The Techni-Quadron, was similiar to the Quadron, had a rectangle shaped face and was released in 1928. Two dials existed on both Gruen vintage watches. The upper dial displayed the hour and minute hands while the lower dial, virtually as big as the upper dial, only displayed the second hand. The Techni-Quadrons were prominently recognized as "doctor's watches" as this larger seconds subdial was easy to watch while measuring a patient's watch. This watch was moreover prevalent amid engineers and other technical professions. Take notice that a dual dial Gruen vintage watch was not automatically a doctor s watch. The hour and minute hands on a Techni-Quadron are mounted on top where the crown enters the case as apposed to the center of the dial. Some of these watches had an expandable buckle to allow them to slide up the arm freeing the hand and wrist.
The Carre, square in French, began production in 1931 and was a Greun pocket watch shaped like a square. Technically a diamond shape considering the 12, 3, 6, and 9 dial numbers were in each of the 4 corners. The watch was marketed to both men and women. Some watches had luminous hands and dial numbers to increase visibility in the dark. In the open position the case could stand upright allowing it to sit on a flat surface. These Gruen vintage watches had an Art Deco design and came in a variety of case styles. The Carre was sold until 1934 and started at $55 (~$1400 today).
The Curvex was marketed as the men s Curvex Govenor starting in 1935 and as the women s Curvex Queen starting in 1936. This was the flagship watch until the late 1940s and is the most famous of the Gruen vintage watches. The Curvex was sold until 1954.
The original element of the Curvex was that both the watch itself and the movement inside were both curved. These watches used a movement with the gears arranged in a curved pattern. The arrangement was patented under patent 1,855,952. This allowed Gruen to avoid the smaller more fragile movements other watch makers had to use in their curved watches.
What makes these Gruen vintage watches unique are the Precision grade movement, without it, it is not a Curvex. Each Curvex had one of four movements listed below.
1935 - caliber 311 - a long, thin movement
1937 - caliber 330 - a long, thin and curved movement (Custom Curved)
1940 - caliber 440 - a short, square/oval movement
1948 - caliber 370 - a short and wide movement (Curvametric)
The Ristside, released in 1937, was pronounced wrist side and was meant to be worn on the side of your wrist inline with your thumb. These are some of the rarest Gruen watches, as they did not sell many, also making them widely sought after by collectors. Also some collectors will try to sell any watch with hinged lugs as a Ristside. With the exception of the Fraternity and one other very similar model all Ristsides are rectangular and have very curved cases.
The Curvex-Ristside watches fit into both the Curvex and the Ristside family of Gruen vintage watches. The Curvex Coronet, Curvex Lord, and the Curvex Admiral all used the 330 movement mentioned above. The Curvex-Ristside Fraternity had hinged lugs and used the 440 movement.
Gruen Vintage Watches
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A wristwatch has now become something of a necessity and is used by almost all of us. Its use is not limited to just functionality, but it has also become a status symbol. In spite of all this, the fact remains that wrist watches have an interesting history.
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