WITTNAUER LONGINES DIRECT READ DIGITAL JUMP HOUR MEN WRISTWATCH

BRAND : WITTNAUER LONGINES DIRECT READ DIGITAL JUMP HOUR

MODEL : JUMP HOUR 8510

MOVEMENT : A.SCHILDS Hi-Beat 28,800bps Cal. 2073, 17 Jewels Automatic Swiss Movement

ORIGIN : Longines/Wittnauer Swiss
SERIAL NO. : 11 004

CIRCA : 1970's

CASING : GOLD PLATED TOP & STAINLESS STEEL BACK

FUNCTION : JUMP HOUR, MINUTES, SECOND AND DATE AT 3:00
DIAL: BLACK
BEZEL: GOLD PLATED

MARKINGS: DIAL, MOVEMENT
BAND :  NEW GOLD PLATED FLEXI STRECHT BAND FIT 8" WRIST
LUGS SIZE: 20mm
BAND WIDTH: 120mm

LENS: HARDLEX ACCRYLIC CRYSTAL

MEASUREMENT : 36mm w/o CROWN X 39mm LUG TO LUG
WATER RESISTANT: NOT TESTED

CONDITION: EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION, KEEPING TIME, RECENTLY SERVICED DEC
PRICE:USD300 ( NEGOTIABLE))
SOLD RM950

HISTORY OF LONGINES-WITTANAUER WATCHES

As soon as Ernest Francillon opened a small manufacturing plant, which started to produce the following year, the story of Longines started in 1866. Francillon, who was the grandson of Auguste Agassiz (a pioneer of Swiss horology whose name appears on wrist and pocket watches of high-quality), learned his trade at his grandfather's watch assembly shop, the "comptoir". He would finally become director of the shop, but this thirty-two-year old man got acquainted with the limits of the comptoir and the areas in which he would be more likely to have a better production.

The first Longines watches arrived in America in 1868. A few years later, Longines was awarded a gold medal for precision and reliability at the Universal Exposition of Vienna. To prevent himself from imitation, Francillon decided to trademark the dials on his watches with a winged clepsydra and the word "Longines".A clepsydra is an ancient device which measured time by marking the regulated flow of water though a small opening. Looking carefully at the centre of the Longines trademark a small box that represents this device is seen.

The company eventually departed from this procedure fairly quickly because there are several Longines watches that do not have the logo. In 1889, Longines provided five chronometers to the Italian explorer Luigi Amedeo, who did his best to reach the North Pole. His failure is hardly noted in history books, but the mark Longines'illuswtrious history as the watch choice by explores and adventurers.

In 1904, Longines furnished chronometers to a U.S. naval exploration of the North Polar Region. Unfortunately, Robert E. Peary was the first to reach the North Pole in 1909. Longines, unfortunately, missed the chance to be part of that event. At the beginning of 1900s, Longines started to express an interest in gentlemen's wrist watches and joined other Swiss makers which showed the same interest as well.

The Longines Co. states that the first wrist watch was cased in 1905. The first wrist chronographs to appear in the sports market were seen in 1910s. Moreover, Longines produced military watches for World War, some of the, with pierced shrapnel covers, "demi-hunter" cased varieties, and others for being used at sea and in the air.

Around 1920 - 1930s the golden years for Longines started. The factory had a remarkable growth from 20 to 2.500 workers, who produced more than 122.000 pieces every year. Longines would be recognized as the constant and steady companion of many pioneering aviator in a decade that aeroplanes and airships were recognized as military and exploration tools of great importance. Aeroplanes started to experience several problems such as magnetism, moisture, low temperatures, issues which had to be overcome right away. And Longines was acquainted with theses issues after having experienced the Artic cold temperatures. It was during this era that Longines would produce its most famous two wrist watches -- the Weems and the Lindbergh models. (The Lindbergh is also referred to as the Hour Angle Watch.) In 1930, Admiral Richard E. Byrd would arrive to the South Pole for the first time. His trips would always find him with a Longines on his wrist.

The A. Wittnauer Co. would become the exclusive sales agent for Longines in1880. This relationship lasted for the next 114 years. In 1936, the Wittnauer family sold A. Wittnauer Co. and renamed the Longines-Wittnauer Co. the name became so pervasive that some people think that the watches are synonymous. But, of course, they are not. Their movements are distinct and not interchangeable with one another.

World War II and beyond

The company began to produce military issue watches during the Second World War. Most of these watches were for the European forces. In 1994, Longines and Wittnauer parted company, and Swiss giant SMH, which holds title to Hamilton, Omega and Tissot, got the name.

