is that, according to the biography by Carl Sandburg, Abraham Lincoln himself carried an American Waltham wrist watch, the 'William Ellory' Model, produced by Waltham, in 1863 and was an 18 size, 1859 ¾ plate model with steel balance.

The Waltham name is synonymous with quality and craftmanship, and remain to this day, very desirable timpieces and some of the Waltham finest watches were made in Le Locke, Switzerland.

This is a peculiar Waltham watch from the 60s, during the height of the “jewel war” Another interesting sight to note is the swiss movement, which was identical to those used in many early Blancpain Bathyscaphe watches. It was know that after the closure of Waltham manufacturing facilities in US in the early 60s, it imported and marketed Swiss watches in US, including the some of the famous divewatches made by Blancpain and LIPS.

Company Name History:

Approximate Date

Company Name

1850, September

Howard, Davis and Dennison, Roxbury Mass

1851 (for 6 months.)

American Horology Co., Roxbury Mass.

1851-1853

The Warren Mfg. Co., Roxbury Mass.

1853 (Sept) - 1857 (May)

Boston Watch Co., Roxbury Mass & Waltham Mass.

1857

Tracy Baker & Co., Waltham Mass.

1857-1859

Appleton Tracy and Co., Waltham Mass.

1859-1885

American Watch Co., Waltham Mass.

1885-1923

American Waltham Watch Co., Waltham Mass.

1923-1957

Waltham Watch Co., Waltham Mass.