- VT Embassy.jpg (122.08 KiB) Viewed 44 times
It's the Veri-Thin Embassy or Veri-Thin Epoch, depending on the strap, from the end of 1945. It was also available in red gold. The Embassy had a brown leather strap, the Epoch a flex strap matching the case colour. There were also various dials this watches came with depending on the case colour and year of production.
This one is driven by an in-house, cushion-shaped, 17-jewel calibre 430, which is basically identical in construction to the Curvex calibre 440. The latter has the milled bridges and a different crown wheel than the Veri-Thin. Funnily enough, there were cases that could take both movements, so you can see how much marketing was behind the Curvex.
Perhaps this was also the reason for the confusion that was initially evident in the advertisements for this watch. Here is the first Veri-Thin Epoch ad in early November 1945, it is actually advertised as a Curvex:
- Curvex Epoch.JPG (67.27 KiB) Viewed 44 times
Shortly after, an original Gruen ad showing the watch with a different face with a glossy, non-white painted border. Life and in colour from the Life magazine of 26.11.1945:
- 1585684962260.png (276.75 KiB) Viewed 44 times
The first ad of the Veri-Thin Embassy with leather strap appears in mid-November and is correct even if the protrusion of the glass is extremely exaggerated:
- VT Embassy 2.JPG (102.97 KiB) Viewed 44 times
But already in mid-December 1945 there is another ad with almost nothing correct. It shows the Embassy, but calls it Epoch and the price is not correct for either of them. The same goes for the ladies model, it doesn't show the Tara and it doesn't cost $24.75 either.
- VT Emboch.JPG (100.66 KiB) Viewed 44 times
This is what the ad should have looked like, and this is what it always looked like in the sequel:
- 1585683934735.png (483.54 KiB) Viewed 44 times
May 1946 a totally different model has been advertised as "Embassy":
- 1585684065027.png (1.15 MiB) Viewed 44 times
December 18, 1946 the first ad with the dial my watch has, in another ad from 1947 described as "modern dial":
- My VT Embassy.JPG (123.66 KiB) Viewed 44 times
The pictures then alternate briskly until the last advertisement in July 1948.
This perhaps illustrates a little why naming Gruen watches is sometimes not so easy and clear, sometimes it is simply a majority decision. When I have only a few advertisements, I sometimes find it difficult to decide which name is correct. Fortunately that's not the case here, this watch has been advertised often enough.
Dietrich
