1948 Unknown Gentlemen's Set

Submitted by plainsmen on September 8, 2011 - 1:19pm

Well here we go gents.  This is a complete gentlemen's evening set Bulova must have produced on a very limited basis as I have never seen anything like this after scouring for the past few months.

It shows very nicely with a 1948 Unknown Bulova men's watch sporting a 10BC, 15 Jewel movement.  It comes with cufflinks, a tie clip, and a wallet chain?  All are in fantastic shape.  The box itself is marked Bulova and seems to be a alligator-esk covering.

I've not seen this dial before and it's been suggested by Bourg01 that this set may have been offered exclusively in the European market.  This is possibly supported by the back case of the watch being marked on the inside as Made in France.  Though it doesn't seem to be marked Bulova, so it could possibly be a recase.

This band looks very familiar and I'm almost positive I've seen this band in a Bulova ad someplace.

Anyway gents... here it is.  I'm less than optimistic this one will be found quickly... but here's to hoping!

 

 

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 8, 2011 - 1:43pm

The Dial is a replacement and comes with a replacement Case and Crystal, the Red lettering 'Waterprotected' around the sub Dial is a dead giveaway as Bulova never used this term, is the Caseback signed Bulova?

plainsmen
Posted September 8, 2011 - 1:41pm

Nope.  "Made in France" =)

Wayne Hanley
Posted September 8, 2011 - 1:51pm

First Class Finest Kind!

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 8, 2011 - 2:03pm

mybulova_admin
Posted September 8, 2011 - 8:00pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Nice find. I wonder how many others types of these exist. Sort of make our job all the more harder.

Wayne Hanley
Posted September 8, 2011 - 7:33pm

Yikes

Well the tie-clasp is neat! LOL

 

plainsmen
Posted September 8, 2011 - 7:39pm

I'm fine with it being a replacement case.  Obviously they had to be authorized by Bulova to sell the case.  The set is an actual set from someplace though.

OldTicker
Posted September 8, 2011 - 7:48pm

Boy Jerin, I can just see you and the better half out on the town decked out in your cuff links, tie clip, and fancy band watch peeling the hundred dollar bills out of your matching money clip. ; O

Nice find!

mybulova_admin
Posted September 8, 2011 - 8:02pm

In reply to by OldTicker

Plains, pleeeeze post a picture of you wearing this set in your finest!

Now that will be a photo to remember!

plainsmen
Posted September 8, 2011 - 8:05pm

That dial is sharp as hell though.... I'll admit that. 

To bad it may not have a name.... because it's very sweet!

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 9, 2011 - 8:25am

It has a name, 'FRANKENBULLY'.

My concern is the display box, although the logo is incorrect someone went to great lengths to produce it, the Chinese maybe?

plainsmen
Posted September 9, 2011 - 9:55am

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

I think it was Frank Lloyd Wright

shooter144
Posted September 9, 2011 - 9:47am

cool set, would have sold well if priced right

plainsmen
Posted September 25, 2011 - 4:45am

Oh NO!!  Those sneaky chinese must have infultrated our 1955 Billboard Magazine and planted an ad to covertly corner the market on mass produced sets sold by jewelry stores in 1950's America!!

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 25, 2011 - 6:24am

Perhaps it was Frank Lloyd Wright?

There have been 'quality products' ~cough~  marketed in the backs of magazines for Years. Remember the 'X-Ray glasses' ?

Please don't try to pass this set off as genuine Bulova Plainsmen, it's obviously not.

mybulova_admin
Posted September 25, 2011 - 8:13am

Confidential price list....I like it

shooter144
Posted September 25, 2011 - 4:36pm

saw two of these water protected dials last night, ome stamped made in Hong Kong, the other, Germany....on the bay as we type....

Reverend Rob
Posted January 16, 2012 - 4:17pm

 Wow. For what it's worth, I have come across full boxes of replacement cases, complete with dials for many well known watches, ( Solar, Birks, Marvin, Doxa, etc) I haven't come across a Bulova, though.  There was a very active market for this type of thing, because watchmakers could restore a given worn-out watch to like-new appearance easily. A lot of companies outsourced their cases in the first place, so I guess it shouldn't be surprising that they may have authorized aftermarket case replacement 'kits'. Or maybe they weren't authorized. It was a perfectly acceptable practice at the time to install replacement movements into customer's watches when it was more economical to do so, rather than repair a given movt. This practice continues today, where a watch will come in requiring a full service, ( or even just regulation) and the movt is removed and a new one is intsalled, either factory new or refurbished. (Breitling, Omega, Cartier, Hamilton, Tissot, etc etc) It costs less to do this than have the watchmaker take the several hours needed to do an on the spot overhaul and adjustment. I know because I did it. I questioned it more than once, but was more often than not discouraged from doing any repair, regardless of how easy or quick it would be. I can say I didn't much care for working in repair depots.....

Anyway, the set looks amazing, regardless of it's origins.