[Steven Davison]

Good afternoon all,

Can anyone enlighten me as to the era/origin of this watch ?.

I can't find any details anywhere except that it was manufactured maybe between 1990 and 1994 and is fitted with an ETA 2824-2.

I have no clue as to grade of movement, elabore, etc....

Is it worth adding to a collection of German timepieces ?.

Many thanks

Steven

 

[Guest]

Can anyone enlighten me as to the era/origin of this watch ?

I can't find any details anywhere except that it was manufactured maybe between 1990 and 1994 and is fitted with an ETA 2824-2.

The watch is pre-1994 and was made when France Ebauches had the say in Glashütte.
France Ebauche once owned the Glashütte Original after the Wall came down. GO was sold by the "Treuhand" to the French movement manufacturer France Ebauches SA. This company tried to save itself from bankruptcy by means of German know-how and the cheap labour in Eastern Germany. The new selfwinding movement (later known as the GUB 10-30) should compete with the Swiss movements produced by ETA, and was therefore developed specifically with a high momentum and maximum universality in mind. Before the short-time owner of the Glashuette watch manufactory had to develop a new movement, they found already a good movement in Glashuette: In 1978, the "Volkseigener Betrieb" (=People's owned company) Glashuetter Uhrenbetriebe (GUB) brought out their last completely new construction, the cal. 11-26, dubbed Spezichron.

This Spezichron was modernized in several steps under control of first the France Ebauches, then the Treuhand-Anstalt, and finally of Heinz W. Pfeifer, until it found its way as cal. 10-30 into the new watches of Glashuette Original. Under control of the Treuhandanstalt, which, from 1990 to 1994, took over the former East German state-owned companies and sought to bring them into the private sector, the movement cal. 10-30 was completed and used in a new and very cheap line of watches after 1993.

In 1994 Glashütte Original was established.

I have no clue as to grade of movement, elabore, etc....

Standard, no blued screws, nothing.

Is it worth adding to a collection of German timepieces ?

As a witness of time ? YES.

The pre-1994 Glashütte watches have been made in a wide variety but not in large numbers. Some have been produced with "GUB" on the dial, some with Glashütte. The GUB Flieger with ETA 2824-2 and rotating bezel usually fetches about 300 to 400 Euro on ebay.de.

 

[Steven Davison]

Mike, never mind Will Smith, YOU are Legend !. Thankyou for the information.

Your information was positive enough for me to buy the watch last night from the German seller.

Just one further question - where do ETA fit into this equation and for how long did French Ebauches SA utilise ETA movements in these watches ?. Why did they not use the Spezichron in there ?.

Many thanks, Mike.

Kind regards

Steven

 

[Guest]

Mike, never mind Will Smith, YOU are Legend !. Thankyou for the information.

Your information was positive enough for me to buy the watch last night from the German seller.

Just one further question - where do ETA fit into this equation and for how long did French Ebauches SA utilise ETA movements in these watches ?. Why did they not use the Spezichron in there ?.

Many thanks, Mike.

Kind regards

Steven

Complicated question to be honest. During the "Treuhand" period not much has been recorded, there are not much witnesses to find. My take is that they don`t used the Spezichron as such because the GUB had stopped production. I assume there haven`t been much in stock to begin with. A fast solution was required to save France Ebauche from bankruptcy - ETA ! The Glashütte watchmakers tried to "pimp" the Spezichron but time was running out for France Ebauche. I spent a lot of time those days in the former GDR, especially in the "Erzgebirge" and in Glashütte. I don`t even remember a catalogue. If there would have been a catalogue I obtained one ;-).
I do own the very first catalogues of Glashütte Original showcasing the first watches with the new GUB 10-30. Got those catalogues from a former GUB AD who closed down his business in the eastern part of Germany. The catalogue consists of a wide variety of watches serving all needs. Some watches had an additional printing on the dial - Spezimat (see pics).
Some were stainless steel, some gold plated, some came with bracelet, some with straps. I remember a titan flieger with a golden crown. I drove from Wiesbaden to Munich to get hold of this very rare watch, sold it later, now regreting.:-| The simple stainless steel watches with the GUB 10-30 retailed for 495 German Mark those times. If you are the lucky guy to fetch one on ebay you have to pay about 1000 Euro now, which is more than double.

I added some pics. GUB watches= ETA 2824-2, all other = GUB 10-30 (later GO 39).

 

[Steven Davison]

Thankyou Mike -again a fantastic response and very helpful.

495 Marks ?. At that time there were about 3 marks to the pound sterling so they were very, very cheap !.

I like the fact that the history surrounding the ETA debacle is vague. Makes the watch a little more interesting to me. You are correct though - it does seem to indicate a company desperate to get a dependable product out of the door and invoiced.

I'd truly love a modern GO Senator (like the one you have) but there are a few 'grails' in front of that. This GO will, hopefully, provide a stopgap and I'm happy with the 320 Euros or so that I paid.

Again, many thanks Mike.

Kind regards

Steven

 

[G Shock]

:-!:-!:-! the third and the fourth are great vintage watch.

Classic Glashutte watch.Its '80s or '70s?

 

[Guest]

Classic Glashutte watch.Its '80s or '70s?

Sorry to say that but read my posts and you will know.

 

[G Shock]

I read it but i can't understand my english is not so good to understadnd some meanings.Can you explain me?:thanks

 

[Guest]

Pic 1,2,3 are watches made after 1994.

Pic 4 and 5 are before 1994.

So none is made in the 80ties or 70ties as you assumed.

 

[Baker2000]

not a bad ideal.

 

[G Shock]

Pic 1,2,3 are watches made after 1994.

Pic 4 and 5 are before 1994.

So none is made in the 80ties or 70ties as you assumed.

are these in market? or they have it in the central?

 

[Guest]

All models are discontinued. You might fetch them on ebay from time to time or elsewhere on the 2nd hand market. No stock.