this watch has l3 on the movement which dates it as a 1953 winchester with diagonal shading on the dial the second hand appears to be a replacement overall not bad condition some circular marks at centre of dial from lume! here is a better shot of the dial showing the shading which i have seen described as hour glass shading
Hello Dennis, welcome to myBulova, nice old Bulova you've brought us to look over. I like the scroll lugs on this one, Bulova had two or three variants on those scrolls on watches in the early 50's.
Here' a pretty good advert showing the Winchester. We have several in out dB already with a couple variations on the hands so I shouldnt be too worried about them. Altoghther a nice watch.
http://www.mybulova.com/sites/default/files/vintage_ads/1950%20AD3.jpg
1953 Bulova Winchester is my vote
Hi Dennis. Any chance of a picture of the inside and outside case back?
I'm wondering if there's also an L3 on the case back?
Hands, mainsprings bands/straps, things like a balance complete, etc... may be changed over time, and usually not too important in an ID. There are exceptions where the mount (band/strap) determine the variant, but I don't think this is one of those exceptions. It is, however, nice to note in the comments that the hands may not be as advertised at Point of Sale, or if they are not period correct.
I'm good w/ the Winchester ID. I'd go two ticks tentative based on the dial discrepancies noted below.
I'm puzzled on this one, because I cannot find any ad showing this dial in this case. The case looks to be distinctly Winchester, as I could not find it used in another model. The dial is what is not working for me. I found three dial variations for the Winchester; the shaded dial, the plain white dial, and a black dial (only in reference). The current dial looks to be one that was used in a Clipper or perhaps a Watertite; the trilons are much larger and the hands are different than what is seen in the Winchester ads, as well as having applied numerals vs. the raised type seen in other Winchester examples on both white or shaded dials.
The 1954-55 pricelists list four Winchester models, two A variants using model 1067 at two different prices $71.50 and $75.00, and two B variants that use the black dial 1065, also at those same prices. Could be that the price difference for the A is based on the shaded or plain white, but they appear under both prices throughout the ads available. Not sure what the price difference in the black dial would be, but ads referencing the black dial show the same band.
I would have to go with a tentative Winchester, as the case looks to be a match; but will note that the dial and hands look to not be correct to this model. Perhaps in 1953 there were different dials, but this one 53 ad shows the dial matching the later ads.
It was common practice in years past, for watchmakers to swap out broken or cosmetically damage parts. Sometimes this included dials, but more often than not I come across whole movements, dial attached, that have been transplanted into what is technically the 'wrong' case. It never surprises me that we see these types of things here that are borderline non conforming or outright frankens.
The shaded dial found on Winchesters also appears on other Bulova models with identical movts, so sometimes they migrate around....
In this case the hands may well have been swapped, we know the second sweep has. I am ok with Winchester as an ID, with the above noted possible discrepancies.
hi,the dial is the same as the watch you have listed under winchester. the shading on the dial which does not show in the photo runs diaganal from 11 to 5 and 1 to 7 and changes depending on the angle the light strikes the face.i am happy with this watch. as long as you derive pleasure from yhe trinkets we collect that is why we have them.i have watches from japan,france, russia,and switzerland this is my first bulova and not my last.i will try to get better photos.thankyou