All,

Due to the thoughtfulness of a good friend, I've recently acquired this rare piece. In discussing some ongoing research on early Gruen wristwatches, he mentioned having this watch. In settling up some old trades, he decided that it needed to be with me, and I was surprised (and delighted) to receive it yesterday.


The watch is Gruen's "Military Wristwatch", advertised in their 1918 catalog.The case is heavy sterling silver, signed Watch Specialties, the movement is a 13 ligne Rebberg, signed DG&S (for Dietrich Gruen and Sons) and Watch Specialties Co. Dial is porcelain.

Watch Specialties was a Gruen subsidiary used to import complete watches in the 1915-1921 period.



The fitted shrapnel guard is also silver. The box is khaki covered, made to look like a piece of issue equipment (it wasn't), as these were marketed to soldiers going to and coming from the war. The papers relate to an optional one-piece "Liberty Strap" with a sliding buckle, the only piece of the kit that I don't have (and have never seen).

Regards,

Cary

That is very, very neat. Your friend really took care of you on that deal.

Awesome watch, Cary. I am pea-green with envy! But also delighted for you. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. As a true Gruen collector and historian, there is no one I know would appreciate it more.

Great watch - It would be interesting to do some genealogical / historical research and find out about the officer who owned the watch.

Cary,
a fantastic looking watch, what a piece of history.

Thanks for the compliments. To clarify, I already had the box and shrapnel guard, which came to me with a similar, but slightly different watch. Gruen actually made eight different watches under the "Military" name, and I presume all were sold in the same khaki covered box. I now have five of the eight, plus the Military pocketwatch that they advertised as a companion piece. I have period advertising depicting the box, the shrapnel guard, and the liberty strap. This watch is the identical model to the one in the advertisements. I'll have it with me at Chattanooga, so please stop by to visit.

I have done a cursory search for records regarding Lt. Eccleston, and found that there were two Harry B. Eccleston's who served (or at least were drafted) in the First World War. One is from New York, one from Oregon. There are some things in the enlistment cards that imply that the watch may have belonged to the one from Oregon, but I can't be sure, at least not yet. Nothing regarding Air Service attachment about either of them has surfaced. Of course I've only had it since Saturday, so there are many stones left to look under. I need to ask my friend if he had any provenance for the watch, but I don't recall him mentioning it.

Regards,

Cary

Excellent example.

BTW, how is the strap held on- is it stitched in place?

Best regards,
Greg