The BULOVA "DRAKE," or perhaps "RADIO CITY," Circa 1940 and maybe 1941? Yellow or Pink (Rose) gold filled case, 14 Karat, RGP.
NOTE the modified 1939 President style (vs. terraced lug, on the 40s Senator) case design, please...
Best :-) Scott
Shawn,
It has been past practice for Bulova to have named variants simply on a type band the Watch was offered for sale on.
variant 'A'. - on Bracelet.
variant 'B' - on Stretch link band.
variant 'C' - on Leather strap.
If there is a named 'A' variant then there has to be at least a 'B'.
One other note is the 'SENATOR' of this Case design is always shown in the many on site ads with applied Gilt numerals layed out in the standard manner which would bolster the theory of a printed Dial version, or version with a Dial of any other kind being an entirely different model.
'DRAKE' 'RADIO CITY' or 'SPENCER'
They can't all be the 'SENATOR'. the $50,000 question is which is which.
In 1943 We do know with 99% certainty the Watch Scott is showing in the original post is the 'SPENCER'
Great find on the ad Plains. If I may digress back to the description watch/watches. Why is the watch dated 1940 when the first movement shown has a 1942 date symbol? I also see an entirely different dialed watch after the1st movement shown & also probably the movement that mates with the seconnd watch. Has this other watch been added since the dicussion originally began?
I know that Scott doesn't use date symbols to date watches, but date symbols are the only thing that Bulova gives us as to when vintage watch movement was manufactured. It is the only consistant thing that bulova did do & actually the only consistant fact to date a watch. Cases & dials can be dated thru ads.
Back to the new ad. I don't see any answers to the Senator/Spencer discussion. It shows what we know to be a Spencer case & lists
But leaves the reader to believe that the Senator case looks like the case shown in the ad picture, but has a yellow case. When we have another 1946 ad showing a Senator with a different case.
Rose Gold = Spencer
Yellow Gold = Senator B
http://www.mybulova.com/sites/default/files/vintage_ads/Bulova_AD_1946_…
In reply to Typo. ad should read: by FifthAvenueRes…
I like how you just make shit up off the top of your head. Settle down Mark Twain... your not spinning yarns for your novellas here.
The ad SHOULD read what it READS. Not some made up crap YOU WANT it to read.
Senator "B".
Which of course makes sense because of all the Senator "A" ads we see advertised so much.
Hi All, Sorry I've not been around much, too busy trying to make a living in this crazy business.
My 2 cents worth, naming this as any Senator or even considering that notion is just way off base. We have to consider the case and lugs 1st, dial 2nd, band 3rd. This case and lugs is clearly a "Spencer or Sponser" or perhaps another model name depending on year of production and the country it was marketed in. When admin found the Mexican ads calling it the "Sponser" we have to be open to unknown model names for Canada and Europe.
I think 5th may be on to something with the letter designations relating to dial and band variations. For now, IMO this watch is a "Spencer" or " Sponser".