Vintage Gruen: 1910's and prior » "In the beginning..." (1877 Hunter model Pocket Watch)

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"In the beginning..." (1877 Hunter model Pocket Watch) [message #631]

Wed, 12 June 2013 15:31

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

Gruen Master

...there was Columbus. Motivated by Art I thought it would be interesting for you WW folks to understand how it all started.

Model name : Pocket watch Laughing

Type : Hunter model
Period/date : 1877
Gender : Male

Case Maker : ? (No information found on "Nº1" trade mark)
Case Material : Coin silver
Case Serial : M296
Case Style no :

Caliber : ? 15j 19 Ligne (approx. 16 size)
Movement Maker : Aeby & Landry, Madretsch
Movement Serial: 7265

Bracelet :

Other info :
Dietrich Gruen started production in 1876 under the name Columbus Watch Co.. This example is from the second year of production.
Interesting detail is the reference to Gruen's patented safety center pinion, which was a Gruen USP at the time.
The dial word mark is made up of the letters "CWCo" and has some similarity with the later "DSG" word mark.
Hand painted words on dial center most likely owners name, but too damaged to be able to read.

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[Updated on: Fri, 05 July 2013 17:46] by Moderator

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Re: "In the beginning..." [message #678 is a reply to message #631]

Sun, 16 June 2013 04:20

JackW
Messages: 1870
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver

Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin

That ArtB is being a "bad" influence... Leading us WW peeps down a prim-rose path toward PWs with his great photography!

Also, thank you for sharing. This is a good one and hope to see a photo series on restoration.

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: "In the beginning..." [message #679 is a reply to message #678]

Sun, 16 June 2013 14:57

artbissell
Messages: 49
Registered: June 2013
Location: Boulder, CO.

Gruen Apprentice

I have serial 562 indicating first Aeby movement numbers were 0 or 500 start. Gruen started Columbus with very low volume sales 1976-77. 7xxx likely took more than 2 years of orders.?? Also have 19908 1883? Much refined quality in appearance anyway of the last Columbus Swiss movement of which there were about 20,000.
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[Updated on: Tue, 18 June 2013 09:27]

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Re: "In the beginning..." [message #844 is a reply to message #679]

Sat, 29 June 2013 00:47

paul-s
Messages: 5
Registered: June 2013
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Gruen Apprentice

Artbissell, I've never seen that version of the Columbus logo with the centered W and Cs. That's also about the earliest Columbus watch that I think I've seen.

The Columbus Watch Company in 1889. The building in back with the chimney houses the steam engine that powered all the factory machines via a network of shafts and drive belts. Working in the engine house as a boy was where Fred Gruen got his start in the watch business:
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