Bulova 1966 Oceanographer

Submitted by srh11293 on August 3, 2016 - 9:39pm
Manufacture Year
1966
Movement Model
11ALACD
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
5 173254
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Watch Description

Early Bulova Oceanographer 333.  Swiss made case.   No date code on the the case.  M6 on the rotor.  '65' on the main plate.  Pointed crow guards.  Black rotating bezel.

1966 Oceanographer Bulova watch
1966 Bulova watch
1966 Bulova watch
1966 Bulova watch
1966 Bulova watch
Reverend Rob
Posted August 4, 2016 - 11:19am

Oceanographer 333, very cool example. Very robust looking. What are the letters inside the shield on the caseback? (These identify the casemaker)

 

srh11293
Posted August 4, 2016 - 2:53pm

Looks like 'KB' and '7768' below it.

JP
Posted August 4, 2016 - 2:53pm

Oceanographer 333

jabs
Posted August 4, 2016 - 3:02pm

+1

Geoff Baker
Posted August 5, 2016 - 5:06am

1966 Bulova Oceanographer

Andersok
Posted October 31, 2017 - 7:08am

I like the look of this watch and it looks to be a proper Oceanographer. However, I've got a few concerns: 1968 looks to be the starting point for the Oceanographer models, in both ads and existing models in database; the style of hands on this watch does not show up in ads until 1968; there is no datecode on the caseback; and referencing case #7768-stainless in the case parts book it states that the case uses an accuquartz 2242 movement (but this case style does not look like one that an accuquartz would have used). 

 

FYI; the KB case maker looks to be Kessi Freres

srh11293
Posted August 8, 2016 - 3:37pm

That's exactly why I wanted help from the forum, as if this is a 1965/1966 watch - it's the earliest model known for Oceanographer.  Case back does not have a date code, but the serial number is 5-173254 where '5' is specifiaclly pulled out of the rest of the number.  I was thinking that it stood for '1965'  Based on style of the case, and based on the case styles of the later Oceanographers, I tend to believe that 1965/1966 does sound correct - especialyl since at that time all major companies (including Bulova) were working on similar style diving watches.

Reverend Rob
Posted August 9, 2016 - 10:38am

Is there an import code on the balance bridge?

 

srh11293
Posted August 9, 2016 - 10:05pm

Just checked, except for "-", "+", and lines there is nothing else on the balance bridge.

Reverend Rob
Posted August 10, 2016 - 10:00am

I suspect this is a European model then, wasn't imported into the US. I'm not sure if any Canadian Bulovas came directly from Switzerland, it would be good to confirm whether all Bulovas for the Canadian market came through the US, because if not, they also would not have the US import codes obviously.