SHOCKER.. the 1940-41 Lone Eagle A?!!

Submitted by plainsmen on February 16, 2011 - 12:49am

Hey Gents this is really awesome!

I got this ad from a 1940-41 Sears Catalog recently uncovered... sorry the quality doesn't get any better than this.

Either Sears sent out this catalog with 1 error to thousands and thousands of people,  or the Lone Eagle A... was produced in 1940-41!!

plainsmen
Posted February 16, 2011 - 1:19am

Oh and by the way.... all the other pictures/watches match knowns.  So everything else would be correct with this ad... the Dean.... the Alexander... the Ranger and the Beacon...

Wayne Hanley
Posted February 16, 2011 - 1:38am

In reply to by plainsmen

Plains

You should not have dug that one up.......Fifth is gonna go on a rampage and try to change all of the 1939-40 Ambassadors to Lone Eagle 4. LOL

Wayne

plainsmen
Posted February 16, 2011 - 2:01am

In reply to by Wayne Hanley

Mua.... Muaahh... Muahahahahahahaha!!!  [/mad scientist laugh]

Acutally... I dunno... we have 2 examples of the Ambassador A in the database.  They're different than Old Tickers below... which seems to match better with the above ad.

Of course... maybe Tickers is the Lone Eagle B... engraved.. and the other ones we have are the Lone Eagle A's unengraved?  After a second look they sure look like the above watch ad as well.

 

OldTicker
Posted February 16, 2011 - 9:18am

In reply to by plainsmen

Neat Plains!

Every day is a adventure with Bulova...

Can't tell from the ad, is there engraving next to the crystal? or is that the seconds tracks? The band is a dead ringer!

shooter144
Posted October 7, 2011 - 10:20pm

In reply to by plainsmen

Mine matches this exactly (bracelet included) except it isnr engraved :(

mybulova_admin
Posted February 16, 2011 - 6:06am

Oh Dear

FAIL!!!

plainsmen
Posted February 16, 2011 - 6:19am

Hahaha!!  It's like seeing the 1960's Ford Mustang muscle cars followed up by the Mustang II of the early 70's..... boooo!  It just hurts the eyes.

Your going to have to addendum your Lone Eagle Story..... sadly.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted February 16, 2011 - 8:55am

Typo.

...and not the first.

IMO.

plainsmen
Posted February 16, 2011 - 9:31am

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Sweet!  Show me all your 1940-41 Ambassador A ads that refute this....

OldTicker
Posted February 16, 2011 - 7:53pm

Plains,

40-41 Sears full catalog? Must be a fall issue, I will keep my eye out for that one and others, auction sale season is about to start up here..

I also talked to a couple of local jewelry store owners today that were/are Bulova dealers, and while they were not owners in the 40's era, they are going to check and see if they have any info from the past relating to Bulova that may be in storage. I am going to visit one guy on Saturday, so I have my fingers crossed and hope to have some tidbits this weekend.

This may be the only way left to get info on these watches and I would encourage others to make a few phone calls to local jewlers/watchmakers in your area, the 2 gents I talked to today seemed more than happy to answer my questions and very interested helping.

Greg

plainsmen
Posted October 7, 2011 - 8:49am

In reply to by mybulova_admin

Though.. who knows?

During the exact same time there were two seperate watches with the same name.... the Rangers...

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:29pm

In reply to by mybulova_admin

This ad clearly missing the rings on the lugs...the Sears ad clearly shows them...other than that it looks the same, but do we have any specs on size or crystal? Untill we do we cannot speculate that the Lone Eagle A isnt a Lone Eagle A just because of an ad that looks the same and nothing else to back it up, especially when all else does match up on the Lone Eagles...

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted October 7, 2011 - 9:00am

BS.

GS Crystal has confirmed the 1940-41 Lone Eagle existance.

Does the 'ENGINEER' have a Stainless Steel Caseback as described in the LE ad?

What are its Case dimensions?

Crystal dimensions?

Obviously it doesn't take the same Glass as the 1940-41 'LONE EAGLE' and I'm fairly confident GS doesn't name their Watch Glass from vintage ads.

2 different Watches Gents.

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:58pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Ok, all three of mine measure 24.93 ishx29.27 ish case size  and 23.89 ish x18.0 ish chrystal using mitutoyo self calibrating calipers, the case size does not match the Ambasador and the crystal specs match the GS MT 346-23 Lone Eagle crystal package posted here  www.mybulova.com/watches/1942-unknown-2320

Compare those measurements to the Engineer if anyone has them.

 

plainsmen
Posted October 7, 2011 - 9:01am

It's been suggested by Greg that the Engineer would be the smooth bezel one as seen in the new ad... while the LE would be the one with the etched bezel?

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:02pm

In reply to by plainsmen

I think its the other way around Jerin as per all of our earlier debates....my 3 are all smooth and as Ive posted, correct to add (cept for the gold back ) and your crystal snapped tightly in as it should.

Lone Eagle A

Now..stop frettin over this and find out what my fancy smancy 51 unk is www.mybulova.com/watches/1951-unknown-3034 please please with a new 4 wheeler on top !!!!!

OldTicker
Posted October 7, 2011 - 9:50am

It seems that the Engineer is missing the rings near the lug ends that are shown on the LE-V ad, so they are different watches. 

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted October 7, 2011 - 9:52am

Greg,

'ENGINEER' is most likely a 17J in the 'AMBASSADOR' size Case.

plainsmen
Posted November 6, 2011 - 12:32pm

Ah HA!  Thanks to some kind seller I found a better copy!

plainsmen
Posted November 6, 2011 - 8:44pm

Nobody loves my new ad.

simpletreasures
Posted November 6, 2011 - 8:53pm

I like it, and why is it when we're confronted with a new ad that doesn't fall in line with previous "assumptions" we're quick to dismiss them as "printing errors"????????

