Can anyone help me identify these watches?
Crunchers! My boss is leaving her position at the state of California, and I offered to help identify some of her father and grandfather’s watches. She was a phenomenal boss and I am hoping to be able to help her with this.
Her father was a tech-loving man, who became a pilot later in life. Unfortunately I do not know much about her grandfather.
I have managed to figure out what era they are all from but specific models and further information about the line each watch is part of eludes me. Any chance the folks of Watch Crunch could give me a hand?
The top row are all Seiko models with the left two being most likely from the mid 90s or 2000s to my estimation and the right one most likely being from the 80s. Left is a solar and the other two are quartz. The solar chrono on the left started ticking again with a little while in the window sill, the other two needed batteries and I did not have my tools on me to open their casebacks at the time.
Bottom row is a bit of a mishmash. Left is definitely a “gas station” type quartz. Labeled “Geneva” quartz despite it having a japanese quartz movement inside according to the bottom of the dial. The crown is weirdly at like 3:30 or so. Middle is a Wenger military quartz model of some kind. Right is probably the most sentimental and monetarily valuable, not that the latter is particulary important. It’s a Gruen Precision model in 14k gold. Both the right and left on the bottom row belonged to her grandfather. The Gruen is not running at present, but I am hopeful that it could be running again soon for her to wear after a service.
Can anyone help me identify specific models so I can hopefully give her some more information? It would mean an aweful lot.
Collector of fine and affordable timekeeping devices.
Aside from the Gruen most appear to be standard fare watches probably sold at dept. stores and not carrying any value aside from sentimental. Might be rough to find specifics as these styles come and go on a regular basis from the catalogs.
The Gruen doesn't look particularly old, maybe 60's or 70's, and since it needs a service the value , once again , is purely sentimental.
Aside from the Gruen most appear to be standard fare watches probably sold at dept. stores and not carrying any value aside from sentimental. Might be rough to find specifics as these styles come and go on a regular basis from the catalogs.
The Gruen doesn't look particularly old, maybe 60's or 70's, and since it needs a service the value , once again , is purely sentimental.
I mean its not really about the value, its mostly older Seiko. This much I knew.
Look on the back of the Seikos - there is an 8 digit number (xxxx-xxxx) If you google that, you will know exactly what you have.
Look on the back of the Seikos - there is an 8 digit number (xxxx-xxxx) If you google that, you will know exactly what you have.
Thanks for the tip!
What @88MilesPerHour said...and other good comments.
It looks like the gent that owned the watches was practical and sporty. He had a watch for every occasion and all are of decent quality for their time, except that diamond dial one. I have no idea what to make of that.
The Gruen is the valuable one from a $ perspective. Of course, they were your father’s watches, so they must have a big sentimental value.
I found a couple of similar Gruens on Chrono24, almost identical dial configurations but 17 Jewel movements.
Gruen Precision Day Date Manual Wind 17 Jewels for $749 for sale from a Seller on Chrono24
Gruen Day Date N522 17j. for $774 for sale from a Private Seller on Chrono24
If push comes to shove and still you're having trouble identifying them, Google Lens does a decent job when you take a picture of the dial.
In addition to the serial number on the caseback, the Seikos will usually list a movement number and case number on the bottom of the dial - for example, mine says "6T63 - 00D8" which I can Google to find that the model is an SSB045 with a 6T63 mechaquartz movement and 41mm case size (and look up more information on value, etc.).
Also, the Wenger is probably from 2005 or earlier since I believe they stopped using the "Swiss Military" branding after being purchased by Victorinox. They usually used Swiss Ronda movements with at least one jewel, so not bad for a quartz. Unfortunately, not worth much today ($30-50?).
Love the unique 6 o’clock position of the day indicator on the Gruen’s dial.