All about Gruen

[Mr. Bieser]

This is Strap 285 from around 1935.
Marked 315.
Catalog states caliber 344. This carries a caliber 702.
Many of the very similar and surrounding models in catalog carry 700 series.
Another example of Waddy's 54xxxxx sn series "long tail".

[Fred]

Wow, a nice one! I’ve been on a 30s kick this week, so I’ve been wondering if any of these mens wristlet style are floating around. Cool, Guild mark—and quite an upgrade from a 7J cal 344.

12/1935 ad, right below “Baron”

“Centurian” (sic). But perhaps the original “Centurion”? If so, it was short-lived: 1937 shows a new, long rectangle style Centurion model.

Anyway, I believe an exact match to yours, save gilt hands.

[Dietrich]

I think it should read Strap 285...
"Centurian" or "Centurion" was the name, I have about an equal number of advertisements with these two name , the official Gruen ad from December 1935 in the Saturday Evening Post calls it "Centurian". So I tend to use this as the official name. Advertised from October 1935 until April 1936 this watch appears to really have been short lived. And it has only been advertised as 17j watch, so your 702 appears to be the correct movement for the watch.

1935 appears to have been a year of big changes in watch styles, the attempt of establishing round wrist watches was one of them.

[Mr. Bieser]

"think it should read Strap 285..."

Yup, it should. Typo. It's what happens when I try to do two diff things at once...

[Dietrich]

I know this just too well from my own postings...

[Mr. Bieser]

And btw, thanks for all the info on the model name, "Centurian", I didnt know that.

The first "Centurion" is from 1929, one of the first Gruen models w a model name.

[Fred]

Ah, even older. Thanks!