Description
VTG 1940's Benrus AR1 Mens Watch • Gold Numbers/EggshellDial/Sub-Seconds
Stamped Serial Number 623402 on the back (see photos #3-4).
This Beautiful wind-up watch is pre-loved and missing the wind-up knob (see photo #5). This has been sitting in a jewelry box for a number of years and is ready for a new home. Just install the missing wind-up knob and you will have a beautiful working timepiece over 80 years old.
This will be carefully packed in a carton, for secure delivery to you.
The photos are of the ACTUAL watch, in this exact condition shown in the photos, that you will be receiving. Be sure to DOUBLE CLICK on each of the high resolution photos to see if you would like to own this piece of history.
Benrus was an prominent American watch company with
a
rich history spanning the 20th century, known for its combination of
Swiss movements and U.S. assembly, its military-grade timepieces, and
celebrity endorsements. The brand was revived in 2017 and continues
today, focusing on reissues of its iconic models. Founding and Early Years
- Establishment: Benrus was founded in 1921 in a Manhattan, New York City, by three Romanian-American brothers: Benjamin, Oscar, and Ralph Lazrus. The name "Benrus" was a portmanteau of the first syllable of Benjamin's first name and the last syllable of his last name.
- Business Model: The company's strategy was to import high-quality Swiss-made mechanical movements from their factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and case them in the U.S., primarily in a Waterbury, Connecticut factory.
- Innovation and Marketing: Benrus quickly gained popularity through innovative designs like the "Dial-o-Rama" jump hour watch and high-profile celebrity endorsements from figures like Charles Lindbergh and Babe Ruth.
The Golden Age (WWII through the 1960s)
- WWII Contribution: During World War II, Benrus experienced significant growth by manufacturing timing devices for bombs and other military use under top-secret government contracts, while also continuing to sell watches to civilians.
- Military Supplier: Benrus had a long history of supplying watches to the U.S. military, from WWII through the Vietnam War. Iconic models like the DTU-2A/P field watch (issued during the Vietnam War) and the Type I and Type II diver watches (used by Navy SEALs and Army Rangers) are highly collectible today.
- Peak Success: By the early 1950s, Benrus became the third-largest watch company in the United States, behind only Bulova and Elgin.
Decline and Bankruptcy
- Ownership Change: In 1967, Oscar Lazrus (who had become the sole owner after his brothers' retirements and deaths) sold the company to Victor Kiam.
- The Quartz Crisis: The company struggled to compete with the influx of inexpensive, reliable Japanese quartz watches in the 1970s. Despite efforts to diversify into other products and military contracts, the company faced significant financial hardship.
- Bankruptcy: Benrus filed for bankruptcy in 1977 and again in 1981, after which the brand name was sold off and passed through several different owners, losing its original manufacturing identity.
