Picked this up a while ago and have been trying to figure it out for a while. Yellow gold with engraved lug tops. Case marked "Bulova New York" on the inside. Movement and case dated 1942.
My first thought was Aviator. We have 2 Aviator ads in the Db dated 1945 and 1946 for this case with engraved lugs. After digging, I found one Canadian ad from 1944 naming watch as Warrior, using the same graphics as the 1945 ad with an ID of Aviator.
In the Db, we have similar with numbered seconds tracks or different number font ID'd as Aviator "B". All date to the 45/46 ads or later. There is also one identical to this
https://mybulova.com/watches/1942-aviator-8821
with unnumbered seconds track. This one
https://mybulova.com/watches/1946-aviator-6443?page=1
has links to off site ads dated 1940 and 1941 identifying as Aviator. However, these ads are grainy/dark and it is difficult to tell if lugs are engraved or not in the ads
Aviator "B" or Warrior?
Well Jim, that ad certainly confuses it. Now, per ads in the Db and beyond , we have the first documented verified 15J Aviators as unengraved in rose gold. We have an ad dated 1945 calling it Aviator, One ad from MN as Aviator(first calling out engraving) dated 1946
an ad from Canada dated 1944 and one from NY dated 1945 calling it Warrior. I wonder if it's possible the 1940 and 41 ads off site are of the unengraved Aviator, it's hard to tell. Perhaps 1945 was a transition and the engraved Warrior was rolled over into the Aviator name, adding the engraved case to the name? Circa 1942 to Early 1945 Warrior, late 1945 to 46 and beyond - Aviator (46 called out as engraved Aviator in ads as opposed to previous unengraved?)
The NY Warrior ad seems to confirm a US model name as opposed to a Canadian name for a US watch. By available ads, it looks to me like the engraved Warrior became the Aviator "B" in late 1945 with subtle dial changes.
Just thinking out loud.
My vote is 1942 Warrior
Excellent ad find, Jim!
In reply to I say it's Aviator, Advert… by Geoff Baker
In reply to I'm finding a number of 1948… by mybulova_admin
My thoughts as well. Original Aviator was unengraved rose gold. Based on available ads, at some point in 1945, Rose gold unengraved Aviator became Aviator"A" and Warrior (engraved yellow) became Aviator "B", hence the 1946 ad calling out "engraved Aviator" ( a "new" Aviator model).
Per examples in the Db, 1945 dated Aviator "B" and later shows face with "7" having hook at bottom. Warrior has straight leg "7". It appears that the first engraved Aviator ads (45/46) recycled the graphics for the Warrior, showing straight leg "7".
Take note of hand placement in ads. Aviator "B" ads use same graphics except the minute hand appears slightly longer and thicker to partially cover the bottom of the "7" . Pretty clever.