Bulova 1943 -Unknown

Submitted by plainsmen on October 19, 2020 - 1:55pm
Manufacture Year
1943
Movement Model
10AK
Movement Date Code
Circle
Movement Jewels
17
Case Serial No.
3445977
Case shape
Round
Case color
Rose
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

So... a really interesting piece.  Double date stamp on the movement X =1943 & O = 1944 (handstamped).  Case has a 1943 date number.

This is the exact case of another unknown from 1943 I have here:

https://mybulova.com/watches/1943-unknown-6162

Case is the same... hands are close but one is variant and both are lumed.... movement I believe would be the same.

I have no ad supporting or refuting either dial variant.

Unknown for me.... I somewhat question the two tone dial... but I think it could be legitimate as we have another dial variant black/white in the same year with the Blackhawk.

Either way... the model is pretty rare as I think I've only seen 3 in the years I've been collecting...

1944 Bulova Unknown Front
1944 Bulova Unknown Dial
1944 Bulova Unknown Movement
1944 Bulova Unknown Case
1944 Bulova Unknown Back
JimDon5822
Posted October 19, 2020 - 2:07pm

Very unusual.   Is there a precedent for ANTI MAGNETIC on the dial of Bulova watches?   This makes me suspect the dial is original.  Stumped!

Kathy L.
Posted October 20, 2020 - 11:39am

This is a gorgeous watch and dial.  I looked on newspapers and anti-magnetic watches were advertised as service watches quite a bit but I didn't find a Bulova in the 1940s.  Doesn't mean they didn't make them though.  And this doesn't look like a service watch so I am stumped as well.  Great buy though.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted October 20, 2020 - 6:29pm

That is a beauty and I have no idea what it is. I would have bought it myself... I'm going to play devil's advocate and make some observations. Seeing "anti-magnetic" on the dial is odd, I don't believe I've ever seen that before on a 1940's Bully. Looking at the inside of the case back, it appears there are 4 rough areas like spot welds that seem to correspond with the lug attachment points that don't seem to me to be up to Bulova quality finishing standards.

When did Bulova address and halt third party marking of watch cases and faces as Bulova, without "re-built" or "Movement" on the face?

It's also possible this watch and your other in identical case were short runs for a specific buyer (short lived/unadvertised), ie. company award watches, or maybe war drive awards?. I will agree it's a very uncommon watch, whatever it is.

With nothing to compare to, and the existence of at least 2 others in this casing (yours and Lisa's) that are marked "Bulova"

1943 Unknown for now, and a very cool one indeed.

Geoff Baker
Posted October 20, 2020 - 10:00pm

Oh how I LOVE this watch. I doubt that dial is original but OH HOW I LOVE THAT DIAL! Just send it to me Jerin, just do it man.

1943 Bulova "who cares what you call it, I still want it" Unknown

JimDon5822
Posted October 20, 2020 - 10:40pm

I have to go with Unknown.  Seems to be an original case and movement with a suspect dial. 

mybulova_admin
Posted October 21, 2020 - 4:01am

Note the hands combination too, All over the place. Nothing matches, which makes me suspect that this is a 'cobblers' watch.

A watch put together from spare parts a jeweller had, with the addition of a 3rd party dial producer that made replacement dials bfanded with well known companies. I'm sure I've seen another similar, but suspect that it was more common than not to make such a thing to sell at a lower price point than an original, whilst using up spare parts.

Just my thinking.

Unknown all the same,

plainsmen
Posted October 21, 2020 - 11:23am

In reply to by mybulova_admin

This could absolutely be true, but with such a scarce model we really don't know that it's a frank or not.

plainsmen
Posted October 11, 2023 - 10:59am

Unknown dial

 

Interesting ro find a other like dial, though this one in a silver.