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Unknown early ladies' caliber

Mon, 18 July 2022 02:44

Model name: --
Type: pocket watch
Period/date: c. 1910s
Gender: women

Caliber: unknown
Size: 10''' (22.5mm)
Jewel count: 16 or (more likely) 17
Movement Maker: unknown, possibly LeCoultre
Movement Serial: 7001
Movement markings: Gruen Adjusted Swiss

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9612&private=0

Condition: not running, lower balance pivot is mushroomed

1910's and prior | 6 comments

Unknown Sterling silver Mantouche ca1920

Cal 861 Large Cartouche aka Rectangular Wrist Watch; Wed, 06 July 2022 03:44

Model name: Unknown
Type: Large Cartouche / Rectangular Wrist Watch
Period/date: 1919-1922, likely 1920
Gender: Female?

Case Maker: Unmarked
Case Material: 0.935 sterling silver
Case Serial: 2931
Case Style no: n/a

Caliber: 861
Movement Maker: Factory L / ebauche or finished movement by Charles Hahn (Landeron)
Movement Serial: none on dial side; last 2 digits on parts are 89

Bracelet: aftermarket extensible link bracelet, with 1929 patent

Dial Maker: Albert (Albrecht) Beyeler-Favre, Geneve
Dial material: sterling

Other info: case is hinged at top and was assayed in Geneva. Last 2 digits of case number stamped on inside bezel corner, along with many hand inscriptions. Refinished dial. A clean, bright white dial was the first indication of trouble—and the print that is a later Gruen layout only makes it more difficult to ID. It should be fantasy script, I’m thinking

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9537&private=0

1920's | 7 comments

Gruen Strap 475 400C/526 Marcus

Thu, 30 June 2022 18:37

Model name: Marcus
Type: Strap 475
Period/date: c.1944
Gender: M

Case Maker: Wadsworth
Case Material: Sterling Rose/Coral 10K.GOLD FILLED
Case Serial: G475716
Case Style no: 526

Caliber: 400C
Movement Maker: Gruen
Movement Serial: 2-593143

Bracelet: Kreisler Sterling Rose/Coral 10K GF "Basketweave"

Other info: Crystal W-C 4MA247[175], Bezel 27.6 x 20.7 x 5.1mm, Lug-to-lug 39mm, Lug Width 14mm.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9487&private=0

1940's | 1 comment

Strap 110

Wed, 29 June 2022 18:20

Model name: strap 110
Type: strap
Period/date: 1928-1930?
Gender: male

Case Maker: wadsworth
Case Material: nickel
Case Serial: 8281395
Case Style no: 2

Caliber: 885
Movement Maker: fhf
Movement Serial: 181586

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9451&private=0

1930's | 25 comments

High oblique service box 2

Wed, 29 June 2022 17:55

Description
Fake leather paper and wood box. discoloured double golden rim. loose insert watch holder. Gruen service crest inside.

Period : 1925-1930
Watch type : unknown (cartouche or baguette with ribbon or bracelet?)
Size : 11.1cm wide, 4 cm high, 6.3 cm deep. Insert 7.5x2.1
Inventor : unknown
Patents : No date or patent mentioned on the box.

Box maker : unknown

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9445&private=0

1920s | 2 comments

Wooden crystal cabinet

Tue, 07 June 2022 20:47

Description: Brown wooden cabinet with two drawers with gold coloured knobs. Black/gold metal label with red/gold gruen service crest and text: “Standard forme shape crystals for gruen watches”. Brownred metal dividers.

