Bulova 1946 Arline

Submitted by crockodillopig on January 2, 2013 - 9:24am
Manufacture Year
1946
Movement Model
5AB
Movement Date Code
Square
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
686984
Case shape
Square
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Ladies
1946 Bulova Arline watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
Bulova Watch
crockodillopig
Posted January 2, 2013 - 5:02pm

Sorry!

 

Within the accuracy allowed by me using a ruler...  The glass is square, each side measuring 11.1 - 11.2 mm 

 

Does that help?

Time Bandit
Posted January 2, 2013 - 5:14pm
crockodillopig
Dates are everything on these critters. Is it possible for you to pop off the caseback and verify the square vs. the L3 datecode on the movement?
I've looked at your movement pic magnified, and I'm not seeing a "square" anywhere.
crockodillopig
Posted January 2, 2013 - 5:41pm

Hmmm,

I see what you mean about the L3, but I saw on the "watchophilia" site that the "5AB" movement  was stopped in 1944, which led me to thinking was just a faded square..

I don't have any tools to get the back off myself unfortunately.

 

Thanks

 

William Smith
Posted January 2, 2013 - 6:17pm

now I'm thinking i see an L3 on mvnt too???

mybulova_admin
Posted January 2, 2013 - 6:47pm

I'd say its a square and along with the case serial number starting with a 6 would agree with the 1936 date. Other 5ABs I have seen are 1936 & 1940.

Ahh, I just noticed the "BULOVA' on the crown. I'm not sure of they did this in the 30s (could be a replacement crown though) Anyway have knowledge or experience with signed crowns and when they started being used?

At this stage this watch is 'Unknown'.

William Smith
Posted January 2, 2013 - 7:54pm

We have several examples of 5AB in the watch records through 1946.  I updated the mvnt database to reflect this.   Dr Ranfft gives a start date of 1936 without an end date.  His example picture is that of a 5AC dated 1949, but I used the known date from our youngest example (1946).  Don't know about the signed crown start date.

crockodillopig
Posted January 3, 2013 - 3:17am

I found this picture of  a different 5AB from 1936 on another site.  

Although THIS IS NOT MY WATCH, does the fact that the position and orientation of the square (on the clearer picture) matches my watch make any difference?

Shame we can't see the crown on this one!

mybulova_admin
Posted January 3, 2013 - 3:44am

Certainly confirms your watch is 1936. Now to find an advert giving a model name.

bobbee
Posted January 3, 2013 - 5:24am

1946 is my guess, as this is so similar to many of the styles of this year.

This Duchess ad from 1946 is almost exactly the same, but I can't tell if the diamond section has the same amount of stones or if it is flat or curved like the subject, but it shares the same strap mounts,,which are very unusual.

Also similar to the Carol in this 1946 ad.

http://www.mybulova.com/sites/default/files/vintage_ads/1946_AD6.jpg

Or even a "Her Excellency" variant, subject has a lot in common with these models in this 1947 ad.

http://www.mybulova.com/sites/default/files/vintage_ads/bulova-ad-1947-4.jpg