Bulova 1951 -Non-Conforming

Submitted by walthardy on March 4, 2015 - 4:47am
Manufacture Year
1951
Movement Model
10AKCSH
Movement Date Code
Circle
Movement Jewels
16
Case Serial No.
-
Case shape
Round
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
Ashford Custom
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

  "Ashford/Jordan"   Bulova Research and Development Laboratories (BRDL)  It has an "Ashford/Jordan" style case but it is made of solid 14k gold. It is a left-handed watch as the crown is on the left. The outside of the case is signed "BULOVA"  "14k". The movement, 10AK/CSH, is not the standard for the "Ashford". This is a very special and unique watch.  I challenge the faithful to help me discover her hidden secrets.  What I think I know: This is a former military watch for a former military man.  CASE: 1951 Ashford, 14K Solid Gold  Movement: 1944 10AK/CSH.  What is unique about this watch is that it uses the same 16J, sweep second hand, 10AK/CSH, Type A-11 , Spec. No. 94-27834, movement that was used in watches issued to the military.  Band: 1950 Academy Award T  Dial: Unk

Could this be the "Chairman's" watch?

walthardy 1951 Bulova 03 04 2015
1951 Bulova watch
1951 Bulova watch
1951 Bulova watch
1951 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
William Smith
Posted March 4, 2015 - 4:51am

Wow what a great watch.  Was there anything stamped on the inside of the case back? I don't know about "FrankNBulova", as I bet this is a model for which we haven't seen an ad yet, nor have a model name.
Nice one!!  It's got that sweep second hand, and the shape of the back is slightly different than that of Ashfords.

ASHFORD ad snippet dated 1951.

walthardy
Posted March 4, 2015 - 5:07am

Thanks. There is nothing stamped or etched on the inside of the gold case. I suppose left-handed 10AK/CSH movements, in its day, were very hard to come by and this one was lucky enough to get updated.

BTW: I made up the name "FrankNBulova" because of the different parts that went into making this watch. The movement predates the case by at least 8 years.

William Smith
Posted March 4, 2015 - 5:08am

In reply to by walthardy

Got it.  Thanks   I didn't even look at the date of the movement.
I have to think this thourgh a little more, but wouldn't they just take a right hand movement and rotate it 180 degrees and place it in a left hand case?  Guess they could even flip the dial 180 depending on how the dial feet line up.

walthardy
Posted March 4, 2015 - 5:26am

In reply to by William Smith

An interesting point. I suppose they could rotate the movement as you described, the dial itself is interesting enough by itself. I have not found another model using this same dial, I suspect the dial is also mismatch to the 10AK/CSH movement.

walthardy
Posted March 4, 2015 - 6:08am

In reply to by walthardy

[quote=walthardy]

An interesting point. I suppose they could rotate the movement as you described, the dial itself is interesting enough by itself. I have not found another model using this same dial, I suspect the dial is also mismatch to the 10AK/CSH movement.

Think like a man of action; act like a man of thought.    Unk.

Geoff Baker
Posted March 4, 2015 - 8:13am

Hi Walt, welcome to myBulova. It's a wonderful watch you've brought us to covet. I wonder how this one came into being. The case is in the style of the Ashford and Jordan. Both watches had what I call a pie pan dial ( shaped like an upturned pie plate). The sweep second hand seems to be much longer than would be found on a wrist watch and reminds me more of a pocket watch. Regarding the left handedness, I would think a competent watchmaker could pull off a rotation. I would venture to guess that someone created this beauty on demand, as  custom job. I suppose it could have come directly from Bulova this way but I doubt it. At the end of the day, it's all speculation. I think the watch is grand, I like it a lot.

Alas, I fear we will classify it as Non-Conforming, although I rather like the Frank N. Bulova designation. (Frank being Joseph's long lost son, Arde's black sheep brother, who joined the circus upon leaving university in his third year). 

bobbee
Posted March 4, 2015 - 9:52am

The 10AKCSH is used only in military watches, the Type A-11 and military recasings like the ORD CORPS model.

Beautiful case, the style was used by many manufacturers in the late forties through the 1950's.

Non-conforming

plainsmen
Posted March 4, 2015 - 10:20am

I think it's non-conforming to a production model, but that case is all Bulova.  I'm thinking this is a rare 14k Ashford/Jordan that someone wanted a center seconds hand with.  

It could easily be made to conforming by finding the correct Ashford/Jordan movement/dial.  I think the watch is rare enough it would be worth the effort.

That being said, I saw this go for sale a few days ago.  Were you the seller or the buyer?  Either way... nice watch.  

Oh and yep... I think that case has been flipped.  it's supposed to be a right hander.

Andersok
Posted March 4, 2015 - 12:46pm

What an interesting watch, very sharp looking!

I am looking at the caseback and wondering if there is a small notch or groove that fits around the crown? If so, then the case would not work turned 180° - the BULOVA would be at the bottom, thus making this case designed for right-hand ( a left-hand version has that notch to the left of the BULOVA engraving, as seen in this example lower left {not the notch by the lug} )

Also, is the case yellow gold in color or more of the rose color?

I also see a date stamp on the movement that looks like a circle or square, placing the movement to mid-40s; can you confirm what is stamped on the movement to the right of the Bulova Watch Co?

William Smith
Posted March 4, 2015 - 1:37pm

We discussed a similar watch....well kinda similar....at least by year. Inside case back markings on this linked solid gold example.

I agree that the subject watch will end up being Non-Conforming, however it would be nice to determine if the case itself is associated with a particular model name.  I agree w/ Plains, case is all Bulova, and I don't think they would tool up just to make 50 watches like this one...