====== Gruen ======

{{wst>author|[[Foskett, Stephen|Stephen Foskett]] ([[https://grail-watch.com/|Grail Watch]])}}

{{wst>image_r|Gruen_Logo|Gruen trademark}}

{{wst>image_r|Dietrich_Gruen,_1892|[[Gruen, Dietrich|Dietrich Gruen]], founder of the Gruen Watch Co.}}
**Gruen Watch Company** was an American watch manufacturer.

In [[1893]] [[Green, Dietrich|Dietrich Gruen]] separated from the [[Columbus Watch Co.]] and together with his eldest son [[Green, Frederick|Frederick]] in [[1894]] opened the company "D. Gruen & Son" in Cincinnati. [[1903]], the Gruen Watch [[Biel]] was founded.

In [[1922]] the D. Gruen Company, Sons & Company, The National Gruen Watch Case Company of Cincinnati and The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Company of Biel, Switzerland were merged to form the **Gruen Watch Company** under the direction of Frederick Green.

In [[1924]] the Gruen Watch Company on the 50th anniversary presented a limited [[pocket watch]] edition of 600 pieces.

To use the European distribution network of the [[Alpina|Alpina Union Horlogère]], the American company Gruen proposed a merger with the cooperative. Thus in [[1929]] arose the [[Alpina Gruen Guild|Alpina Gruen Guild SA]].

In [[1928]] the [[Rolex Prince]] was brought on the market, which wrote history due to its then unusual rectangular case shape. It was produced until the end of the 1940s (it was also called "[[Alpina Gruen Tecno|Doctor's Watch]]"). The watch was sold under the brand names [[Alpina]], Gruen, [[Alpina Gruen Guild]] and [[Rolex]]. The calibre [[Gruen 877]] built by [[Aegler]] in [[Biel]] met all expectations in terms of precision, and thus the Prince was the first wristwatch produced in large numbers, which received a [[chronometer]] certification.

Frederick Green retires in [[1940]] and dies in [[1945]]. His brother George dies [[1952]]. In [[1953]] the Green family sells its shares in the company. Although the company in [[1953]] has the highest revenues in its entire history, it gets into increasing difficulties. In [[1958]] the remnants of the company, Green Industries, are split and sold. In [[1976]] also the successors have to finish.

===== Literature =====
  *Gruen Master Book and Price Guide Wrist Watches; Author Ehrhardt, Roy; ISBN 0913902683
  *American Wristwatches Five Decades of Style and Design; Authors Edward Faber and Steward Unger; ISBN 0-7643-0171-3
  *Automatic Wristwatches from Switzerland Self-Winding Wristwatches; Author [[Heinz Hampel]]; ISBN 0-8874-0609-2

===== Weblinks =====
  *[[http://www.pixelp.com/gruen|Gruen - The Art & Mystery of Watchmaking 1847 - 1958]] company history by Paul Schliesser
  *[[http://www.illotempore.it|My Gruen Watches]] (Italian) - picture and download wallpaper


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_America}}