Bulova 1933 Lone Eagle

Submitted by jabs on September 16, 2015 - 7:23am
Manufacture Year
1933
Movement Model
10AN
Movement Date Code
X
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
612507
Case Serial No.
3160777
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

1933 Lone Eagle, similar watch in database 1, 2

1933 Lone Eagle
1933 Bulova watch
1933 Bulova watch
1933 Bulova watch
1933 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
Alex
Posted September 16, 2015 - 10:06am

Based on the ad, looks like a nice Lone Eagle to me. 

JP
Posted September 16, 2015 - 12:10pm

Ditto

Geoff Baker
Posted September 17, 2015 - 6:10am

I like this model, we had a very spirited discussion over the validity of this advert.  As I recall, Gensler Lee is the only jeweler to use this version. 

Lone Eagle

mybulova_admin
Posted September 19, 2015 - 7:18am

Yes we agreed to tentatively identify this model as yet another Lone Eagle variant. Hopefully one day we can finally put this one to bed, but for now 1933 Bulova Lone Eagle it is.

William Smith
Posted September 19, 2015 - 8:04pm

The contest Trident model in some ads, but the Lone Eagle in the Ginsler Lee ads.  I think we found a few Gensler Lee ads from different newspapers, but don't remember for sure.

I'm good w/ tentative Lone Eagle.  Nice one!

mybulova_admin
Posted April 5, 2020 - 2:40am

I just happen to be wearing this watch today and was motivated into revisiting the model name discussion we had previously.

After years of searching I have finally found an alternate advert showing this watch as a different model.

Welcome the 1933 Bulova 'Bernard'. Note the black lines along the sides which I believe to be showing the side engravings. 

It's not confirmed but at least now we have another name to search. It's also the first time we have come across this name. Not sure were the 'famous' bit comes from.

It's also worth noting that this print is very different from both the many 'Contest' and 'Trident' adverts we see.

The advert is dated December 17, 1933 and appearing in the Evening Star on Page B-6.

1933 Bulova Bernard watch
 

Ok another advert found confirming the side engraving.

1933 Bulova Bernard watch

 

mybulova_admin
Posted April 11, 2020 - 6:12am

Adding further to this the following observations:

The two watches entered by Geoff (White and Yellow set), has a sub-second design the same as the Lone Eagle adverts.

The other two examples we have show the Bernard sub-second design.

The notion that we have no 1933 adverts or watch examples of the known LE's is correct.

So maybe just maybe what we are seeing here is a Bobbee originally theorised, and that is the initial release of a new LE model around September 1933, then the timely withdrawal by Bulova due to the kidnappering event, and then the subsequent rebadged release of the watch as the Bernard.