Chronographs

The company started to show its affinity with sporting events during the 30s and 40s, producing a lot of unusual types of chronographs. Many were manufacturer with Longines's own movement, unlike the rest of the companies which would rather buy chronograph from other companies. Therefore, the Longines chronographs, those which were produced from the 20s to the 50s are highly prized and have their own separate niche in the collecting world.

The best of Longines's chronograph movements was said to be the Caliber 13 ZN. It was first released in Longines' 2-register models, but was later adapted for use in its 3-register models. The following chronographs would show movements made by Valjoux and others. These are not recognized nearly as collectible as the chronographs with Longines' own movements

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE OMEGA FULL 14K GOLD FILLED GENTS WRISTWATCH (SOLD)

BRAND/JENAMA: AUTHENTIC VINTAGE OMEGA FULL 14K GOLD FILLED GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1954 (S/N 14850796)

MODEL: DRESS

CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: VERY RARE OMEGA 17 JEWELS AUTOMATIC BUTTERFLY MOVEMENT CAL.500

DIAL COLOR: BLACK

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTES, SECONDS

HANDS/JARUM: GOLD TONE ARROW HANDS

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: GOLD TONE ARROW HEAD AND ARABIC (3,6,9,12) MARKER

CASING : FULL 14K GOLD FILLED CASING WITH THICK LUGS

FAT LUGS: 18mm 

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 34mm DIAMETER without CROWN and 42mm LUG TO LUG

BACK CASE INSCRIPTION: 14K GOLDFILLED

CROWN: ORIGINAL GP OMEGA CROWN

STRAP/TALI: GENUINE BLACK LEATHER STRAP with OMEGA Buckle  FITS 8.5" WRIST

STRAP SIZE: 8.5"

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

PRICE: :SOLD (MARUNI MARI FROM MIRI, SARAWAK)

listing: USD700 sold USD700

History of Omega Watch Co

The History of a Successful Company Omega was founded by Louis Brandt at La Chaux – de – Fonds, Switzerland in 1848 as a assembly workshop. In 1879, after his death, his two sons Louis Paul and César started the in-house manufacturing so they started having total production control. One year later, Omega moved into a small factory that became a huge one when 12 months later they bought the entire building. In 1903, they both died leaving the company in 24 years old, Paul Emile Brandt’s hands. Because of the crisis that the Second World War left, he had to work really hard in order to face the economic difficulties. He merged Omega with Tissot calling the new company SSIH. The SSIH group continued to grow and multiply under his leadership and, by the seventies, it had become Switzerland’s number one producer of finished watches and number three in the world.

In 1985, the holding company was taken over by a group of private investors under Nicolas Hayek leadership. It was immediately renamed SMH (Société suisse de Microélectronique et d'Horlogerie). SMH had a rapid growth and success becoming today's top watch producer in the world. Named Swatch Group in 1998, it now includes Blancpain and Breguet.

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE GRUEN PRECISION DAYDATE AUTOWIND GENTS WRISTWATCH

BRAND: AUTHENTIC VINTAGE GRUEN PRECISION  DAYDATE AUTOWIND GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN: SWITZERLAND

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1970's based on personal inscription on the caseback

MODEL: DAYDATE PRECISION AUTOWIND

CRYSTAL: ACRYLIC

MOVEMENT: SWISS AGLEAR GRUEN 17 JEWELS AUTOMATIC WINDING MOVEMENT CAL. 550 SS CD

DIAL COLOR: BLUE with OPAL PATTERN

FUNCTION: HOUR, MINUTE, SWIPE CENTER SECOND, DAYDATE AT 3:00

HANDS: GOLD TONE HANDS LUMINESCENT 

MARKERS: RAISED GOLD TONE BATON MARKERS

CASING : G 16 KARAT GOLD PLATE BEZEL and STAINLESS STEEL BACK - 36mm without crown and 42mm lug to lug

LUGS:  19mm

CROWN:  GP UNSIGNED

BACK CASE INSCRIPTION: GRUEN, SWISS MADE, 16 KARAT GOLD ELECTROPLATE BEZEK, STAINLESS STEEL BACK, 'BOB 6-70'

STRAP: NEW GENUINE SS WIRE MESH BAND

STRAP SIZE: 8.5"

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

PRICE/HARGA:  USD250 (NEGOTIABLE)

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

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE FULL 14K GOLDFILLED MOVADO GENTS DRESS WRISTWATCH

BRAND: AUTHENTIC MOVADO BLACK DRESS GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN: SWISS

CIRCA: 1960's

MODEL: DRESS WATCH

CRYSTAL:  ACRLIC CRYSTAL

MOVEMENT: HIGH GRADE MOVADO 17 JEWELS AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT CAL.1798 stamped MXL

