FW Kreis Berlin Clock Age Determination - Service Watches, Marine Watches
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FW Kreis, Berlin =
Jeweler / Watchmaker / Retailer (presumably a family business)
The name was:
on dials
occasionally works
printed
The actual watches came from:
Swiss movement manufacturers (AS, FHF, ETA)
German works (PUW, Durowe, Unitas)
Typical assignment:
| Type of work | Period |
|---|---|
| AS / FHF manual winding | ca. 1930–1960 |
| PUW / Durowe | ca. 1940–1970 |
| Unitas (6300 / 6497) | from about 1950 |
| ETA early calibers | from about 1950/60 |
Housing & Material
Chrome-plated brass → 1930s–1950s
Stainless steel → more common from the late 1950s onwards
Gold (585 / 14K) → often easily datable via German hallmarks
Shock protection (Incabloc) :
missing → mostly before 1940
present → mostly after 1945
Dial & lettering
Simple inscription "Kreis Berlin" without logo:
→ typical 1930s–1950s
Objective, understated design:
→ frequently 1950s–1960s
Applied indices:
→ mostly after 1950
Luminescent material
Radium (yellowish/brown, heavily aged):
→ ca. 1920–1955
Tritium (more uniform, duller):
→ from about 1955
Most of the well-known Berlin-based wristwatches originate from:
ca. 1935–1965
Focus:
Wilhelm Kreis was born on August 25 1885 born By 1915 until 1917 He performed his service in the German Army. On May 26 1917 Kreis submitted an application to the Royal District Court of Berlin-Mitte for the registration of his company into the commercial register. Business activities commenced on May 1st 1917 in the premises at Bozenerstr. 22 in Berlin-Schöneberg [ 1 ] . The newly founded company rented four rooms on the third floor of this commercial building. It was registered in the commercial register on July 3 1917 . Initially, Kreis employed two administrative staff (office and cashier) and six production workers.
Kreis bought the company during the First World War. Strasser & Rohde after Rohde from the company had withdrawn. He leased this 1918 to Paul Weis , who the Operation from circle after his death 1925 took over.
To 1921/22 Kreis bought the commercial building at Hardenbergstr. 20: the global economic crisis and inflation thus seemed to be over.
As Wilhelm Kreis 1924 When he died, his widow Pauline Kreis received ¼ and his son Francois René Kreis (born 1919) ¾ of the estate. The watchmaker was appointed as René Kreis's guardian (ward). Karl Riesler ordered. The widow Pauline Kreis married the merchant Benno Seidler in 1926.
Friedrich Wilhelm Kreis died on November 29 1924 .
Source: AI, Watchwiki
Post-war period 1948–1960
