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In the great American watchmaking pantheon, Gruen was the master of elegance. While its competitors focused on railroad-grade robustness, Gruen dedicated itself to style and, most famously, to the quest for ultimate thinness. Their “Veri-Thin” line, introduced in 1938, was a technical marvel and a massive commercial success, a direct shot at the ultra-thin pocket watches from Europe’s most elite manufactures.
It was a true feat of engineering. By cleverly rearranging the movement components (specifically, inverting the second and third wheels), Gruen’s watchmakers created a movement that was dramatically thinner than its rivals, allowing for a svelte, sophisticated case that defined an era. This watch is powered by that very legacy: the 17-jewel Gruen Caliber 430 “Veri-Thin,” a beautifully constructed, in-house manual-wind movement.
This particular example is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful expressions of the Veri-Thin line. The 10k gold-filled case, made in the U.S.A. by the legendary Star Watch Case Company, is a classic rectangular “tank” shape. But the lugs are what set it apart. They are sharp, faceted, and pure Art Deco sculpture, giving the watch an architectural presence on the wrist.
And then there’s the dial. This is not a repaint. This is the original, and highly coveted, salmon-colored dial. It has aged into a beautiful, warm hue, with light, honest patina that gives it an incredible, “survivor” character. The combination of applied gold-tone Arabic numerals and a deeply recessed subsidiary seconds register is just pure, 1940s perfection.
