Bulova 1960 International

Submitted by Reverend Rob on February 18, 2014 - 1:25pm
Manufacture Year
1960
Movement Model
11AF
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
333.149
Case shape
Oval
Case color
Yellow
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I'm posting this one because it's a European Bulova, Swiss case and has different markings than what we normally see. They seem to use a decimal system, inside the case is 333.149, and on the back is "Bulova Swiss" and "1.28729". Movt stamped 'M0', case stamped 'M0'.  Casemaker is Maeder-Leschot, of Biel, Switzerland. 

Reverend Rob 1960 Bulova International 09 21 2014
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
William Smith
Posted February 25, 2014 - 12:22am

...and the ad Stephen posted is from Niagara.....very close to the border.  

I'm good with unknown, or International unknown.  We use variant field to list the unknown part of International.  We can always change later, as I'm pretty sure this won't be the model name, but a "class" of models.

Reverend Rob
Posted June 29, 2014 - 8:05pm

I've been thinking about this, and I have a theory. Bulova was an American company, with factories in Switzerland. They liked to use Swiss ebauches and finish them either in Switzerland, or in the States. The culmination of all their efforts was finally the American designed and manufactured Bulova movts, which then made the watch all-American. 

Until recently there have been various Swiss lines of Bulova watches, the latest to go extinct is the 'Bulova Accutron' line. This now becomes the 'Accu Swiss'. These are higher end watches, produced entirely in Switzerland, with no mods done Stateside. 

Perhaps what we have here is exactly what it says on the caseback: A 'Bulova Swiss' line, executed entirely in Switzerland, and marketed mainly to Europeans. Here in Canada we often see more European products than south of the border, so maybe these were also sold in Canada, in Niagara, for example. 

Just a thought.

bobbee
Posted June 29, 2014 - 9:02pm

Well, I got tired of posting those overseas adverts I found with two "International" models displayed, seems like folk don't like to trust their eyes anymore...

There was, or still is, a Bulova department that developed and controlled overseas trade, and was known as "Bulova International"

There are Internationalmdels from overseas, and in around 1967  an International line was introduced in the US.. I posted a  advert from 1967  introducing the new International line, and Stephens ad shows a model from that new line. Simple.

Reverend Rob
Posted June 29, 2014 - 10:55pm

It does seem obvious, I was just wondering why they chose the 'International' name. Because none of it was in any way done in the US? Or was the line assembled with movts from Switzerland and cases from another country? Or does it merely refer to the original target market? Kind of like the Henckell knives, they have an International series, all made in various countries other than the original, which was Germany. I tend to lean towards the manufacturing explanantion, because as you say, the line shows up in US ads only later on. Maybe they had a hit, and decided to bring it home. 

 

bobbee
Posted June 30, 2014 - 4:22am

It is possible the line was manufactured solely abroad, as all examples in the DB are signed "Swiss" inside and out.

I think you are right on both counts Rob.

If we have two examples from the same year (1960) that are totally different, that shows it is a line of watches like the Excellency doesn't it? And maybe like the Excellency it is both a line of models, and a model name.

William Smith
Posted July 4, 2014 - 8:39pm

a little later ....1972 magazine article/ad.  Notice under the products heading there's Accuquartz, Accutron, Bulova and Caravelle...but not International.  
Below that, it shows Mr. Rapp is the President of Bulova International LDT.  So is International like "Caravelle" "Accutron" or just a subsidary owned by Bulova?

bobbee
Posted July 4, 2014 - 8:56pm

Bulova International Ltd.  would be the overseas wing of the Bulova Corp.

The International models are a part of the Bulova line of watches, so would not come under a different "line" like Caravelle, Accutron or Accuquartz.

Did you see the Australian 1960's ad fifth posted? There were several model names unheard of before, probably like the Canadian Bulovas sometimes had different names, like "Prime Minister" and "Canadian Girl".

Talking of Australia, I saw some pics of a 1960's Commerce convention in I think Adelaide. Bulova International had a display with a giant Accutron watch fronting their line.

I'll try and find it again.

bobbee
Posted July 4, 2014 - 9:21pm
bobbee
Posted September 13, 2014 - 2:39pm

Above links don't work for some reason, but here is a photo of the giant working Accutron watch.

 

 

Apart from several ads for the "International" name as being watch models overseas, and a couple from the US for the International line of watches, we now have more proof in the crystal records for Bulova International models.

Here are several case numbers and sizes of International watches. There are several more in the same pdf download, with different case numbers.

 

 

This surely puts an end to the "no such model" argument?