Bulova 1938 -Non-Conforming

Submitted by Daca102090 on September 21, 2011 - 11:49pm
Manufacture Year
1938
Movement Model
10AE
Movement Date Code
Cresent Moon
Movement Jewels
17
Case Serial No.
8321406
Case shape
Stepped
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
16.31mm x 25.60
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I am a little conflicted over the ID on this one.  All of the other Clipper models have even numbers only where this one has all 12. The minute track looks correct and the seconds track as well. I just viewed a 1937 Commander with the white face and this now seems to be what this watch is only with a black face.  http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1937-Commander-50 - Is it possible that this is a Clipper case with a commander face?  Looking closer at the two cases there are more tiers on my case than the commander case.

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 25, 2011 - 6:49am

With an unidentified / unknown Watch anything is possible....

mybulova_admin
Posted September 25, 2011 - 8:20am

Redial perhaps. Certainly has the Clipper case and I can't find anything else with the same case style.

Perhaps another player in the 'guess that unknown model' game.

Bob Bruno
Posted September 25, 2011 - 10:17am

Ok I'll play, I guess American Clipper case with a Commander dial.

Daca102090
Posted September 25, 2011 - 11:33am

At first I thought it was a commander because of the face then as I learned more on this site I started

looking closer at the cases.   I was flipping back and forth then got a a closer look at the commander case.  The dial and minute tracks seem to fit the case well and it looks sharp and the face is as found, the only things I had done on the watch were a good cleaning and the mainspring had to be replaced.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 25, 2011 - 12:24pm

'COMMANDER' Dial looks wider at 3 - 9 , maybe We could compare measurements?

simpletreasures
Posted September 25, 2011 - 1:00pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Mark, it looks wider in the last pic, but I suspect it's the camera angle. Doesn't appear odd in the pic of the dial taken dead on, so to speak.

Daca102090
Posted September 25, 2011 - 12:56pm

I can post the measurements this evening.  Would you want the measurement to the outside of the face ot to the inner and outer edges of the minute track?

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted September 25, 2011 - 3:04pm

idk what would be most conclusive, across the Dial point to point?

2 different Dials IMO - 'COMMANDER' looks wider but as Bob pointed out that could be an optical illusion.

Daca102090
Posted September 25, 2011 - 11:30pm

OK, across the face at the 9 and 3 the dial measures 18.02mm and top to bottom 26.21mm.

To the inside of the minute track at same locations 13.73mm by 22.41mm.

I rechecked the movement and it is the 17 jewel 10ae which is correct for the american clipper where the commander had the 15j movement.

Wayne Hanley
Posted September 26, 2011 - 3:34am

The sub-seconds chapter doesn't seem to emulate the six-sided shape of the minute chapter as it should. Sub-seconds chapter appears tonnaeu shape.