Bulova 1959 Bulova 23

Submitted by Plurr on November 12, 2020 - 12:20am
Manufacture Year
1959
Movement Jewels
23
Case Serial No.
E106099
Case shape
Round
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Hello everyone!  I have found this watch in a collection my grandpa had who had passed. He was a jeweler and had quite a collection of old watches. Not all of them worked but this one seems to run. It is odd since it does not have any markings on the face but the band, crown, back of the case and movement all have Bulova on them. Wondering if this is a rare item with some value or maybe just a watch I could clean up to enjoy. Please excuse the dirt!  I will have a couple more to post within the next few days.   Specific markings on back of the case: BULOVA, water proof, self winding, shock resistant, 10kt R.G.P. bezel - ss back, anti magnetic, L9, E106099 Inside back - BULVOA FIFTH AVE NEW YORK Movement: BULOVA U.S.A. 23 JEWELS 10BZAC Crown has BULOVA written on the end  Band is stamped Kreisler Stelux Stainless PAT NO 1095305, PAT NO 848015

-plurr

Face
Open case
Band
Inside band
Andersok
Posted November 12, 2020 - 6:35am

Hi, I would say that this watch is from the Bulova 23 line. I cannot tell if the color is yellow or white - could you confirm. Also, does the dial appear to be a grey/black color?

I've found three variants that used this case design; so depending on your answers, we may be able to narrow down a variant.

Linebook 139

Linebook139_Bulova23.jpg

I believe that the band is not original. It was a later band that belonged to one of the Accutron models.

 

Plurr
Posted November 12, 2020 - 6:04pm

In reply to by Andersok

In person the watch looks yellow gold for all case, dial, hands and everything except for the back of the case.  It seems that the hands are the only part that has not tarnished as badly on the watch.  I was going through the bands that I had and could not find the original for it.  

Andersok
Posted November 12, 2020 - 6:37pm

In reply to by Plurr

Thanks, I thought it appeared yellow. The yellow gold variant had a different dial layout (3,6,9,12), so I'm not sure on a variant.

 

neetstuf-4-u
Posted November 12, 2020 - 6:54am

Nice one, thanks for sharing. It appears it is one of the 2 white case watches in the page below from the 1960_LineBook_BAWD0139, page 37. and very similar to this one

Band is a later period replacement as the tuning fork wasn't around in 1959.

It appears the face was cleaned and text markings were lost in the process. Is the face silver/white or more charcoal?

The case appears to be textured around crystal? Is that a uniform pattern or random scratches and contact marks?

Variant letters are based on face color, so at this point, it's a 1959 Bulova 23. 

This is a little less common style, wear it and enjoy it, I wear mine.

23 ad2

3-23s

Plurr
Posted November 12, 2020 - 6:24pm

This might be more charcoal but looks gold to me.  Here are some better pictures

FaceBackInside

JimDon5822
Posted November 12, 2020 - 8:48pm

It looks like a 1959 Bulova 23 DAW to me.  

Geoff Baker
Posted November 12, 2020 - 9:36pm

Fun collection from grand dad. I'm going to skip a variant on this beauty but it's a "23" for certain

Plurr
Posted November 12, 2020 - 11:11pm

In reply to by neetstuf-4-u

Glad to get some information on this watch....especially since some of the info had been worn away.  The piece still runs but the movement is a bit loose in the case so I will have to get it some service and cleaning. Happy to see this run and it is great to know the history of it!