Period: 1933 (highest style number is 139)
Content: odd shaped red label gruen crystals
Watch type: for pocket and wrist watches. Parts numbers 1 to 52 (first drawer) and 53 to 100 (second drawer).
Size: width=31.3 cm, depth=18.2cm, height= 8.5cm
Patents: unknown
Box maker: unknown

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9400&private=0

1930s | 9 comments

The Veri-Thin 'Adams'

Tue, 31 May 2022 22:52

Model name: 'Adams' with expansion band -or- Nimrod with leather strap
Type: Wristwatch Veri-Thin
Period/date: 1940-1944; the movement serial number is date estimated to early 1944.
Gender: mens'

Case Maker: Star Watch Case Company
Case Material: goldfill on silver and rhodum plated sterling case back*
Case Serial: 090790
Case Style no: 406-459

Caliber: 406
Movement Maker: Gruen
Movement Serial: A328801

Bracelet: In both ads it is shown with an expansion type band for the VT Adams. The leather band on the watch as purchased, is 1940s era but is marked 'Waltham'. An obvious replacement. The ads for the VT Nimrod show a leather strap.

Other info: Identified in Shawkey's book as strap 418. page 131. Strap 418 is shown with a presumably an expansion band.

I found this in a pawn shop in Chicago this past weekend (May 29, 2022). Was an inexpensive buy. The tarnish to the case made me suspect that it was a war era watch with the silver alloy basemetal for the goldfill. Otherwise it is not the typical type or style that I collect.

[Picture Front]
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9382&private=0

[Picture caseback inside]

[Picture movement]

[Picture ad]
Advertisment from December 1942 clipped from the Chicago Tribune

Although not named, it is the same model shown in this May 1944 advert from the LA Times.

Barnett's 1940s Decade book shows a very different 'Adams' in 1948. Could also be confused with the contemporaneous 'Stuart' but that has ridges that run onto the case sides.

*some debate below on my metal assessment of the back. There are certainly examples of this watch where the case back is marked as sterling. Other examples that are clearly stainless steel Guildite.

also... edits to reflect Barney's below addition of the VT Nimrod ID.

1940's | 18 comments

Gruen Logan

1941; Sun, 08 May 2022 13:41

Model name: logan
Type:
Period/date: 1941
Gender: Male

Case Maker:
Case Material:
Case Serial: 4317859
Case Style no: 481

Caliber: 411C
Movement Maker:
Movement Serial: 358856

Bracelet: Leather

Other info: Missing crown and stem

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9303&private=0

Admin: updated info

1940's | 4 comments

The Caliber UltraThin

Early variant, SN 41-42,5xx; Mon, 25 April 2022 23:46

Take two!

About 1,000 early UltraThins were made, between SN 41,000 and 42,500. They are impressively thin, and impeccably finished throughout. Some (perhaps half) are graded Extra Precision, like this one. It is unknown whether the later UltraThins in SN 148-150k and 185k are the same in all respects. There are also UltraThins at SN 13,7xx - another mystery how they compare.

Here's the dial. Showy, but understated.
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9276&private=0

The first issue makes its appearance - the movement runs +5 seconds a day across three positions in this regulator position. Bad restaffing, tsk, tsk. The "stud" by the balance cock is also too long, because it is actually just a screw that's been driven partway through the plate.
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9274&private=0

Ouch. Yes, that's epoxy, holding the balance jewel setting in place... who would do such a thing?! Both caps are messed up, and may not even be the right ones, or right screws... they sure don't seem to fit very well.

Of interest, the dial is marked with the movement serial number, and also has light cursive engraving that says "Gruen Su-" (cut off into the center hole) and then some stuff I can't make out (Gp 421???). You can kind of see it in the photo.
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9275&private=0

Don't get too carried away with this one - the delta across 5 positions is >250 seconds, and the beat error is so bad that it won't self-start, even at full wind. The dangers of shoddy watch repair... so much for Extra Precision!

The caliber database | 4 comments

The Caliber 250 Dietrich Gruen

Variant without wind indicator; Mon, 25 April 2022 01:18

About 1,000 early UltraThins were made, between SN 41,000 and 42,500. They are impressively thin, and impeccably finished throughout. Some (though not this one) are graded Extra Precision. It is unknown whether the later UltraThins in SN 148-150k and 185k are the same in all respects.

Of interest, the dial is marked with the movement serial number, and also has a manufacturer's mark. It is a sterile dial on the front.

EDIT -- this is not an UltraThin, it is a caliber 250 without wind indicator.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=9265&private=0