Bulova Rite Angle
In reply to This Watch is for Sale, by jjdesch
IMO, I would call this late 1930's Bulova RITE ANGLE mechanical wristwatch the epitome of High American Art-Deco, strongly influenced by the Streamline Moderne design movement following the 1933-1934 “Century of Progress” Chicago World’s Fair. This is evidenced in its fine Streamlined Airfoil profile, and the wonderful stepped design of the Art Deco casing. The marketing of this watch at the time suggests that this watch was designed to be a "driver's watch." The sleek angled profile was intended to make the watch easier to read with both hands on the wheel. I am not sure how successful this feature was, but this watch certainly screams high style. This example is the more ornate, richly engraved version which I personally find more desirable. The face shows a nice but subtle patina, and appears to be original and not refinished, but I do not know this conclusively. This watch is in very good to excellent condition overall for its age -- and obviously well cared for throughout its life as evidenced by the numerous watchmaker initials on the inside case. The 17 jewel movement is clean, and winds smoothly, sets and keeps good time. The only issue with this watch is that the crystal is loose and will need to be reset with some crystal glue, a very minor issue, as the crystal itself is quite clean and clear. This watch was serviced when I purchased it two years ago, and I hate to let it go, but I have another fine example of this watch in my collection and need to make room for some others.