Back in the '50s and '60s Helbros watches were advertised quite a bit. I got the impression at the time that they were like Elgin or Bulova. When I started collecting vintage watches regularly a few years ago, it became obvious Helbros had no following and was not a player among vintage watches.

 

I believe that is because they were like today Invicta, your never quite sure what your going to get, based on the name.

 

Great stuff.:-!

Of course, being a New York based company Helbros is virtually unknown in the UK. Just having a quick google, it seems that Helbros became a subsidiary of Elgin at some point. See: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_LM3AAAAIAAJ&q=helbros&dq=helbros&lr=&ei=UpuHSpjeE47ayASzytiUDg

http://www.ftc.gov/os/decisions/doc...isions/docs/vol75/FTC_VOLUME_DECISION_75_(JANUARY_-_JUNE_1969)PAGES_325-405.pdf

and there is an extract in a book about Helbros and spying/money channeling in WW2 here:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...C&pg=PA295&dq=helbros&lr=&ei=dpyHSt2YIZiQyQSjmsWEDg#v=onepage&q=helbros&f=false

(page 295)

A bit about Helbros electic watches:

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/make/helbros/helbros.php

 

Great stuff.:-!

Of course, being a New York based company Helbros is virtually unknown in the UK. Just having a quick google, it seems that Helbros became a subsidiary of Elgin at some point. See:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/decisions/doc...isions/docs/vol75/FTC_VOLUME_DECISION_75_(JANUARY_-_JUNE_1969)PAGES_325-405.pdf

and there is an extract in a book about Helbros and spying/money channeling in WW2 here:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...C&pg=PA295&dq=helbros&lr=&ei=dpyHSt2YIZiQyQSjmsWEDg#v=onepage&q=helbros&f=false

(page 295)

A bit about Helbros electic watches:

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/make/helbros/helbros.php

First the Court case is interesting but the date of 1969 and the named Elgin Watch Co being organized in Delaware suggests that it is more likely that Elgin was a division Helbros. The Elgin National Watch Company changed it's name to Elgin Industries and stopped making watches in the 1960's. It was also organizzed as an Illiinois company. I assume that the name was sold at some point but rest assured, that if the case would have been against Elgin Industries if it involved the earlier watch company.

The court case revolves around deceptive trade practices in the sale of watchs specifically the advertising and marking of the watchs with prices for more than there actual trade value. This would be consistant with a value/affordale marketing strategy.

The spying charges are interesting but the fact that they were an agent, for the US Goverment, procuring Swiss watches for the war effort fits with the contract manufacturer profile I posted.

You do put in doubt the date that Helbros and Jules Jurgensen became associated. The fact that Jules Jurgensen is now an American compay just brings forward the question just who controls who.

 

Fair enough. Hopefully someone with definitive knowledge will drop by - you never know.:-!

 

Helbros supposedly stands for "Helvetic Brothers" and was a Chicago based company and is still in business. You can find out who currently owns it and further information of this sort through the several different commercial watch associations that exist in the USA.

As a rule, they used good quality movements and were similar, if smaller than Benrus.

 

Helbros supposedly stands for "Helvetic Brothers" and was a Chicago based company and is still in business. You can find out who currently owns it and further information of this sort through the several different commercial watch associations that exist in the USA.

I thought the name comes from "Helbein Brothers." Helbros. I have a Fontaine watch with a case that says "Helbein Bros Co" watch itself is in very bad condition though it works.

 

Helbros is owned by Jules Jurgensen here is a link to the history page of their website http://www.julesjurgensen.com/about.asp When a Swiss watchmaker moves to the US and starts assembling watches here. Yet they have a subsidiary, for which that was the business model for many years, isn't resonable to wonder just who's management is in charge.

 

Perhaps, there are just fewer of them. Mine was appraised at $850 in 2009 and it is a beauty. I've also seen others and it seems to me as though it is a collected vintage watch, just like the others.

 

According to the trademark registry, the trademark for "Helbros" was assigned to "The Elgin National Watch Company" in 1968, and was reassigned back to "Helbros Watches Inc" in 1974. There's another trademark listed for "Helbros Regency" which was registered in 1947 by "Helbros Watch Company Inc", that was also assigned to Elgin in 1968, and back to Helbros Watches in 1974. The last registration linked to "Helbros Watches" was in 1991, and it was canceled in 1998. All the "old" registrations for Helbros died (weren't renewed or were canceled) by 1991 or 1998, with the exception of the registration for "Helbros Invincible". That one was registered in 1981, and wasn't cancled until 2002. A new trademark was registered by Jules Jurgensen in 2001, but was abandoned. Another one was registered in 2005 (again by Jules Jurgensen) and is the only "live" registration in the system.

The list of assignments shows an interesting blip though. In 1992, many of the trademarks got reassigned to something called "Congress Financial Corporation", and and then reassigned to "Helbros International Inc" in 1993.

 

I still have 68 Helbros 1940-60 simple mechanical w.w. in very fine condition. Came from a fussy collector. In my part of the world Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake Helbros had big dedicated watch and jewelry stores at central addresses. 1950+&- they sold a great variety of w.w. so the customer had choice from cheap to $100s. Famous diamond jewelry business Herzberg used Helbros. I have one. Thus a great variety of qualities with the cheapest obviously greatly outselling their best. So little collector demand. For any prospective purchase critically inspect the movement. Might be pleasantly surprised.

