Watch Wearing Wednesday: Precision by Gruen Quartz Watch

If you buy a modern watch with a vintage brand name, it's not vintage. But, if you hold on to it for about 15 years, does it become vintage? This is a Precision by Gruen watch that I bought and reviewed here back in 2015. At some point, it will be a vintage reproduction or something.

Precision by Gruen Quartz Watch with Gold Tone Case

Anyway, I think it is a simple, but rich-looking, watch. My wife thinks it looks somewhat cheap. But, she mentioned that it might look better if I were wearing dress clothes. She's probably right.

Profile of a Precision by Gruen watch

These watches pop up from time to time on ebay and other auction sites. I'd note that this wasn't an expensive watch when I bought it so I wouldn't recommend paying much for a used one online. If you like the look, you might find similar simplicity and readability in this gold-toned 38mm Timex Easy Reader on Amazon.

Wristwatch Review: Precision by Gruen Mens Dress Watch

In the world of cheap watches, there are a few gems.  One of those gems has to be a Precision by Gruen quartz dress watch that I found at Kohls several months ago.  It's a men's dress watch with a Japanese quartz movement, a date window, a brown leather strap, and a gold colored case.  It retails for less than $30. Ordinarily there wouldn't be much more to write.  However, this watch has one feature that makes it special:  a domed crystal.  That feature combined with a well executed vintage look makes this watch look much more expensive than it actually is.

Precision by Gruen with Domed Crystal

Construction.  This watch has a stainless steel caseback and base metal case.  At this price point, you won't find much information about the materials used. 

Dimensions.  This watch has a 40mm diameter case. stainless steel caseback and base metal bezel or case. With a gently domed crystal, it is 11.5mm thick. 

Battery. The watch takes a 377/SR626SW watch battery.

While Precision by Gruen was once a great name in American watches, today It is made in Asia by M.Z. Berger.  However, the company knows a thing or two about making watches.   I highly recommend this one.

Precision by Gruen with Domed Crystal

Gruen Watches for Christmas

In my collection, G is often for Gruen II.  Gruen was another fine name in American watches.  They manufactured watches from the 1890s through the 1950s.  Ebay has lots of vintage Gruen watches at a variety of price points.  These vintage watches could make memorable and meaningful gifts.

Like the Elgin name, the Gruen name has been revived by MZ Berger.  While these new Gruen's are certainly less desirable from a collector's perspective.  You could still find some nice contemporary watches from these new Gruen collections. But don't be fooled into thinking that new Gruen watches are valuable because of the Gruen name.  At Kohl's I purchased a "Precision by Gruen Watch" for about $23.  It came with a really cheap nylon band, but looks very nice with this replacement bracelet. 

Precision by Gruen

I have also bought a Gruen II watch at Sears.  It's an attractive looking quartz watch for about $35.  It was a little too large for me, but I was easily able to resize it using the Android watch repair kit that I won from a contest on one of my favorite watch forums.

These new Gruen watches would be perfectly reasonable gifts if you are shopping in the under $50 price range.  They'd be great stocking stuffers.  My Gruen II watch also came in an attractive box.  That's always a nice plus for Christmas shoppers.

Precision by Gruen: Somewhere west of Laramie . . .

Somewhere west of Laramie . . .

. . . a motorcycle roars down a desolate highway.  The rider is enjoying the freedom to be an American.  He can wear any kind of watch he wants.  But, he chooses a watch that fits in with the powerful V-twin motor that powers his flight across the west.

By Daniel Hartwig from New Haven, CT, USA (P7020127.jpg) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0) or CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The watch he chooses Precision by Gruen.  A watch brought to you by a fabled name in American watch lore.  It has an accurate quartz movement from Japan.  The bezel rotates one click at a time.  It's a cool watch man and it looks like it's made for heavy metal thunder!

A modern Precision by Gruen quartz watch

Anybody can write advertising copy.  The question is will this watch work for you?  

A Cheap Watch from Gruen that Intrigued Me

Looking at a Precision by Gruen Watch

Recently, a cheap line of watches caught my eye at my local Kohl's Department store.  They are called "Precision by Gruen" and they retail for about $30.  Long ago, Gruen used to be a respected American watchmaker.  However, they are now a brand name for watches imported from China.

A Precision by Gruen Watch from Kohl's

However, they have one diver's style watch that has a working, rotatable, bezel. Since I'm a sucker for rotating bezels, I had to buy it.  Rotating bezels are useful for measuring elapsed time on analog diver-style watches.  Since Kohl's regularly runs good sales, I was able to pick up a "Precision by Gruen" watch for about $21.  These watches look like good competitors for entry-level Casio, Timex, and store-brand watches.

[In 2025, I really wonder where I stored this watch. I hope I still have it because the metal rotating bezel was really cool.]