Just curious. I am posting two different Gruen "Doctors" watches. The cases look different. What is the difference and is one more valuable than the other and if so, what is the difference? Clarification appreciated, thanks.

Mark,

These are just two of many so-called "poor man's" doctor's watches marketed by Gruen in the late thirties and early forties. They usually use either the 405SS or 426SS Veri-Thin movements. They are good serviceable watches, but watch for case wear. The better wearing ones have either stainless or sterling silver case backs.

I see these all over the board as far as price goes, but I'm not all that crazy about them personally.

Regards,

Cary

Thanks for the reply. Just received the watch and noticed that there was no sweep second hand. Did the Tourneau or one on the right have a second hand? If so, any idea on where I can find one for this watch? Appreciated.
PS-It does have a steel back.

As noted on the green board, all of these watches had the sweep seconds hand. That's what makes them doctor's watches. The sweep and the obvious center dial was supposed to make it easier to keep time while taking a pulse.

You need to make sure that the fourth wheel pinion is intact. These movements are indirect sweep designs, so the fourth wheel is obvious, sort of resting on top of the movement, with a small subsidiary bridge holding the seconds pinion in place. Sometimes, the whole wheel is missing, sometimes the pinion is broken, and sometimes, the hand has just fallen off and been lost.

If the pinion is present and undamaged, then most standard socketed seconds hands will fit. You'll need a shorter than normal one to fit within the inner seconds dial.

Cary