 

I recently was gifted a vintage helbros watch and was wondering if you have one similar and might be able to tell me of it is worth anything, I took the timepiece out to view the battery compartment and the entire timepiece came out which I am.going to bring into a watch repair/battery company to get a battery for.it.. should.i replace the face since it is cloudy or keep.it as is? Looking forward to your response. Sincerely Crystal

 

I spotted a Fontain watch on ebay about 6 months ago and although I know nothing about the brand I liked the looks of it and wanted it. Turned out somebody else (snyper) wanted it more than me. I've had an eye out for another one ever since but it turns out the decent ones are few and far in between. Last week I spotted another one and I am now the proud new owner of it as of today. I still don't know anything about them. Don't even know if this one has the correct movement that should be in it or how to date it. I like it anyway. It runs and I think it will look pretty good once I clean it up.

If anyone has any information they would care to share it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Looks a little like an ETA 390 or closely related calibre:

bidfun-db Archiv: Uhrwerke: ETA 390

Hartmut Richter

 

It looks practically identical. You're good at this Hartmut. Thank you.

 

Here is Fontain (a Helbros name, obviously!).

Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index

Here is Sorority.

Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index

So I think the movement is a replacement buddy.

Very good looker though, and with the style and the hands I would say late twenties, early thirties.

 

Thanks Bobbee. Since yesterday I found a Helbros ad from 1930. It shows Helbros, Sorority and Fontain watches. The Helbro were the top the line, the Sorority in the middle and the Fontain was the cheapest. All the Helbros were 17 jewel movements, the Sorority 15 jewel movements and Fontain 6 jewels. So it's most likely a movement swap but they kept it in the family. Lol!

 

Can we see that advert? You know what I'm like with adverts...

...any way, the movement says "Sorority Watch Co.", and that company was based in Boston, while Helbros was New York.
A Google search shows several pics of Ladies Sorority Watch Co. watches, and some collector site examples.

Have fun cleaning and polishing, I know you like that part of collecting best! ;-)

 

The ad is on ebay Bobbee so I'm not going to post it but you can look at it here: 1927 Advertisement Helbros Wrist Watch Sorority Fontain Strap Watch | eBay

 

IMO Helbros is much like the vintage brand Gruen.
My uncle left me a 10 karat yellow gold Gruen.
It looked girlish, and to top it off it had a square case.

Never liked watches below 38mm. So Mr Gruen sat and sat and

Now a daughter has the watch. Still ticking.

X traindriver Art

 

I picked up a square-dialed Helbros 25j automatic for $10 today at an estate sale.

I know nothing of the brand, but I remember having seen a nice Helbros in WRUW on the Ω-Forums, so I thought it might be worth something more than $10!

I'll open the back, and post up some picks tonight...

 

Here's the pics of my Helbros I nabbed today, running and keeping good time thus far. The square case is 28mm wide, 36mm lug-lug.

At the very bottom of the dial, it is written 'West Germany', and the movement is also marked with 'Germany', so, here we have a 'West German' Helbros!

 

What you have looks like the Helbros "Rhodes" model from 1963.

 

A nice clean PUW (Pforzheimer Uhrenwerke) Ca. 1260:

bidfun-db Archiv: Uhrwerke: PUW 1260

Hartmut Richter

 

A nice clean PUW (Pforzheimer Uhrenwerke) Ca. 1260:

bidfun-db Archiv: Uhrwerke: PUW 1260

Hartmut Richter

Thank you, so much for the ID and link, Hartmut...

You are most invaluable!

 

I'm wondering about the latter-day quartz Helbros watches. Would they be the equivalent of Timex? Or more like Citizen, in regards to quality of movement?

Thanks

 

Helbros stands for HELbein BROS (Brothers), founded 1913 in New York, USA with a subsidiary in Switzerland, the Helbein Freres & Cie, Geneva (established 1918).
Here is some info:

https://forgottenwatchbrands.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/helbros-watches/

Helbros - Electric Watches

 

My vintage. Probably late 60s, early 70s. Interesting form factor... Watch is egg shaped, not round. Self-winding 17 jewels day-date. Keeps time to a minute. Swiss made.

 

Forgot to add the image. Lol

 

I have several Hebros' but try to collect mostly those marked "West Germany" on the dial with PUW movements since they generally can be dated to a period (post WWII to reunification). I also collect newer (at least I think they are newer) watches because I like the faces.

Since I'm new to this I have several questions:
Does anyone know the period of time Helbros used French movements or manufactured in France (movement stamped FRANCE) ?

Can anyone shed some light on the history of the Invincible line(?) of watches. One place cited advertising 1949 and another when it was registered as a trade mark in the US in the 1980's. I think the earlier date is correct but it was not trade marked the US in the 1980's by Jules Jurgensen.

Are West German and Germany printed on the dials of the same period or are "Germany" watches later?

Any other tips for dating would be appreciated: e.g. red vs. black "h" logo, swirl (mainspring?) vs. no swirl under logo or between 8 and 4, etc.

Thanks in advance.

One of my favorites attached, really like the highly stylized numbers.

 

Great watch - my mom gave my father one when they were married, and he wore it every day for 25 years or more before he gave up and went with a Timex. He liked the indiglo. Anyway, I now have his old Helbros -- and the font is just like yours. I believe it's a mid-1960s Helbros "Fleet" and I'm hoping to do a restoration on it. Probably won't be able to make it look brand news, but it will surely run better.

 

Some of my hel's

 

Greetings,

I have a Helbros Mickey Mouse watch. It has a seventeen jewel Swiss movement and a chromed stainless case. Two questions, when was the watch made and what band(s) or bracelet(s) was it sold with?

Any information on either point would be appreciated,

 

Welcome to Watchuseek! Some pictures might help us give more information. The most famous brand for "Mickey Mouse" watches was Ingersoll who brought them out in the thirties, mainly to help children learn how to read watches (it made it more fun for them). But those had cheap pin lever movements whereas yours seems to be of a higher grade.....

Hartmut Richter