The problem with Gruen is the lack of serial number information. Anyone got a good guess on the age of this one - 14K white gold, wire lug....

Bill,

The movement is the old standard 9 3/4 ligne caliber 99-7 (the 17 jewel version of the 99). The markings indicate post-1923 production. This movement is superceded by others by 1927 or so, although Gruen's system of using outside contractors to produce certain movement grades mixes this up a little.

The styling of the case is definitely 1920s, so I think you're safe assuming 1925, give or take a couple of years. If there are other markings inside the case back, they might help to pin it down a little closer.

Regards,

Cary Hurt

Thanks very much, Cary.

Many/most Gruens of the period have sub-seconds hands and I was wondering if this might have been a mismatch with a later movement than case, but I suppose the wire lugs were used well into the 20s?

Do you feel that the dial is original to the watch - the fit on the sides looks a little off.....

Bill,

I believe this case and movement to be of the same era, but the dial does look a bit undersized. It's possible that a complete movement with dial was swapped in at some time, or perhaps there was just a dial switch. Gruen had several different movements in this size at that time, and the case might have originally held any one of them. There should be some numbers stamped in the case back to indicate the appropriate movement for that case.

Gruen did continue to market wire lug ladies watches throughout the 1920s, and even into the early '30s. These were provided with a variety of bands in different materials, so they were quite stylish at the time.

Hope this helps,

Cary