Bulova 1924 6515

Submitted by Tracyellen on January 1, 2018 - 9:47pm
Manufacture Year
1924
Movement Model
6PP
Movement Date Code
Asterisk
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
52026
Case Serial No.
1309355
Case shape
Oval
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
American Standard
Gender
Ladies
Watch Description

19k gold filled. Still runs.

Edit Alex: completed the case serial number in line with the text below.

1924 Bulova watch
1924 Bulova watch
1924 Bulova watch
1924 Bulova watch
1924 Bulova watch
Alex
Posted January 3, 2018 - 7:43pm

Hi Tracyellen, the logic Admin explains is confirmed through 2 magazine ads of 1924. Following that logic, your model would be the 6515, although this was never confirmed by an ad for your model. The two magazine ads showed the logic only for one cut corner shaped model. The logic is: the first 6 stands for the size of your movement, the 6PP, the second digit is a 5 standing for the jewel count, being 15, and the last two digits are the shape, being an even number for solid gold and an odd number for gold filled. Since we never got a confirmation for your particular model for 6515, I prefer to stick to the model we do have confirmed by an ad which is 6716. 

mybulova_admin
Posted January 4, 2018 - 7:33pm

In reply to by Alex

Alex, do you not agree with the notion that it should be a 65xx due to 6PP movement size and 15 jewel movement?

I forgot about the gold filled variation of the last two digits, so yes I would now label this watch as a Bulova 6515, noting that it did become the Princine.

 

Alex
Posted January 3, 2018 - 7:51pm

But if you prefer a name, your model was (occasionally) called Princine in newspaper ads as from April 1924 and consistently as from mid 1925 until 1931. 

Alex
Posted January 4, 2018 - 8:21pm

Hi Admin, thorough scans of all newspaper websites do not confirm that the 6515 ever existed. We know the number logic from the example only of the cut corner model. Many ads exist of that model  confirming the logic with ads in newspapers as well as the National magazines. In my opinion it is our task to identify watches based on existing advertisements. If we were to call the watch 6515, we run the risk the model number is invented by us, and never existed in reality. Maybe Bulova never called the watch 6515 since they had a name already for it: Princine with earliest newspaper ad from April 1924. 

mybulova_admin
Posted January 4, 2018 - 8:23pm

In reply to by Alex

Adverts do not show all the possibe model case and movement variants available.

Looking at other examples we can clearly see a pattern.

mybulova_admin
Posted January 4, 2018 - 8:21pm

If you look though the early 1920s adverts you will see a common theme. 

Generally speaking this is what I've observed:

First number of Ladies Models:

1 = 10 ligne
5 = 5 ligne
6 = 6 ligne
9 = 9 ligne

Second number of Ladies Models:

5 = 15 jewels
7 = 17 jewels
8, 9 = 17 jewels with platnuim/gold case with set gems (diamonds and/or sapphires)

Last two or one digit of Ladies Models:

Even =  Solid Gold case
Odd = Gold Filled, Platinum or Silver case

 

First number of early Mens Wrist Watch Models:

31 or 39

First number of early Mens Pocket Watch Models:

4 or 6

Second/Third number of early Mens Wrist/Pocket Watch Models:

1 = 21 jewels
5 = 15 jewels
7 = 17 jewels
8 = 18 jewels

Last number of early Mens Pocket Watch Models:

0, 3 = Gold Filled
2, 4 = Solid Gold

Again, these are NOT 100% the case for some pocket watches and mens models, but they are fairly consistant across the early 1920s ladies watches.