AUTHENTIC GRUEN PRECISION SKIN DIVER GENTS WRISTWATCH

 

BRAND: VINTAGE GRUEN PRECISION SKINDIVER GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN: SWISS

CIRCA: 1963 based on style no. N510SS

MODEL: PIEPAN

CRYSTAL: ACRYLIC

MOVEMENT: SWISS AEGLER GRUEN PRECISION 17 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT CAL.510

DIAL COLOR:  SILVER TONE

FUNCTIONS: HOUR, MINUTE AND CENTER SECOND

HANDS:  BLACK LUMED HANDS

MARKERS: LUMED ARROW HEAD MARKERS

CASING : ALL  STAINLESS STEEL BACK

LUGS: 17mm

MEASUREMENT: 36mm DIAMETER without CROWN and 42mm LUG TO LUG

BACK CASE INSCRIPTION: GRUEN PRECISION STAINLESS STEEL CASE

CROWN:  SS - UNSIGNED

STRAP: NOS TROPIC GENERIC RUBBER STRAP

STRAP SIZE: 8.5"

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

PRICE: USD550 (NEGOTIABLE)

BRIEF HISTORY OF GRUEN WATCHES

The 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.

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.

Gruen and Rolex 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