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1920's Gruen Quadron 15 Jewel Restored. Beautiful Art Deco Watch

Name: 1920's Gruen Quadron 15 Jewel Restored. Beautiful Art Deco Watch
Brand: Gruen
Price: 883 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

In my watch restoration and personal collecting I have a soft spot for the Gruen Quadron series. Introduced in the mid 1920’s their engineering was revolutionary because their movements were rectangular flat and small. This allowed Gruen to introduce chronometer timing with their 15 and 17 and in later years 21 jeweled movements. Use thwe close up pictures to help you discern the collective quality. This is a real gem. Close 1to 100 years young. Perhaps the watch was worn by Benjamin Buttons. Hmm, what does that mean? What the movie. Did you know that prior to WWII, Gruen was better known in the USA than Rolex, which at that time was concentrating on the British and Commonwealth countries. Hans Wilsdorf ( Rolex founder)and Gruen were friends and neighbors in Switzerland (their manufacturing facilities were across the street from one another), and even agreed to market their watches as Rolex Gruen in Europe, but the Great Depression prevented this. When one thinks of “Art Deco” one cannot ignore Gruen and its Quadron line. This collection that Gruen introduced in the mid 1920’s have instantly become a cult classic. I for one have over a dozen Quadrons models. They were at the time of their introduction and engineering masterpiece. Read on: This is the epitome of Art Deco, the Roaring 20’s. Gruen was considered revolutionary when it designed this movement, it went on to spawn a Quadron line that had multiple calibers associated with in. A little Gruen History: In years from the 1920s through the 1940s, the Gruen Watch Company of USA & Switzerland was one of the leaders in wristwatch design and quality, even working together with Rolex. In 1925, Gruen introduced the men's Quadron. Similar in concept to the women's Cartouche models, these were rectangular watches containing very high-quality 15-Jewel or 17-Jewel tonneau-shaped movements. A larger movement is generally more reliable and accurate, and is generally more rugged, than a smaller one of the same quality, so the Gruen Cartouche and Quadron, with their case-filling, purpose-built movements performed much better than the small, round movements used by most of their competitors at the time. Round movements were still used in the less expensive rectangular Gruen wristwatches. According to their advertising, Gruen submitted a consecutive run of 200 ordinary Quadron movements for observatory chronometer tests in Switzerland. There was not a category for wristwatches in 1925, so they were tested to pocket watch standards. Each of the 200 were granted a certificate for timekeeping excellence, which Fred Gruen believed to be a record at the time. These were the earliest American wristwatches to qualify as serious timekeeping instruments on par with a pocket watch. The efforts of companies like Gruen during this era helped change the public's negative attitude towards men's wristwatches. The Quadron Movements: The Quadron collection consisted of the following calibers as the years went by. 117 17 jewel 119 17 jewel 123 17 jewel 157 15 jewel 325 17 jewel 3251 21 jewel 877 Techniquadron In years from the 1920s through the 1940s, the Gruen Watch Company of USA & Switzerland was one of the leaders in wristwatch design and quality, even working together with Rolex. When was the last time you saw pristine 14 karat white gold filled original art deco case with a Quadron caliber 157. I have taken some very close pictures to illustrate the ageless beauty of the slice of yesteryear. The dial and hands were restored back to its original look. The watch looks remarkable for being 90 years young. Notice I elected to use the “Aged Luminous” material to honor what the original luminous material would of aged like. Notice how the dial is the correct configuration for the case, Gruen sometimes did not do that. This is a real treasure to own The caliber 157 runs very well. I have had this watch for several years. The watch has had a full service within the last 3 months and it runs beautifully. The movement is very clean for its age. No pitting and minor rust that is so prevalent in Quadrons. This is what I have completed on this survivor NOS Crystal Original dial and hands were professionally refinished New 16MM black Alligator band Comprehensive mechanical service May 2024 Case was hand polished ( 14 karat white gold filled) Look at the case detail; notice the case corners are sharp and not rounded. Look closely, no brassing on the usual high points. This is hard to come by in a gold-filled case that is almost 90 years old. The case measures 22 MM wide (without crown), approximately 31 MM long (without lugs). The case back is clean, bright and wells preserved! Use the pictures are part of the description. I have tried to take close ups. I may not be a frequent seller and buyer, but I am honest and value my reputation as being forthright. Vintage watches are vintage watches; they can be like a vintage sports car. They can be temperamental at times. The watch keeps time very well

Creator:

Gruen

Case Material:

Gold-filled

Strap Material:

Leather

Case Shape:

Rectangle

Movement:

Case Dimensions:

Width: 0.87 in (22 mm)Diameter: 1.22 in (30.75 mm)

Style:

Art Deco

Place of Origin:

Switzerland

Period:

1930-1939

Date of Manufacture:

1930s

Condition:

Repaired: Comprehensive Mechanical Service Professional dial and hand restoration Hand polish white gold filled case. Polished. Replacements made: New Old Crystal New 16MM Nack Alligator Band. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.

Seller Location:

Raleigh, NC

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU3149222883192

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