Hello, Year field is just a guess. This watch was found in a front yard in Oakland, CA during landscaping - buried in dirt. I've cleaned it up a bit but haven't opened it to determine movement for fear that it might have radium dials, and I don't want to disturb them. The crystal is a rather high, bubble-type crystal. The case has no markings on the back. It appears to be a manual hand wind but the watch does not tick. It is rather small - probably 27-30 mm accross. Only writing on dial aside from '30' and '60' at 6 and 12 is "Bulova" with "Movement" in smaller letters below. Any insights appreciated! I am hoping that this is a later watch w/o Radium that I could learn to repair on. Thanks!!
Welcome to myBulova! Can you take a clear photo of the back of the case and attach it in the comments or email it to me ([email protected]) to attach in the post? It will help us date the case. The dial looks like it might have been refinished and might not have radium but hard to say without seeing a photo without the crystal. Finding an ad for the model might help us figure that out for you. Just throwing a guess out with the pepsi cap bezel it might be late 40s or early 50s.
In reply to Welcome to myBulova! Can you by Kathy L.
In reply to Hi Kathy - thanks for your by bizaboi303
In reply to Thank you, yes I would have by Kathy L.
In reply to Is the fact it was by bizaboi303
'Bulova Movement' means a watch that has been re-cased using a non-Bulova case, and non-Bulova dial. Sometimes non-Bulova hands were also used. These came in 'kits', and menat that you could put the movement of your Bulova into a new case if the old one was worn out or damaged.
We'd have to ID this as 'Non-Conforming'.
In reply to 'Bulova Movement' means a by Reverend Rob
Certainly a fun find! There really is no way to date the case/movement marriage, it could be very recent although that is unlikely. If the movement is Bulova, it will have a date code. I'm not sure the dial has radium but if it does, I don;t think there's very much risk in removing the case back t view the movement.
Non-Conforming
FOR SALE FOR FREE - If anyone is interested in this watch please shoot me a message! If you're in the Bay Area you could swing by and pick it up as well.
I'd like to learn how to work on mechanical watches but I don't think this will be the one for me to learn on.