Benrus 10K Rolled Gold Plate Bezel Wristwatch with Leather Strap, AS IS. Champagne rectangular face with numbers, the number 6 replaced by a circular second hand timer. 

We cannot guarantee the working condition of any timepiece. 

Size: 1 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. 

Benrus is an American watchmaking and lifestyle company founded as a watch repair shop in New York City in 1921 by Romanian-American Benjamin Lazrus and his two brothers. The name “Benrus” is a portmanteau of the founder’s name. In the late 1920s the company transitioned from watch repair to the manufacture of watchcases and assembly of completed watches using imported internal components from La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. During World War II the company switched to the manufacture of timing systems and fuses used in munitions. In the early 1950s Benrus failed in a hostile takeover of Hamilton, and subsequently lost a legal battle with Hamilton in which Benrus had acquired Hamilton stock for the stated purpose of investment but for the actual purpose of control. The decision in this case has become a part of the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Manual with regard to the establishment of preliminary injunctions in antitrust cases. In the 1960s the company introduced self-winding watches and entered into the automobile market with steering wheel-mounted self-winding clocks. Jerry Lewis became a pitchman for the company’s Belforte brand as they made forays into the film world as well. The company was sold to Victor Kiam, later of Remington Razors, in 1967. Over the next ten years the company suffered in competition against inexpensive Japanese wristwatches, adopting a strategy of diversification into military timepieces and costume jewelry. Nonetheless, Benrus filed for bankruptcy in 1977. The company emerged from this after a reorganization which involved entering into a joint venture agreement with the Wells and Roka Watch Company. Thereafter, the company marketed watches under the two tradenames of Benrus and Sovereign, but Benrus filed for bankruptcy once more in 1981 due to defaulting of its royalty payments. The Benrus brand was acquired by Clinton Watch Company of Chicago that same year, which renamed the business Benrus Watch Company. Irving Wein, the owner, brought Benrus distribution to large catalogs and retailers such as Walmart, Kmart, Sears, and JC Penney. By 1984 the company had taken on the name Wells-Benrus Corp. and was operating under a bankruptcy agreement where the company owed $12 million to Victor Kiam and sought to borrow additional funds to maintain operations. The Wells-Benrus company was based in Middlebury, Connecticut, and thrived during the late 1980s and 90s until it was sold to M.Z. Berger, a watch importer which had previously acquired the Elgin, Waltham, and Gruen brands. In 2015 Benrus hired Camille Kostek to become its brand ambassador in their transition into becoming a full-fledged lifestyle company. However, since then the company has been embroiled in legal disputes stemming from issues with businessman Giovanni Feroce not fulfilling his payment requirements for trademark licensing, leading to ongoing ownership conflicts.

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