Bulova 1926 -Unknown

Submitted by stuartbaker104 on October 18, 2014 - 3:21pm
Manufacture Year
1926
Movement Model
5AP
Movement Date Code
Triangle
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
35021
Case Serial No.
260583
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
10.3 x 19.3mm
Gender
Ladies
Watch Description

Hi,

I bought this from a well know internet auction site for £36 in May - every so often I have to buy my wife a watch so I can buy a few for myself!  It wasn't running but was complete and didn't need any parts to get it going.  I've cleaned, oiled (& demagnetized!) the movement and lightly polished the case and crystal.

Clearly the crown is not original, and I will need to find something more appropriate.  I'm pretty certain the crystal is also not original as it is curved inside and out, whereas the rebate in the case is flat.  Any offers of help on those items might be welcome :-)

The case is 14K white gold, and has been inexpertly repaired at some point resulting in some of the inlay melting slightly although this is not really obvious unless you look closely.  It will need an 11mm strap which I'm sure will be a doddle to find (I've found a black one but my wife said a green one would be nice!)

The 5AP movement (based on an Aurore-Villeret 9) has 15 jewels and an overcoiled hairspring with a bimetallic balance.  The train bridge is a single piece, although cut to look like seperate bridges for each jewel.  The movement cover retains its original acetate sheet.

There are two patent dates inside the case back - but no patent numbers, so I don't know what these refer to.

There are a couple of similar watches in the database in the "Miss America" group from 1928, although these have integral lugs and don't have the mitre effect in the case corners. 

Regards

Stuart

Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
1926 Bulova watch
stuartbaker104
Posted October 21, 2014 - 4:40pm

Hi all,

Thanks for all your inputs on this - especially to Bobbee for identifying L Lewitt.  If you search on ebay for "L Lewitt watch" right now, there is a platinum piece with very similar, but decorated, lugs. (Sorry for some reason I can't paste a link)

The lugs on one end of my watch (sorry, wife's watch!) have definitely been replaced, but there is no way that the case ever had lugs like the advertised Miss America / Vassar watches.  It's possible that the lugs were originally decorated on mine, but the pin at the other end has also been replaced resulting in the decoration being obscured - hard to tell, but the joints between the lugs and pin don't look as good as one would expect for a solid gold case. 

I can only assume that Bulova may have contracted with a number of suppliers to provide broadly similar cases and that these companies started with their own standards.

11mm leather strap should be arriving tomorrow...

Stuart

William Smith
Posted October 21, 2014 - 5:06pm

Yea I see the difference in both the right angles where the enameling meet vertical/horizontal bezel, and the extended part of the case on the MA and Vassar ads compared to the lugs of the subject watch case.  
I guess Bulova coulda called it one of those names, but that's unknow.....and we don't do this by guessing.
...so I'm at unknown.

mybulova_admin
Posted October 21, 2014 - 5:59pm

Good pickup Bob, I can't believe I missed that. I guess I was too focused on that amazing enamel work.

Back to Unknown.

plainsmen
Posted October 22, 2014 - 3:31pm

Wow... I seriously love the old enamel 14k watches.  If you look I have 2 others but in an orchid type of case that we can't find names for either.  I'm going to say Unknown for now, but yes all Bulova.

Alex
Posted October 30, 2014 - 4:05am

Beautiful, beautiful watch! Thanks Bobbee for the info on the case. My Mignon (published on this site) has the same case logo/maker.

William Smith
Posted November 1, 2015 - 1:59pm

Cool patent date for early dust tite cover used by Bulova contracted case maker.  Nice!