I couldn't help myself and picked up this early Gruen /Columbus PW movement on eBay about a week ago. The movement is serial #859 which the Big Book dates to 1874- 75, or within the first year after Dietrich Gruen started selling watches, before the company was incorporated. The movement is marked "Gruens Improved Patent Safety Pinion " and has a "CWCo" symbol for Columbus Watch Co. There is also a small mark near the edge of the plate that looks like an anchor with "77," significance unknown, although I wonder if it could refer to the year 1877. The nickel movement is really nice and shiny with some damaskeening and the dial is pristine. But as you can see-- it has no case!

I think that prior to 1882, Gruen imported all his watch parts from Switzerland and finished them in a little workshop in the cellar of his house. The big book on page 167 has a photo of a movement just like this one , which it describes as 15 jewels" and "19 lignes" or "about 16 size."

So, where and how do I find a case to put this movement in?? Am I doomed to spend the rest of my life searching for a case for my naked little baby?

Movement

Another pic

Dennis-

You will probably look for a long time for the correct case for this unless you luck out. My father has one, but he was second bidder on this movement . To say the least I doubt he would want to sell it as he's been waiting for a movement to throw in it for a while (10 years?). He has a couple, but they are in poor shape and probably won't ever run again.

There may be some other swiss cases that will fit it, but i'm unaware of what ones myself.

Jared

Nice watch dennis, i don't know enough about these to render an opinion as to ever finding an original fitted case but anything is possible. Is the movement to big or to large for a 16 size case. A case could be opened up and made larger, or a sleeve made to make it smaller. Wouldn't be original but your movement seems rare enough to be cased and shown off. Or, if cost isn't an option, a case could be custom made for the movement

Dennis,
That’s a neat looking movement. Although I don’t know a thing about how it should be cased just by looking at the movement, dial, and hands it seems very worthwhile to me. A good first step would be to start a post in the wanted section here. The members here have helped me with parts I thought I wasn’t going to find.
Good Luck,
RR

nice early movement bearing the name of,but not made by, one of America's great watchmakers

Ray, Richard, Tom-- thanks for your comments and ideas. I wish money were no object for having a case customized, but alas money is generally always an object for me.

Jared, if your Dad has any second thoughts about selling his 19 lignes case by all means let me know-- he has a ready buyer waiting in the wings!
I thought about offering a swap-- my movement for your Dad's case -- but that wouldn't do either of us much good, would it!?

Dennis

Well, I've learned again how helpful it is to search the archives here. It turns out that another IHC185 member posted photos and a question about this very same watch (Columbus Watch Co. serial number 859) back in October 2010. It was in a nice looking case then, though. See

https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...=877107443#877107443

What happened to that beautiful case?

Dennis-

From the picture, it looks to possibly be solid gold and was probably scrapped when gold took its jump. I kind of figured thats what happened to it in the first place, but to have the pictures of it from a few years back with it in the case only amplifies that it probably was.

Thanks,

Jared

Take some measurements of the movement and post it in the wanted section so when some of us go through cases we have we might just luck up and find one. Can't hurt and it is worth a try!!