Glashutte, Cal. GUB 09-20, Women’s Manual Wind

Copper-Salmon Dial with Graphic Black Hour Markers

The small dial uses a warm copper-salmon finish that works particularly well with the aged gold tone of the case. Broad black rectangular hour markers form a strong graphic ring around the dial, while matching dark hands keep the display simple and highly legible despite the compact dimensions. The flowing Glashütte signature occupies the upper half, with 17 RUBIS printed above 6 o’clock and MADE IN GERMANY along the lower edge.

The design is deliberately minimal, with no seconds hand, date display or additional complication competing with the compact proportions. The restrained two-hand layout gives the watch a jewelry-like quality while still making its mechanical identity clear through the traditional Glashütte signature and jewel-count marking.

21 mm Gold-Plated Cushion Case with Distinctive 1970s Shape

The gold-plated case measures approximately 21 mm across and 27 mm in length, creating the small proportions expected of a 1970s ladies’ watch while using a much stronger shape than a conventional round case. Its broad cushion outline surrounds a small circular dial opening, with softly faceted edges and brushed surfaces giving the case an architectural appearance despite its miniature size.

Visible age and light surface wear remain on the gold-plated finish, consistent with an original vintage case rather than a freshly refinished exterior. A new black leather strap has been fitted at the narrow 10 mm lugs, keeping the visual focus on the warm case and dial while making the watch immediately wearable. The strap is a modern replacement and is clearly separate from the original watch components.

GUB Cal. 09-20 — Miniature 17-Jewel Hand-Wound Movement

Inside is the in-house GUB Cal. 09-20, a compact 17-jewel hand-wound movement developed for small ladies’ watches. Despite its miniature dimensions, the caliber uses a conventional lever escapement and operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour, giving it a more sophisticated mechanical construction than the simple pin-lever movements found in many inexpensive ladies’ watches of the same period.

The movement has been fully serviced and is currently running at approximately -10 seconds per day under present test conditions. That figure represents the watch’s current measured performance rather than a permanent accuracy guarantee. A 12-month movement warranty is included, and buyers interested in similarly traditional mechanics can browse other manual-wind vintage watches.

East German Glashütte Watchmaking from the GUB Era

This 1976 watch comes from the period when VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe, or GUB, was producing mechanical watches in Glashütte for both domestic and export markets. The 09-20 was one of the company’s characteristic small calibers and was used across compact wristwatches and jewelry-oriented formats, reflecting the ability of Glashütte engineers to miniaturize a conventional mechanical movement for the styling demands of the 1970s.

The appeal of this example lies in that combination of provenance and scale: genuine Glashütte manufacture, an original 17-jewel GUB movement, a distinctive gold-plated cushion case and unusually compact proportions, all preserved together in a fully serviced vintage watch.