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Gruen Curvex 'Sovereign'
Authorized Luxury Retailer
Renowned for expertise in luxury watch retail, Watches of Switzerland embodies the highest standards of craftsmanship and service. With a history dating back to the 1700s, the company offers a curated selection of premier timepieces and commits to excellence in customer experience grounded in a legacy of trust and industry proficiency.
Authorized Luxury Retailer
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Free Expedited Delivery on Orders $300 and Up (Estimated 1-3 Days)
Our secure shipping service operates Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For security reasons, an adult signature is required for for orders over $300 USD. Watches of Switzerland does not deliver to P.O. boxes or third-party forwarding services. For more information about delivery, click here. Tracking information will be made available upon shipping.
*Additional shipping fees may apply to domestic orders shipped outside the continental United States.
$15 Flat Fee on Orders Under $300 (Estimated 1 - 2 weeks)
Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information about delivery, click here. Tracking information will be made available upon shipping.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your order, please contact the Watches of Switzerland Client Services.
Free Expedited Delivery
Easy Returns
Our commitment to you does not end at delivery. We offer the following return services to make your experience as pleasant as possible.
10-Day Returns For Timepieces:
Timepieces purchased online can be returned or exchanged within 10 days from when they are shipped or collected.
30-Day Returns For All Other Purchases:
All other online purchases can be returned or exchanged within 30 days from when they are shipped or collected.
On presentation of the original receipt, your purchases may be returned or exchanged at any of our store locations. Alternatively, you may elect shipping to our facility with all the original paperwork. All refunds must be credited to the same tender used for the original purchase. To return the online purchases through secure shipping service, please contact our client service team who will provide you the shipping label, free of cost*.
All returns or exchanges must be in new, unworn condition, with no scratches or markings, not sized or adjusted and in their original packaging and with warranty cards / certificated and instruction booklets.
*For order under $300 and all international returns:
Return Shipping: Clients are responsible for shipping items back to our U.S. facility, including all associated costs such as duties, taxes, and carrier fees.
Refunds/exchanges only in the country of purchase.
Please refer to our Return Policy for details on eligible items, return timeframes, and conditions.
Easy Returns
Unknown Gruen Curvex 'Sovereign' - (Ref. 40992507 AS1891) Product Details
Overall Condition: Very good condition overall. Case shows wear consistent with age and gentle handling. Dial and matching handset show even patination.
One of the most famous curved wristwatch is without a doubt the Gruen Curvex, which was introduced in 1935 and almost single-handedly saw Gruen through the Great Depression.
Thanks to strategic partnerships with Swiss companies like Rolex and movement manufacturer Aegler, Gruen had enjoyed success with its doctor’s watch, the Techni-Quadron (which Rolex marketed as the Prince in Europe and the British Empire). But the brand also earned a reputation for innovation in aesthetics. Throughout the 1920s, Gruen experimented with different movement and watch designs, including the Quadron, which housed a tonneau-shaped movement in a rectangular case.
But after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the U.S. watch industry took a massive hit. Sales of watches went down from five million to only 800,000 a year. Gruen, which was once ranked in the top tier of the watch industry, found itself selling watches at lower price points.
Despite the economic setbacks and political changeovers, the brand was poised for a comeback—which came in the form of this watch, the Curvex.
Gruen had actually applied for a patent for a curved movement in 1929, through its Bienne-based agent, Emile Frey. It was granted to Frey in 1932, but assigned to Gruen. Accordingly, the movement designers at the Precision Factory set to work designing what would become a revolutionary watch movement: the Calibre 311.
The Curvex that we offer here features the Calibre 330, a movement that is notable for being longer, thinner, and more curved than its predecessor the Calibre 311. Many watches bearing this calibre would be marketed as “Custom Curved” in advertisements. Moreover, the boxes that they came in would be curved as well, to show off the shape of the watch inside.
This particular Curvex, the ‘Sovereign’, dates to circa 1941. Made from 14K yellow gold, yielding a lemony tone, the watch measures 45mm in length, and once retailed for $87.50! At its time, this watch was the peak of fashion and trend, but today, it constitutes a wonderful heritage callback to a bygone era.
This beautiful piece features a stunning 'Breguet' dial and handset, and is in exceptional condition for its age.
Own a piece of horological history with this Gruen!
General
Condition
Pre-owned
Brand
Unknown
Reference
40992507 AS1891
Year
1940s
Family
Curvex 'Sovereign'
Product Code
40992507
Watch Display
Analog
Case
Case Size
20 mm
Case Material
Yellow Gold
Lug Width
14 mm
Dial
Dial Color
Silver
Movement
Type
Manual-winding
Bracelet
Bracelet Material
Leather
What People Are Saying
4.7 Average Star Rating
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Absolutely top notch service with Watches of Switzerland. My watch was overnighted for free because it was over $300. On a Saturday, even! Impeccable.
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Great experience!
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Kevin Phillips was really helpful
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Easy transaction, fast shipping. . Literally got my item less than 24hrs from ordering.
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Customer service was spectacular. They upgraded my shipping to overnight so that my son's birthday gift would make it to us in time. Super responsive...
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