Just remember the definition of assumptions!

Wayne Hanley
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:28pm

In reply to by simpletreasures

Bulova Rule Number One - Don't assume anything!

However, having been in the technical publishing bidness, it's amazing how stuff get's mis-labled, with 4 levels of quality assurance.  Bulova has not produced the same watch (hardware) having two different names, Even Bulova wouldn't do that.  Study the Ranger thing and it's a phase-in, phase-out thing. If somebody turns up an Engineer watch per the ad, how are they goeing to tell the difference.

Typo!

OldTicker
Posted November 6, 2011 - 8:59pm

It is much more clearer now!! or is it?? Lone Eagle "A", or Lone Eagle V Looks like another chapter in the Lone Eagle story.

I am trying to find my old post on the interpretation of the old blurry ad script to see how close I was...

simpletreasures
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:04pm

OT, that's definitely a "A".

OldTicker
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:09pm

In reply to by simpletreasures

Lol,

Yep, its an "A", but it is also a "V"  or 5th in the Lone Eagle Series of watches.

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:18pm

So then whats the above pic with the engraving??  I have 3 of these, 2 gold back and one stainless or the other way around lol. All have exactly the same measurements and the crystal labeled Lone Eagle a fits perfectly in all of them. Only one has that exact band, other two are without. (gold back came with the band)

Nice find Plains ! Now find my other two unks !!!!!

OldTicker
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:24pm

In reply to by shooter144

I think between you and I we might have the market cornered on these Chris...I also have 3 of them.

Lone Eagle "B"??

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:54pm

In reply to by OldTicker

Crystal measurements fit, so does the crystal, its ONLY named as the Lone Eagle A on the crystal envelope ( I know that, in and of itself, is not conclusive ) all 3 measure exactly the same with my high dollar Mituyomahamutsosanuso calipers, one has the exact band as the add (other 2 have none) and all 3 look just like the ad and match the description (except for the gold back 1 year off from the add I think)....how much more do we really need???? I mean Really????

Lone Eagle A

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:15pm

In reply to by OldTicker

We now have 1........uhhh yea...and a crystal that fits...labeled correctly...

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:22pm

In reply to by OldTicker

Uhhh plain....I thought lol who knows, too much bs conjecture going on to even try to keep up. I was discussing the plain bezel examples as I have.

simpletreasures
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:19pm

LOL, by the time we get done there may be 101 different versions, then Disney will get involved for patent infringement!

Either that or we'll find ourselves trying to claw our way out of the "rubber room" ;-)

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:34pm

Mine has a smooth bezel and a Stainless back, dated 1940, no worries here.

Carry on.

 : )

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 9:44pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

I like my gold back..

Carrying on.....

 :p>

As was once said..."If it fits" and it does...

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:20pm

I think we are getting stupid here just to keep our precious Lone Eagle Series in the 'COOL' category. These watches are Lone Eagles. Ad says so...crystal says so..only thing we have to refute it is oh boy it COULD be a Ranger...or an Ambassador..no wait we measured that one, doesnt fit the marked crystal...Have a Ranger to measure or a marked crystal to compare??? then we can argue it some more but until then, Its a LONE EAGLE A

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:32pm

I tried that theory in another thread dude, it didn't fly.

The descriptive text is the killer - 'Stainless Steel back'... and, the engraved Bezel could go either way, we've seen it as a named variant or as a completely different Model on many occaisions now.

shooter144
Posted November 6, 2011 - 10:33pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Yea well I gues we need some reality checks then, Bulova made a not so cool Lone Eagle...deal with it people. 

2 of mine have a ss back...so at least 2 of them ARE Lone Eagle A and one could be....Im done with this one lol

Thanx again for the waterproofing for my ORD and pffft on you for buying up all the hands Lmao I bet Ticker has some so there !!! HaHA !! I hope Ticker has some....

mybulova_admin
Posted June 17, 2012 - 8:29am

1940 Bulova Lone Eagle

Reading back how this post started off, you can really start to see how when you think you know it all, Bulova can bit you on the ar$.

:-)

JP
Posted June 17, 2012 - 9:17pm

I have two myself, one with ss back and one with gold. No engraving other than the rings at each end of lugs. The one with ss back has a short wire between lungs on both ends. I don't have a crystal to try to see if it fits but I can tell you that the crystal in the one watch is 24.23mm by 18.25mm measured by my vernier caliper with self zero set. So what do we have??

JP

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted June 17, 2012 - 10:14pm

John,

Possibly a humdinger.

The GS Crystal labeled 'LONE EAGLE' would fit into a 24.23mm by 18.25mm opening, but it wouldn't be quite right.

Can You measure both bezel openings and report?

mybulova_admin
Posted June 18, 2012 - 2:51am

The crystal packet shown above has a very different size than what you have just detailed. It would be good to find what the difference between the two are. Maybe the one with the larger crystal specs is the Engineer.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted June 18, 2012 - 7:36am

admin,

I agree.

The 'LONE EAGLE' has been described as having a Stainless Steel Caseback in one of the vintage ads. We have seen an example of this Watch with Gold Caseback dated 1939, the suggestion being that in the 1930's Bulova Watches did indeed have Gold backs transitioning to Stainless Steel in 1940.

I agree with this, but it does not explain away Shooters example of this Case dated 1942 with a Gold back.

 

JP
Posted June 18, 2012 - 4:54pm

17.85mm wide by 23.69mm long on the gold backed one. Serial number on gold backed one is 9818155 and the ss backed one is 0719557.  I have no movements in either one at this time.