SIGNED GRUEN WATCH CO., SWITZERLAND, GUILDITE, CASE NO. 204'390, CIRCA 1930

The present wristwatch is one of the exceedingly rare examples of a "doctor's" watch produced by Gruen in the late 1920s, its case made of the firm's early steel alloy called "Guildite". Advertised as a timepiece for technicians and "radio and mechanical engineers"-anyone who needed to measure time in seconds, the calibre 877 movements were manufactured by Aegler in Bienne who also supplied movements to Rolex for their "Prince" model. Aegler, a very close neighbour to Gruen's Precision Factory, shared ownership during a time with both Gruen and Rolex, the full name of the company being "Aegler, Société Anonyme, Fabrique des Montres Rolex & Gruen Guild A". In 1930, Gruen sold their Aegler shares and moved the entire production to their Precision Factory in Bienne.

Distinguished by its elegant, stream-lined triple-stepped case and the appealing black lacquer dial, the present jump hour wristwatch is furthermore standing out by its very good, original overall condition.
The manufacture Gruen was originally founded in 1874 in Columbus, Ohio, by the German immigrant Dietrich Gruen. In 1903 a Swiss branch was founded under the name of The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Company, located in Bienne, Switzerland. The firm produced a wide array of wristwatches and was amongst the first watch manufacturers to introduce lady's wristwatches to the North American market.

For another "Guildite" wristwatch see lot 370 in this auction.