Bulova 1940 Ambassador

Submitted by neetstuf-4-u on February 26, 2019 - 10:36am
B
Manufacture Year
1940
Movement Model
10AE
Movement Date Code
Shield
Movement Jewels
21
Case Serial No.
0040846
Case shape
Round
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

This appears to be a 1940 Ambassador on original band with movement double stamped as 1939 and 1940  (Omega and Shield).

Hands would appear to be replacements, and watch has many jeweler's marks inside of caseback. I'm intrigued by the face, which has a unconventional center detail line and sub-seconds track. All detail is raised gold, but face lacks "Bulova".  White surface of face is chalky, like it was poorly cleaned so it's unclear if this is a Bulova face with ID cleaned off or an extremely good quality replacement. Face also shows old "halo's" around hand shafts apparently from an excess of oil during a service and soiling around perimeter matching crystal opening - this appears old. I mic'ed the dimensions of the outer seconds track, face and case and it's identical in size, shape and dimensions to my 1939 Ambassador "B".

No other use of this face found in the Db, so it appears to me that this isn't a swap from another watch. Thoughts?

1940 Bulova watch
1940 Bulova watch
1940 Bulova watch
1940 Bulova watch
1940 Bulova watch
bourg01
Posted February 26, 2019 - 12:56pm

I agree with Ambassador, shame about the dial though, a very poor cleaning job.

Kathy L.
Posted February 26, 2019 - 2:14pm

Well worth getting for the band alone I would think.  Maybe a refinish that wasn't done very well?  

1940 Bulova Ambassador

neetstuf-4-u
Posted February 26, 2019 - 2:24pm

In reply to by Kathy L.

Thanks Kathy. That (bad refinish) was my first thought, but once in hand I think it's original finish. Every Ambassador "B" in this case configuration  I looked at has raised gold numbers and signature, with printed seconds tracks in black. This one has raised gold everything - except "Bulova".. All the face details are part of the face as opposed to printed on.

bourg01
Posted February 26, 2019 - 2:39pm

It would look awesome with a proper refinish and the original Moderan style hands.

mybulova_admin
Posted March 1, 2019 - 9:55pm

I suspect that the dial isn't original. This model would have had raised gold BULOVA not printed and the sub-second configuration is all wrong for a Bulova dial of this period.

Case style is a match for the Ambassador, as is the 21 10AE movement.

Based on the dial I'd ID at Non-Conforming. 

Geoff Baker
Posted March 2, 2019 - 8:02am

Back and forth I am, all week. I think the dial is replacement too, it's not quite Bulova. In terms of ID i might be persuaded to tag it an Ambassador noting a likely dial swap.

mybulova_admin
Posted March 9, 2019 - 12:54am

In reply to by Geoff Baker

Happy to oblige, as everything else has the configuration of an Ambassador.