Bulova 1923 Pocket Watch

Submitted by Lee Burrows on October 20, 2021 - 3:14am
Manufacture Year
1923
Movement Model
17AT
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
800713
Case Serial No.
3987332
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Other
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

What I do know 100% about the watch is that it was given to me in 1969. It has my name engraved on the back which was done in 1969.

I have been told it was gifted to my grandfather for his 10th birthday in 1923 ( whether that information is correct or not is what I am trying to determine)

The watch has 15 Jewels and was purchased in Canada. I dont know if the knife and chain were originally added to the knife or if they were added in the 60's

Inside the case is some hand written information like "B123HT"   and "NN7765 followed by some cursive text which comes up in the image for inside the case"

I would like to know what year the watch was manufactured and weather it needs any form of insurance. Thank you for your time and expertise.

Front of watch
Watch chain and knife
back case and chain
inside case
movement
back case and engraving
Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 3:54am

case 3

 

Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 3:56am

movement 1

Small numbers on outer rim of case 37332? Not sure what this serial number is?

Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 3:58am

movement 2

Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 3:58am

movement 3

Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 4:00am

movement 5

Is this a love heart...shield...stamped on the watch?

Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 4:01am

movement 7

Lee Burrows
Posted October 26, 2021 - 4:02am

Does anyone have any idea if the chain and knife were part of the original purchase or is that just something a customer would add on themselves?

Geoff Baker
Posted October 26, 2021 - 9:00pm

The hand engraving you see inside the case is likely notes from the various watchmakers who have serviced the piece. Each watchmaker uses her/his own code so there no way to decipher the markings. the chain and knife would not have been supplied by the manufacturer of the watch and would have been added as a personal preference. They could have been supplied by the jeweler when the watch was new. My grandfathers 'knife' was a "pipe tool" as he smoked a pipe. I'm not sure what the numbers on the case lip represent.

Reverend Rob
Posted October 27, 2021 - 12:19pm

The case itself has a serial number that is not usually that closely related to the watch. Generally, an ID will include the movement number and databases online reflect this, as cases can easily be swapped. The ID of the piece is the mechanism, in short, the opposite of motor cars. 

The case numbers can be used to ID the case manufacturer but don't necessarily mean the watch is by them. Watch manufacturers often utilized outside case makers.

The Shield indicates a manufacture date of 1929 for the movt. 

Fun Fact: Small pocket knives were used to cut quills or shape cut quills to facilitate writing with ink, and were called 'Pen Knives.'