Dueber Watch Case Mfg. Co.
Gladiator

Gladiator

The "Gladiator" grade was advertised by the Dueber Watch Case Mfg. Co. from c.1887-1891 as a 10K Gold-Filled case guaranteed for a duration of 20 years. At the time, the depiction of a gladiator was used as the company's primary trademark. In 1888, the company opened new offices in New York City with a large gilded gladiator statue outside to draw attention to the location. The company also manufactured a line of low-grade movements marked with the "Gladiator" name. During this era, the "Champion" grade was produced as a coin silver case, advertised c.1886-1888. Around 1892, Dueber rebranded the "Gladiator" case as "Champion," offering it in both 10K and 14K grades, also guaranteed for a duration of 20 years. An advertisement published in the January 20, 1892 issue of The Jewelers' Circular promoted both 10K and 14K variations of the "Gladiator" case. Then, a week later, the same advertisement was published with the "Champion" name instead of "Gladiator," representing the rebrand. It is difficult to determine whether a case is a "Gladiator" or "Champion" because the markings largely remained constant.

Database ID:	PWDB-431
Case Grade:	Gladiator
Material:	Gold-Filled
Gold Content:	10K
Guarantee:	20-Year
Introduced:	c.1887
Discontinued:	1892
Note:	1888BA: "Warranted to wear twenty years."
Original Papers:	Image Provided by Raja72
Original Advertisements:	Dueber Watch Case Ad Source: Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers' Monthly Journal, April 1888
Catalog Sources:	1877DFC 1878CYC 1880GHR 1880JAB 1880NHW 1882SFM 1883GHR 1883UNK 1884LSS 1885OY 1886HMS 1886RA 1887BHIA 1887LAM 1888BA 1888OY 1889BAM 1889EVR 1890AP 1890BA 1890CHK 1890JC05 1890OY 1890SFM 1891RR 1891SAC 1892ACR 1892BAC 1892CPS 1892WES 1893BFNA 1893BHIA 1893MCE 1893SAC 1894BA 1894BATM 1894NRC 1895OY 1895SFM 1896MF 1896OY 1897BB 1898MLMF 1899ACB 1899BHIA 1899SAC 1900BA 1900BHIA 1900LMC 1900NHW 1901BAC 1901OY 1902ACB 1902BATM 1902BB 1902MF 1903ACB 1903BAC 1903FDW 1903N76 1903ON 1904ACB 1904BA 1904LB 1904PWC 1905ACB 1905BAC 1905DH 1905FNCS 1905ON 1906ON 1906SRC 1907ACB 1907JVF 1907NAC 1907NBC 1907SFM 1908ACB 1909BAC 1910ACB 1911NG 1911OY 1911WJJ 1912COC 1912HA 1912NG 1912SFM 1912WJJ 1913FDW 1914ELD 1915ACB 1915ON 1915PWE 1916LCM 1917BA 1923CBN 1923ON 1925ASJ 1925CPS 1928ON 1932ON 1942WAG