Ca 1955. This one has a black and silver gilt dial. I have yet to see one with an in tact blue dial as noted in the ads below. I have another one which was blue but has faded to gold, there are traces of the original blue on the sides of the dial. An oddity about the Gruen caliber 362 is that the hands set clockwise when turning the crown clockwise, try that with most anything else! Enjoy.
Interesting design, quite radical for the time I reckon. And in stainless when most watches were in gold of some type. I have a Rodania that sets clockwise/clockwise, don't know the caliber so I'll have to check it out later.
“One of the new stainless steel and lucite watches everyone is taking about” I’m guessing that was just in the room they designed this piece in. I’m not saying it’s ugly... I’ve just never seen a wrist watch like that. I’ve seen a few different pocket watches. as for backwards setting I have 2 or 3 that are like that.
Love it. The first thing that came to mind was a flying saucer might have been the inspiration. If it was mine the streamlined space-age look would be a bit lost by my hairy wrist though.
This is similar to the Ernst Borel watches that were very popular- particularly the kaleidoscope cocktail watches. I think the peak for the larger mens Borel watches were during the later 60’s so this is much earlier.
Not unusual at all. I just tested some in my accumulation, a Hamilton, a Waltham, a Gruen, an Omega, they all do that. I recall someone here posted that a person who bought one of his watches accused him of shenanigans because an Omega being sold set that way. Clearly it's based on the design of the movement and not something a person could change easily, if at all. Attractive watch, looks nice.
I have already spent my allowance this month. I looked at them, checked prices on ebay and they were priced a bit high for me.