Tropical 1960s Gruen Ocean Chief Diver W/ Box

As an American watch company based in Ohio, Gruen produced cleverly designed timepieces that housed Swiss-made movements, and the brand was once the largest watch company in the entire United States. In competing with other American watch manufacturers such as Hamilton, Elgin, and Bulova, Gruen's catalog grew to be extensive, diverse, and at some points, quite eccentric. Over the years a number of Gruen pieces have even become quite rare and devotedly sought after, such as this beautiful tropical Ocean Chief Diver.

Originally released in the 1950s the Ocean Chief represents everything great about dive watches from this early sports watch era. From the unique dial configuration and creative "snakehead" hands to the concave or "stadium" bezel and beads of rice bracelet, the Gruen Ocean Chief oozes golden-era design. The Ocean Chief was produced in two variants, a 23 jewel version for the European market, and a 17 jewel movement for the American market. Although the Ocean Chief was primarily produced during the 1950s, a small number were still being produced in the very early 60s, which is where we date this specific model to.