Launch of Veri-Thin (not Verithin)

Following on the heels of Curvex, Gruen launched a new line of slim, affordable watches. The name was Veri-Thin, a restyling of the mark used on pocket watches since 1902. Here is the history of that launch.

PHASE 1: PRODUCTION & PROTECTION
TRADEMARKS: On October 27, 1938, Gruen filed 2 Trademarks for Veri-Thin: one for watches (Class 27), one for bracelets (Class 28). They confirm 2 things:
(1) The Veri-Thin sub-brand was always envisioned with lines for both sexes.
(2) Both filings share a common first-use date: October 20, 1938 (a Thursday). This was--we can guess--the date production began of "Veri-Thin"-stamped movements, specifically: caliber 405 (17J), followed by 406 (15J).

veri-thin tm - watches

veri-thin tm - bracelets

373778 veri-thin bracelets.JPG (20.85 KiB) Viewed 34 times

PATENT: Two months later--on Friday, December 16, 1938--Henri Thiebaud filed a patent for the movement structure. This would be granted on March 19, 1940 as US Patent # 2,194,452.

Note: There are two pages of illustrations, and the second page shows examples of another thing protected in this patent: the supporting plate(s)/adapter(s) found between the dial and movement on some Gruen watches at the time. Interesting reading!

patent illustrations p1

patent illustrations p2

PHASE 2: ROLL-OUT
The Veri-Thin launch plan was the big announcement at the Gruen annual sales meeting that began on January 2, 1939. It would be a phased roll-out, with the men's models going first. It is unclear whether the women's line was also previewed to the Sales force, possibly not. Undoubtedly, the sell-in & distribution build for the men's line began immediately after the sales meeting.

Here is the opening text from the recap in the first JCK of 1939:

Bigger Advertising Program And New "Verithin" Watch Announced at Gruen Meetings
CINCINNATI , OHIO --Increased advertising appropriations for 1939 were announced by Benjamin S. Katz, president of the Gruen Watch Co., when Gruen sales representatives from all parts of the United States and Canada gathered here the first week in January for their annual January sales convention. The 1939 campaign includes magazines, radio, dealer promotion and many other forms of advertising. Teviah Sachs, vice-president of the Gruen Co., outlined to the sales force the magazine plans, which include full-page advertisements in such national magazines as Esquire, Vogue, Time, New Yorker, True Story, Saturday Evening Post and a number of Canadian publications. The new "Verithin" wrist watch for men, which is now being introduced by Gruen, will be prominently featured in the advertisements. This watch, which was made possible by an ingenious re-arrangement of the wheel train, is exceptionally thin for a popular-priced wrist watch...

Similar story from Ad Age later in the month...but great info on professional watches.

Sponsored newspaper ads from local jewelers began by end of February. April saw the national advertising begin for the Men's line. Here is the launch ad, copyrighted 4/6/39, with a great pic of Henri Thiebaud! Perhaps in a moment of inspiration?

launch ad - men

A few months later (I cannot see the dates here, but before July), Gruen announced the women's line launch in the JCK. We also see confirmation of the exact price range that fits both men's and women's lines.

Now—a GRUEN VERI-THIN wristwatch for Women!
Exquisitely Thin, Exquisitely Beautiful, Here's Another Great Hit From Gruen
Ultra-Smart companion to the famous Gruen Veri-Thin wristwatch for men, the new Gruen Veri-Thin wristwatch for women will sell for the same low price -- $29.75 to $59.50...

In July, we see the Women’s line AND the Veri-Thin pocket watch line have already been announced, as the news is they are to be lead features in the Christmas ads.

October, 1939 marked the beginning of national advertising for the Women's line, with the ad copyrighted on Oct 10. The headline & selling story are closely related to the JCK announcement.

Men's original 1938/1939 launch lineup -- any builds?
- Caliber 405 ("Precision" 17J) & 406 (not "Precision" 15J0 were the launch movements -- with both calibers having a sweep seconds model available by end of 1939
- Price range: $29.75 to $59.50
- Veri-Thin Mercury (405-365; Strap 363): $37.50 --> first Veri-Thin dial in Masterbook; shown in June Esquire ad
- Veri-Thin Phantom (406-366; Strap 364): $29.75 --> shown in June Esquire ad
- Veri-Thin ? (405-373; Strap 371 - Yellow Gold): assuming this is the $59.50 model?
- Veri-Thin Scout ? (405-373; Strap 371 - YGF): price TBD
- Veri-Thin Shadow (405-377; Strap 372): $37.50 --> shown in launch ad

Several between Strap 375 to Strap 386 - must be sometime in 1939, because Taper-Flow (405-374; Strap 385) is advertised by April and...

By end of 1939: sweep seconds 405ss ("Precision") and 406ss (not "Precision")
- Veri-Thin Interne (405SS-395; Strap 388 YGF - I THINK? but it has guildite back in ad) - $33.75 --> 10/1939 contractors & engineers magazine
- Veri-Thin Technician (Strap 387 YGF - I THINK? but it has guildite back in ad) - $39.75 --> 10/1939 contractors & engineers magazine

Holiday ads would also focus on the new Veri-Thin Pocket watch.

Edited: I may have to amend the assumptions in the first post. Looking at the Trademark law in place, the "first use" date refers to first use in Commerce. And Commerce is defined in later docs as commerce that is/can be regulated by the US Congress. So if this was true in 1938, first production does not apply. Still checking this—some of Gruen’s TMs seem to have never been “in Commerce.”

Net, this first use date could be:
(1) first production
(2) first shipments arrive at US port. Certainly this is regulated by Congress
(3) first watches completed/shipped from Time Hill. This seems unlikely, given no press.

I must add I’ve seen about 80,000 sn difference in movement numbers from earliest Veri-Thins to one engraved “June 1939.” From this, I conclude Oct 20, 1938 was most likely the date the first shipment of Veri-Thin movements arrived at US customs, to be forwarded on to Time Hill. But I also have not compiled sn vs cases, to rule out a movement swap on the engraved one.

Thoughts?