Bulova 1926 Spartan

Submitted by neetstuf-4-u on September 12, 2019 - 5:51pm
Manufacture Year
1926
Movement Model
10AN
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
226612
Case Serial No.
6597168
Case shape
Cushion
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova & American Standard
Crystal details
16.5 mm glass
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Here is an interesting one. According to seller (non-watch person questioned after sale), it came as seen from an estate drawer. Could very well be on the original leather band. There was so much corrosion "greening" on the pins and hinges, it was obvious it was unmolested for a very long time. Face is a brushed silver and face and hands show no signs of radium. May have been refinished long ago, but I highly doubt it.

Case has a pinhead sized dot of plating wear on the four upper case corners - it is a remarkably well preserved example and keeping  time "straight from the sock drawer". Original dust cover and ring intact.

Curiously, there is no date stamp on the 4 adjustment 15J movement, but case bears a 1926 s/n with the common lightly stamped and slightly off center first "6".

Case exterior has no stampings, besides "GF" on either end between the lugs. Case is double hinged.

I believe this is the "Green Gold" variant of the 1926 Spartan, as offered (white or green) in 1926 ads. Last photo shows it freshly polished next to a confirmed 1936 white gold Bulova Ambassador, the color difference is pretty obvious.

1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch advert
Kathy L.
Posted September 12, 2019 - 9:24pm

This is a very cool one indeed!  I have wondered what the green gold looked like.  Looks like it is a match to the Spartan.

Geoff Baker
Posted September 12, 2019 - 9:37pm

Bob - I think (surely someone will confirm or deny) that green gold is a variant of yellow gold and that it was sold, not rolled. This watch appears to be  the standard rhodium finish common in the 1920's. The watch featured on the left is a non-rhodium finish of white gold and therefore much brighter. I looked for the advert you referred to but didn't see it.

The watch is, I think a Spartan model.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted September 12, 2019 - 10:40pm

I found the ad attached to this one calling out white or green 14K filled..

https://www.mybulova.com/watches/1926-spartan-9052

I'm pretty sure green falls between white and pale yellow based on copper and silver content. Subject watch has an odd tint when side by side w/white gold that I don't recall ever seeing before. It's impossible to get a good photo representing color (like rose); in natural light (photo above) it appears darker in tint than white and in incandescent light against a white background and tilted at an angle, it appears very pale yellow with a hint of celery. It's a mystery to me with no confirmed point of reference as to what the spectrum is for green. Maybe it is rhodium over white, that's out of my field of knowledge.........what say the panel?.  

I have no other pre 1930's watches in my collection to visually compare it to.

Kathy L.
Posted September 13, 2019 - 12:46am

In reply to by neetstuf-4-u

I was reading on this and take this with a grain of salt because I am just repeating what I read.  That rose/pink gold is made by adding copper colored alloys that give the gold a subtle pink tint and color can intesify with age.  White gold is made by adding white colored alloys and  white gold that is not rhodium plated can be white with a slight yellow tint.  Green gold is a mixture of pure gold and silver. Green gold is yellow with a subtle green tint.  It would make sense that it would be a lighter yellow than regular 14k yellow gold.  Don't know if that helps at all but thought I would share.

 

mybulova_admin
Posted September 12, 2019 - 10:40pm

The GF stamp on the case stands for.......wait for it.......Gold Filled 

Wow I know right!!!

There is a Trojan, but that doesn't have the sub-second hand configuration.

1926 Bulova Spartan

jabs
Posted September 13, 2019 - 5:15am

1926 Bulova Spartan, good catch

neetstuf-4-u
Posted January 7, 2022 - 9:25am

spartan mvmt 1926