Gruen watch question

[Joe Werner]

I found an old Gruen pocket watch its a 17 jewel adj 3 pos. its marked DG&S on the dail and the movement I was wondering why it also said premo watch co on the movement?

[Cary Hurt]

Joe,

This thread should more properly be in the European watches forum, as the movement is Swiss. The DG&S logo you noted is the trademark for Dietrich Gruen and Sons, and was used after 1905. The name "Premo" was just another of Gruen's very many trade names, and it was trademarked on Dec. 23, 1912. It's not too uncommon to see watches signed "Premo" on the dial, case and movement, or any combination of the three.

Regards,

Cary

[Kent]

Gruen (http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/index.html) is an American company.

[Joe Werner]

thanks for clearing that up for me.

[Cary Hurt]

Gruen (http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/index.html) is an American company.

Kent,

Absolutely, Gruen was always based in Cincinnati, at least until it failed in 1958, then hung on a few more years in New York. It's predecessor Columbus actually manufactured movements here as well.

But... the watch in question has a Swiss movement, as I noted, and as Paul Schliesser's website that you linked also notes. All of Gruen's movements, with the exception of a very few post-WW2 grades of wristwatch movements, were produced in Switzerland.

The argument over whether they are an American company has been going on a long time, and is really a matter of perspective and semantics. I plant myself firmly in the middle. Their status is the same as that of Bulova, Benrus, and post-Lancaster Hamilton's... American watches with Swiss movements.

Regards,

Cary

[rrwatch]

Cary,
In the mid 1890s, Gruen was having watches made for them by Julius Assmann in Dresden, Germany. These included both 16 and 18 size movements made in 18 and 20 jewels and were adjusted to "all" positions. They were beautifully made and finished and sported gold pallet forks and escape wheels. They were accepted for service on many North American railroads.
The images below are of an 18 size, 20 jewel movement. The 16 size movements are almost identical in plate layout, except that they used a central winding wheel screw, rather than the offset dog screw used on the 18 size.

[Cary Hurt]

Hi Ed,

I'm aware of the Assmann watches made in Germany during this brief period, before the D. Gruen & Sons period of the post watch. Gruen was also having some complications built by A. LeCoultre at this time. I thought about mentioning them in my post, but deferred to brevity. I'm fascinated with Gruen, but I tend to think in the wristwatch world, so some of the pocketwatch facts drop off my radar from time to time.

Thanks and Regards,

Cary