Men's Gruen Precision Diamond Quartz Wristwatch.

Men's Gruen Precision Diamond Quartz Wristwatch with Dark Watch Face and Gold Plated Band in Gold Nugget Styling. Inscription 'Gruen Since 1874' underneath the case. 

On June 12, 1874, Dietrich Gruen applied for a patent on an improved safety pinion, which was granted on December 22. He was 27 years old. In 1876 he formed the Columbus Watch Manufacturing Company in the basement of a downtown Columbus, Ohio bank building. By 1888 production was about 45 watches per day; the company would grow to 300 employees and output to 150 watches per day. Although the company continued to issue stem wind watches, they also manufactured key wind movements for some of their less-expensive models. After a series of disagreements with the other partners, Dietrich Gruen and his son Fred left the Columbus Watch Company in 1894, the New Columbus Watch Company survived until 1903. In 1894, Fred Gruen and Dietrich Gruen decided to try to start a new watch company. Using money borrowed from friends and relatives, Dietrich and Fred formed the partnership "D. Gruen and Son." Up until 1922, there had actually been three Gruen companies: D. Gruen, Sons & Company; The Gruen National Watch Case Company of Cincinnati; and The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Company of Biel, Switzerland. In 1922 all three businesses were merged to form the Gruen Watch Company, with Fred as President. Fred Gruen retired in 1940 and died in 1945, and his brother George died in 1952. In 1953 the Gruen family sold their interest in the company. The same year, Gruen president Benjamin Katz was forced into retirement after a scandal, and in 1954 the company bought out his shares for $2 million USD. By 1958, the company (which had changed its name to Gruen Industries) was facing massive legal problems, the company was falling apart, Under new ownership, Time Hill was closed and the Gruen watch business moved to New York, continuing to produce mechanical watches for about another 15 years. All of the pre-1958 factory records, of no interest to the new owners, were destroyed. Rolex eventually purchased the Precision Factory and now it's a Rolex administration building.  According to the Cincinnati Business Record, this incarnation of the Gruen Watch Company failed in 1976.

Item Code - CLO12B400CAZ1

Length: 8 1/2" [unlatched]  Height: 3" [worn length]  Weight: 76 g