Bulova 1953 Seabee

Submitted by bobbee on June 1, 2012 - 4:41am
Manufacture Year
1953
Movement Model
10BUC
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
246166
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Added "F" designation as this watch follows all criteria in adverts, page 8, image 19. Will update with more pics and info when watch arrives. In need of a lot of work to case, but watch is running. 1 fifth second gradations to dial register. Radium numbers and hands, red seconds hand.

EDIT:- Caseback will not come off, so looked further and the bezel is removable, as in pics. Could not take out stem as should come out in two parts, male and female, but won't. After letting mvmnt. drop partially out, I could see inside for info, and caseback reads, "BULOVA WATCH CO. SWISS, 53,   246166."  L3 on mvmnt. BXW, 10 BUC, 17 jewels. Running smoothly and keeping very good time. Length lug tip to lug tip is 37mm. Width minus crown is 30mm. lug gape is 16mm.

EDIT:- Name change to "Seabee" as watch is on leather strap, as per 1953 ad. 

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
Bulova Watch
bobbee
Posted June 1, 2012 - 7:46am

No stars either side of "Watertite", Mark. Seen any more like this?

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted June 1, 2012 - 8:00am

Bob,

Good observation.

 

I'd list the Watch as a generic 'WATERTITE'.

bobbee
Posted June 1, 2012 - 8:09am

Why?

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted June 1, 2012 - 11:41am

The ad for the 'F' variant specifically states expansion bracelet.

bobbee
Posted June 28, 2012 - 6:18am

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

1953 ad states watch is either "Water-tite M" on expanding band, or "Seabee" on leather strap, as per sub text.

bobbee
Posted June 3, 2012 - 6:23am

Ha! I refuse to go down that road, Mark.

EDIT:- Then again, if you look at image 22, page8, there is a Watertite "F" chrome plated, expansion band, 17 jewels, index no. 45 WN 546 T, and below it says "Similar 15 jewels, leather strap, index no. 45 WN 545 T. No change to the letter designation, only different index nos. This is for the same year as the ad mentioned above.

On the same ad is the "Duo-wind G", RGP case, S/S back, expansion band, index no. 45 WN 543T. Below that it says 45 WN 544 T "Watertite E", similar but S/S water-resistant case, leather strap, all luminous dial.

I put it that the letter designation after some, if not all, watch names is for the case and/or dial, not the band.

William Smith
Posted June 1, 2012 - 3:52pm

Looking forward to more pictures when you get the watch Bobbee.

bobbee
Posted June 8, 2012 - 7:57am

Here it is Will. Lots of chrome plate wear and lugs worn through at the back and on the inside, possibly from a metal bracelet, as leather would not cause that much wear. Mark was correct in his observation, but not because of lack of bracelet but the year.

bobbee
Posted June 10, 2012 - 8:39am

On further checking, this watch has a hacking facility. Is that usual anyone?

William Smith
Posted June 10, 2012 - 3:32pm

I don't think a 10BUC has "hacking".  This 10BUC movement in not in our movement database (yet).  Lisa lists the 10BUC occurring in 1954 w/ 17Jewels in her movement DB at http://www.watchophilia.com/general-information/bulova-movements/    Ranfft lists as occurring 1951 thru 1954, 17 jewels, but no mention of hacking (http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&Bulova_10BUC).  If it hacks, and you can see the 10BUC on the movement, it's a mystery to me.