# Gradus watches - just in.



## Jet Jetski (Feb 10, 2019)

Quietly unassuming - I spotted this one in an antique/vintage/junk paradise - googled them and looking at other sales convinced myself there was a good chance it had a 17j movement in and ... Bingo. I would say it could have done with a clean, and so could the box - why present something like that? But never in a million years did I think I would buy, let alone wear, a 30mm watch (except maybe a screw-back 2602 Pobeda that looks almost exactly like this - hmm... maybe some subliminal stuff going on), yet I don't like to take it off - just feels like part of my wrist already lol

[IMG alt="No photo description available." data-ratio="82.08"]https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69645405_152433659161213_5314891938535571456_o.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_oc=AQltvq8R2BtWpCsEqcXUmIrYzlg6pS8TtWqCZ7iw22GcxfIFauEjDFCM3ya_zr0yZGFtwHl4a3pyxJqSzQJNwbAW&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.xx&oh=3410c0ccdc14d55af74a3a1d829052b7&oe=5E0EADE6[/IMG]

[IMG alt="No photo description available." data-ratio="103.67"]https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/70757445_152426605828585_8407218449775853568_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_oc=AQlMe79jCnb78ls59D8nhJs1UPPI14mBa5Z1T_rt4lM4-ejyh8oZ17qunJmbiiYDpDEbAHYjL_QvXagC38bSwWvd&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.xx&oh=025b4c7af69d5259b059e930b08f963b&oe=5DF215F6[/IMG]

A.S. 984 (1002 - 11.5 ligne)

What is your favourite 'unsung' brand?


----------



## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Nice watch you have there. I like my Allaine and have enjoyed researching the company's history.



With Felsa 4004.


----------



## Jet Jetski (Feb 10, 2019)

spinynorman said:


> With Felsa 4004.


 I was hoping for shock protection too, but you can't have everything! Just very enjoyable to pick up an old watch with a nice even patina, not too overbearing.


----------



## Balaton1109 (Jul 5, 2015)

Jet Jetski said:


> Quietly unassuming - I spotted this one in an antique/vintage/junk paradise - googled them and looking at other sales convinced myself there was a good chance it had a 17j movement in and ... Bingo. I would say it could have done with a clean, and so could the box - why present something like that? But never in a million years did I think I would buy, let alone wear, a 30mm watch (except maybe a screw-back 2602 Pobeda that looks almost exactly like this - hmm... maybe some subliminal stuff going on), yet I don't like to take it off - just feels like part of my wrist already lol
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Neat little 1960s watch of a make not often seen nowadays. The mismatched jewel count on the dial and movement was not particularly uncommon on watches of that era, often put down to someone in the chain not having enough of the correct dials. I've also seen the Gradus name on other watch dials from the same period, but in a straight line block typeface and with every letter being the same size. Maybe from the same company, maybe not, I just don't know.

The original Gradus brand seems to have been registered in 1947 to Gladiator Watch Co. Ltd. of London and about whom I could never find any info. I assume they were merely distributors of these Swiss-made jobs. Anyway, my 32mm effort with its 17j AS 1686 says "Hi".

As for favourite "unsungs", I kinda really don't know where to start :hmmm9uh:

Regards.


----------



## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Thanks for starting this interesting thread, Jet @Jet Jetski. I have done a bit of preliminary research just to see if it is likely that Gradus might shape up to be a good topic for the Forum. However, as Balaton @Balaton1109 has also discovered, one reaches a dead-end almost as soon as one starts looking. This lack of any information is all too common when looking into little known watch brands/companies although, given the number of surviving Gradus pocket, pendant and wrist watches shown online, I would have expected some knowledge of Gradus watches to have seeped into the public domain.


----------

