Bulova 1944 Alden

Submitted by Reverend Rob on January 8, 2012 - 11:51pm
Manufacture Year
1944
Movement Model
10BE
Movement Date Code
Omega
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
4074218
Case shape
Tonneau
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
curved
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

 This watch is unknown to me, I put 'Alden' as my best guess, judging from the ads. I found a lookalike in number 27 ad. What is different, however, is the inner chapter index, which I can't recall having seen before. Under magnification, it appears that the sub second index has been darkened by hand.  It bears both an engraved Omega type symbol, as well as the star or snowflake, which is struck. This gives two consecutive years of 1940-41. 

The movement is a 10BE, which is an ETA 900, 15 jewel with Breguet overcoil. The case is very slightly curved, and crystal dimensions are 17x24.5, with a bulge to 18mm in the middle. The case is marked "Bulova Quality" on the edge of the outside, caseback, and bears no markings other than watchmaker's service marks (now including my own) within. It runs pretty good with a delta of about ten seconds in three positions.

What sayeth you, learned colleagues? Alden? 

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Geoff Baker
Posted January 9, 2012 - 5:23am

Nice watch Rev. I like the case as and "Alden", but not the dial. Barrel shaped minute track doesn't match and numbers are spaced differently.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted January 9, 2012 - 5:57am

Whatever it is Asterisk came after Omega - 1941.

I see what You mean Geoff, the 'ALDEN' (as advertised) is showing an outer Minutes register, nice catch.

Case is 1944 IMO

bourg01
Posted January 9, 2012 - 8:20am

I would say the dial has been re-done at some point in time as this one. Note the sub seconds is not a match with the ad. 15J  10AX movement shows an asterisk only on this one.

Case is 1941 Alden, re-named the Commodore in 1943. Bezel could be engraved but I can't be sure even when the ad is super sized.

Reverend Rob
Posted January 9, 2012 - 2:36pm

 I agree, the dial is a bit odd. The minute track is much older than the darkened sub second track, so I thought it might be original, but it does look weird, upon consideration of your comments.  I don't see any Bulova dial with such a minute track. Does anybody know why the two date symbols appear sometimes on these movements? This is the second one I have come across with one engraved, and one struck. Were they using last year's movement stock perhaps?, although I don't know why they would go to the trouble to have to mark each one again. 

Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated!

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted January 9, 2012 - 3:11pm

Reverend,

I don't think anyone knows for certain, scenerios include an actual production Date stamp for the part then an additional stamp as to when the Movement was completed (or cased) or possibly the Movement did not 'pass' first time around and was factory reworked / rebuilt.

Notice the earlier stamp appears much cleaner than the second. One is machine stamped and the other hand struck.

The possibility of the Dial / Movement being a swap exists.

bourg01
Posted January 9, 2012 - 4:38pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Hey Bob,

Fifth has said it best here. No one knows for sure and another possibility is that Bulova was using up old stock from 1940 and re-stamped the 2nd date code, as Fifth stated, when it was cased. Hard to say but when you see this, use the later date code. I don't think this is a dial/movent swap but I do think the dial was refinished even if it was some time ago.

William Smith
Posted January 9, 2012 - 7:06pm

I have a few older movements w/ two consective date symbol stamps.... I never looked close enough to see if one was a cleaner stamp than the other.... I like the idea of hand stamped second time around....

William Smith
Posted November 24, 2012 - 10:53pm

Agreed.  1944 Alden.  An easy change for the date.
Rob et al, shall I update/change teh date?

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted November 24, 2012 - 11:08pm

'44