DESCRIPTION:
EPW - Gruen, Fiftieth Anniversary Watch, "Twenty-One 21 Jewels Two 2 Diamonds" marked mvt with gold plates, Swiss made for American market, 12S, heavy 18K white gold pentagonal original Gruen case with initials to rear, gold cuvette, refinished silvered dial with applied gold numerals, SW-SS, fully capped lever escapement, diamond endstones over balance and escape wheel, ornately engraved rose gold mvt plates, s#23. Gross weight of assembled watch 46.7 dwt (72.8 g). The Gruen Fiftieth Anniversary Watch was produced in 1924 with a total output of 650 made; this total figure corresponds to a group of 600 in recognition of each of the months of the 50 years along with a separately numbered series of 50 in recognition of each of the years. These watches catered to a very exclusive clientèle being marketed as "The Priceless Possession of a Few" at a prohibitively expensive base cost of $500 in 1924. For those who weren't feeling quite extravagant enough with just the $500 base cost in 1924 dollars, there were even higher priced options available with upgrades of case material, finish, and design.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, nearly mint cosmetic mvt condition overall, bright lustrous plates, winding wheels each with a small mild oxide spot, larger winding wheel with a micro-fine scratch between center and perimeter; refinished dial with some mild small dark spots around perimeter; fine hands, minute with finish loss to tip; case shows little wear, small nick to rear toward right perimeter, cuvette with subtle shallow dent adjacent hinge area evident as rippling of reflection, good engraving detail; tight bow, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal.
ESTIMATE:
$3600
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$5000
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