Bulova 1929 Ambassador

Submitted by tshanno on January 17, 2021 - 1:29pm
Manufacture Year
1929
Movement Model
10AN
Movement Date Code
Shield
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
63-220
Case Serial No.
9392070
Case shape
Square
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I'm thinking 1929 Envoy.

Case is marked "Bulova Quality" with a patent date of Jan 11, 1927.  Movement is a 15J 10AN consistent with others in the database.

This is as I bought it but the hands and dial have both probably been relumed and the crystal is not original.  It's nice, though.

face
side
case back inside
movement
1929 Envoy ad
jabs
Posted January 17, 2021 - 2:33pm

Agree, Envoy it is

neetstuf-4-u
Posted January 17, 2021 - 7:32pm

1929 Envoy, noting re-lumed dial, replaced crystal and possible hand replacement.

Nice one, Tom. I'd wear it!

Geoff Baker
Posted January 17, 2021 - 9:57pm

Nice on Tom - 1929 Bulova Envoy

JimDon5822
Posted January 18, 2021 - 12:45am

1929 Bulova Envoy is a good match.  

Alex
Posted January 18, 2021 - 2:10am

For those that want to be precise: 

The last ad of the Ambassador in the Saturday Evening Post (SEP) is in September 1929. The next month, a new Ambassador is advertised in the SEP. The old Ambassador model is re-batched as Envoy in an ad of the SEP in December. But with the new Ambassador coming into play in October, it can be assumed that the renaming of the old Ambassador to Envoy must have happened in October as well. Indeed a newspaper ad can be found of 25 October naming this model now the Envoy. The serial numbers for 1929 range from 900 until 953 (first 3 digits). If sales is taken in equal parts (12 months divided by 53), the 939 serial number ofthe subject watch places this model end of August, and therefore is still sold as an Ambassador.

Geoff Baker
Posted January 18, 2021 - 9:42pm

In reply to by Alex

.....wow, that's precise, but then why WOULDN'T we want to be so? A bit of a stretch I'd say on the serial number being August but in truth either ID could be considered appropriate. It could also be argued in favor of Ambassador only in that Bulova made more of the Ambassador models in 1929 than the Envoy. I'll go with you Alex - Ambassador

tshanno
Posted January 19, 2021 - 5:46am

In reply to by Geoff Baker

HI, guys.

A couple question:

1.  Is there a reference I can go to for more info like this.  It sounds like there's some good nuggets to be gleaned.

2.  I have a 1928 "Envoy" in the database.  Sounds like it should be an Ambassador.

Thanks.

Geoff Baker
Posted January 19, 2021 - 9:19pm

In reply to by tshanno

Tom - most of what Alex states is from the advert dB's. In terms of the other Envoy, I'll go have a look

JimDon5822
Posted January 18, 2021 - 10:01am

I believe Alex is correct.  Most ads from 1929 show this as an Ambassador.   I am inclined based on Alex's expert analysis to conclude this is a 1929 Bulova Ambassador. 

neetstuf-4-u
Posted January 18, 2021 - 10:09pm

Ambassador it is