I know nothing about a Benrus. Can you tell me about this one? Maybe a year or something. I got it with some other watches I won on ebay.
It runs real good, but could use a new crystal.

Can you also tell me what kind of a Watch Band I should use for this one? Since it looks kinda copper color ??????


Sorry the picture isn't better. One of my poorer ones.

Shelia,

Looks like rose gold to me. Just pick out a leather band that looks good on it. I like cordovan or black on rose gold, but everyone has her/his preference.

Here are some examples of rose gold cases with various kinds of bands. From the left:

Waldron, rolled gold plate, probably 10K

Gruen, 10k gold filled (some Gruens are gold filled over silver, but not this one)

Bulova, 14k gold filled

Omega - 18k solid

As you can see rose gold has a slight copper cast.

John,
MY MOUTH IS WATERING!!!
They are gorgeous!

The black lizard? is beautiful, but the brown is really handsome too. ????

I just noticed that this Benrus is only a 6J, so it's probably not much.

??? clean, or not to clean?? mmmmmmm

I have a nice Black band and I think I will try it and see what it looks like. Then I'll decide.

Your watches really are beautiful, REAL BEAUTIFUL. Serious LOOKERS.

Thank you for the information, and maybe you can pass on where I can pick up some watch bands? I need a few, and some womens too.

Thanks again,

Shelia, Thanks, glad you like them. I like rose gold.


Ron Sabo (International Watchman) has thousands of bands for sale at the Regionals he attends and also advertises in the Mart. S LaRose has a fairly good selection in their catalogs, I don't know if they show any on their web site: www.slarose.com but it would be worth looking.

I picked up a group of pocket watches and parts this week that also had a few wrist watches included. One was this Benrus. In searching last night on "Benrus copper", I came across this post from Sheila. Both the case and dial definitely look copper. No markings on the case to indicate metal content.

Sheila,

Benrus was incorporated in 1923. The name is an abbreviation of sorts, of the name Benjamin Lazarus, one of the founders. They were sort of a lesser Bulova or Gruen, importing Swiss movements and casing and timing them in the US to avoid the import duties. They did little in the line of original design or production of movements, although they did make some movements in the US in the '20s. Typically, they use common ebauche movements from the major Swiss makers, some modified, but more often not. They are dependable, solid wristwatches, but do not command great respect from collectors, with the exception of a few unusual models.

Your watch looks to be from the late '30s, or perhaps in to the '40s. Rose gold was quite the rage at the end of the 1930s, with most makers offering some models in the color (Hamilton called it Coral, Elgin and Bulova called it Rose, Gruen called it Pink).Yours may be a contract case, as it is similar to many from the period.

Hope this helps,

Cary Hurt

Here's a pretty fancy, and fairly rare Benrus I picked up a few weeks ago.
Since I acquired it, I've had it completely restored.

Enjoy

They were also a legendary manufacture of a U.S. Military watch during the Vietnam era. Their divers watches set a standard that has only been surpassed recently by the Marathon Watch Company with the contract for the Government Search And Rescue (GSAR) divers watch.

The plastic military issue wristwatches during the Viet Nam era were 7j Benrus'.

Tom

Tom, They may have manufactured a 7J watch, I'm not an expert on Benrus. I do offer this link to a site that describes the watch I was thinking of in my last response. It is a 17J watch, that was a classic in it's day.
http://www.50717.com/us/benrus-1-76.html

Hi Matthew, I have my issue watch from that era. Currently not working. It might be one of a kind, it is a 7J Benrus.

Tom

Here's three more,very nice Benrus watches I own.
The one in the middle,and the one the LHS are both solid 14K Gold.

Morning, Dave.

Glorious timepiece's!

What age are they?

The first photo, the case is amazing!

Do you personally restore / service / clean or like me have a master watch man to do the work for you?

Have you many more "Benrus's"?

Looking forward to your reply.

Roy.

"So mote it be!"

Tom, The 7J watches were designed as throw away's according what I have read. Dave, those are very nice looking watches. I wonder what type of movements are in them.

Tom, I'm surprised you got to keep your issue watch. When I left the USAF in Aug. 1961 I had to turn in a worn out pair of safety-toe shoes I had been issued. I suppose it's the difference between being commissioned and enlisted.

John, As Matthew said, they were actually almost a throw away and they were considered drop accountability on the books. So, if it was still in one piece after a year, you just wore it home. BTW, that went for both enlisted and commissioned. No discrimination

Tom

Sheila and Dave, I'll bet Benrus watches will be "discovered" by collectors because of their great looks. They have a nice shape, and appear to clean up very nicely. Good finds.

Matthew,
I agree with you. I'm not a wristie guy, but I plan on keeping this one, repairing it and finding it a place in my daily wear rotation amongst my pocket watches. I think it's a very attractive watch.

I'm Blown Away!
I just ran across this watch in my pictures and was coming in to ask about it again, and I find my original post right on top, along with all this wonderful information!!!! WOW!!!

The new watch posts are GORGEOUS!!!!!

serious eye candy!

Thank you for the information too. Now do we fight over if it's rose, copper, pink ?????.....

put your dukes up.

Here's another Benrus I forgot I had. It probably dates back to the days
of the Hamilton Perry since it contains some of the coined bezel features
from this era.

Dave,
That is Gorgeous! Very Handsome, I hope you wear it some. Very Attractive.