DIAL COLOR: BLACK SHINNING

FUNCTIONS: HOUR, MINUTE & SWIPE SECOND

HANDS: GOLDTONE ARROW HANDS

MARKERS: RAISED GOLD TONE ARROW HEAD MARKERS

CASING : 14K GOLD FILLED FULL CASE

LUGS: 18mm

MEASUREMENT: 34mm DIAMETER without CROWN and 43mm LUG TO LUG

BACK CASE INSCRIPTION:14K GOLDFILLED

CROWN: ORIGINAL UNSIGNED MOVADO CROWN

STRAP: NEW BLACK LEATHER STRAP

STRAP SIZE: 8.5"

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

PRICE/HARGA : USD650  (NEGOTIABLE)

list :USD650.00 sold USD650.00

THE BRIEF HISTORY OF MOVADO WATCHES

Movado, a company whose name means "always in motion" in Esperanto, began its life in 1881 in a small workshop in La Chaux-de-faunds, Switzerland. Founded by talented watchmaker Achille Ditisheim and his team of six employees, all watches were manufactured and assembled by hand.

By 1899, their hard work and determination had paid off. They were awarded six first-class Official Rating Certificates in their class, and in the following year, they were awarded the Silver Medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

By 1905, the company had settled on its now famous name, Movado, and began in earnest its now famous pursuit of excellence in design and function. They won the 1910 Grand Prix Exhibitions in Paris, Rome, Brussels and Rio de Janeiro for their introduction of 8 ligne wristwatch movements. The introduction of the Polyplan watch in 1912 took the watch community by storm, and these watches are highly sought after at auction today.

In 1947, American designer Nathan George Horwitt created the first Museum Watch. It featured an uncluttered dial, with a simple gold dot marker at the 12:00 position. He likened the design to that of a sun-dial, like recognizing the sun at its zenith at high noon.

The black Museum Watch was already well known, and the company expanded the line to include dozens of variants. There were at least 24 different watches being sold under the name Movado Museum Watch in 1986, and some of these were a far cry from the gaunt simplicity of Horwitt's original design. One watch even had numbers on the dial, and it was ringed with diamonds. The name "Museum Watch" had a certain cachet that the company's advertising exploited as well as it could. The Museum of Modern Art, which displayed the original Horwitt watch, even put up a disclaimer in 1984, noting that "the Movado watch is not a Museum of Art watch, nor is there any connection between the Museum of Modern Art and the Movado Watch Corporation." Sol Flick, a lawyer for North American Watch countered that the "museum" in "Museum Watch" might refer to any museum. "It could be the Museum of Natural History," he said in a November 1986 Consumer Reports article.

Movado later teamed up with designers and artists such as Andy Warhol to create one-of-a-kind limited edition watches, which reside in museums, galleries, and collections today.

Movado is returning to its roots today. It has re-introduced the KingMatic series, which was originally introduced in the 1950's, and featured the first automatic movement and sweeping second hand, both driven from a central rotor. Today, the KingMatic features an all stainless steel case, stainless steel or leather bracelet, sapphire crystal, automatic movement, and is water resistant to 50 meters.

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE GRUEN OVAL DAYDATE AUTOWIND GENTS WRISTWATCH

BRAND: AUTHENTIC VINTAGE GRUEN OVAL DAYDATE AUTOWIND GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN: SWITZERLAND

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1952 based on Style no 780 stamped on inner caseback

MODEL: DAYDATE OVAL

CRYSTAL: ACRYLIC

MOVEMENT: SWISS AGLEAR GRUEN 17 JEWELS AUTOMATIC WINDING MOVEMENT CAL. 760 CD

DIAL COLOR: BLUE with OPAL PATTERN

FUNCTION: HOUR, MINUTE, SWIPE CENTER SECOND, DAYDATE AT 6:00

HANDS: SILVER TONE HANDS LUMINESCENT 

MARKERS: RAISED SILVER TONE BATON MARKERS

CASING : SOLID STAINLESS STEEL - 37mm without crown and 39mm lug to lug

LUGS: 20mm

CROWN:  SS UNSIGNED

BACK CASE INSCRIPTION: GRUEN, SWISS MADE, STAINLESS STEEL CASE, AUTOMATIC

STRAP: NEW GENUINE SS WIRE MESH BAND

STRAP SIZE: 8.5"

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

PRICE/HARGA:  USD250 (NEGOTIABLE)

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