Bulova 1950 Military Issue

Submitted by FifthAvenueRes… on May 7, 2011 - 1:58am
A-17A
Manufacture Year
1950
Movement Model
10BNCH
Movement Jewels
17
Case Serial No.
14182
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Bulova 'Type A17A' - Korean War Era U.S. Military issue. Parkerized Steel Case measures 40mm lug to lug x 32mm wide non inclusive of the Crown while using Calipers. Black Dial shows Luminous and White printed numerals. Hour and Minute Hands are Luminous filled and the sweep center Seconds Hand is unique with a Luminous Arrowhead tip. A Steel dustshield and gasket appears between the Caseback and Movement. 10 sided Caseback is Parkerized, screws on and is stamped as shown. Crown is Steel. Hackset. The A17A is shown on its original issue strap. * 100% correct as found - from the estate of a retired U.S. Naval Officer.

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
Bulova Watch
Wayne Hanley
Posted September 7, 2011 - 5:04pm

Fifth

"Hexagonal Caseback is Parkerized, screws on and is stamped as shown. That "hexagonal" caseback would really be unique. The casebacks that I have on my Bulova Military issue wrist watches are all 10 point. I forget what gonal that is! LOL! I would like to see & be able to read the data on the caseback, please.

"100% correct as found - from the estate of a retired U.S. Naval Officer." Doesn't the unique sweep center Seconds Hand with a Luminous Arrowhead tip affect overall authenticity of the watch?

 

 

 

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 7, 2011 - 7:16pm

Wayne,

Decagon - 10 sides. I had to look it up. lol

The center seconds hand has a ball on the short side and an luminous arrowhead on the long - 100% correct for the A17A. New glass should give a clearer view, if I can find one.

Until then here's a shot borrowed from MWR showing the Bulova A17A Dial and Hands.

No idea where the caseback pic went.

Wayne Hanley
Posted September 7, 2011 - 10:55pm

 Nah! The second hand on the top watch is the uniquest! It has the arrow head buisness end & no tail. That is one of the four A-17 versions. I have an A-17 with the second hand without a tail. I checked very closely and it isn't broken off, it is made that  way.

 

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 11, 2011 - 8:58am

No comment on the Seconds Hand nor the 4 versions of the Bulova Type A17A - Caseback image re-uploaded.

Wayne Hanley
Posted September 12, 2011 - 1:49am

Fifth

How did you determine the 1950 date on your A-17A?

 

shooter144
Posted September 12, 2011 - 2:16pm

Wayne, what is the model of the issue looking chrono??? And Ill send you my addy so you can ship it to me so I may ..uhhh....examine it ????????? lol I love it !!! 

And does anyone happen to have a new crown for my 43 ORD 10 AK?

Wayne Hanley
Posted September 13, 2011 - 7:37pm

Fifth for what it's worth!

I have no doubt about the authenticity of your Bulova A-17A. However, information I have found while doeing A-17 research indicates that Bulova did not have a dog in the Korean War fight. The following info was acquired from an avid Military watch collector. His collection of A17 watches from all manufacturers is complete except for one watch. The earliest date seen for a Bulova A-17A is 1958, with the majority dated 1960, 1961 & 1962.

From all the examples I've come across in the past 12 years (and info from fellow collectors) that the following info is correct in regard to contract dates:

Waltham A-17: 1950, 1952, 1956
Bulova A-17A: 1956, 1959 The earliest Bulova Type A-17A dates to 1958

 

Elgin A-17A: 1956, 1959

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 14, 2011 - 7:40am

Wayne,

He sounds cornfused.

The 3818A was introduced in 1956 replacing the Type A-17A.

Bulova 3818A

http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1960-military-issue-2282

The first A-17A is dated to around 1948. http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11308 according to Military spec data.

"After 1948, maybe 1949 (That's when Military Specifications [MIL-W-XXX] started to come out, replacing service specific specifications) but before 1952."

1948 - 1956 would place Bulova's Dog, the 'Type A-17A', in the midst of the Korean War conflict http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/TimeLine.htm which incidentally seemed like a continuation of WWII to Me.

 

bobbee
Posted April 27, 2014 - 9:29am

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

[quote=FifthAvenueRestorations]

Wayne,

He sounds cornfused.

The 3818A was introduced in 1956 replacing the Type A-17A.

Bulova 3818A

http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1960-military-issue-2282

The first A-17A is dated to around 1948. http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11308 according to Military spec data.

"After 1948, maybe 1949 (That's when Military Specifications [MIL-W-XXX] started to come out, replacing service specific specifications) but before 1952."

1948 - 1956 would place Bulova's Dog, the 'Type A-17A', in the midst of the Korean War conflict http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/TimeLine.htm which incidentally seemed like a continuation of WWII to Me.

 

[/quote]

 

Not so.

The 3818A was a General Purpose timepiece used by Ground Crew. It had 15 jewels as opposed to the 17 jewels in the A17-A, was dustproof but not waterproof like the A17-A.

The A17-A was for flight crew, and used for Navigational purposes, hence the case back nomenclature.

Made and distributed concurrently with the 3818A, that is why we see so many A17-A watches with movements post-dating 1956.

Movements would only be changed if they were totally junked, the Forces repairers had plenty of spares to do the job with, we have seen many such packets containing parts posted onsite and elsewhere. Below are a few, proving that the 10AK ORD watch was being repaired into the early 1950's and beyond. This shows movements were repaired, not just junked willy-nilly, and so the 10BNCH would also be repaired.

Also, the 3818A should actually be called the DTU-2/P, as the other name used is actually the specification number from "MIL-W-3818A". Milwatch collectors know them by the DTU-2/P name.

After all, we don't call the A17-A the "6433-A" from it's spec no. MIL-W-6433-A, do we? :-D

 

The quote used from the MWR forum is also a little out, as the milspecs quoted were released in December of 1948, were relating to the A17, which only Waltham made.

The revised specs were for the A17-A, for which a stock number was used. Stock numbers were used from 1952-on, giving us an earliest possible date.