Bulova 1948 Her Excellency

Submitted by Patrick G on March 25, 2012 - 12:17am
U
Manufacture Year
1948
Movement Model
6BA
Movement Jewels
21
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
874714
Case shape
CornerCut
Case color
White
Gender
Ladies
Watch Description

Just a guess for this watch that my wife recently inherited from a grandmother. After looking at the collected advertisements, I believe it is a "Her excellency" based on cushion shape, perhaps "T", "U" or something else. Not sure about year. Distinguishing features are the two diamonds and 14K white gold case. Speidel wristband appears not to be original. Had it cleaned at a watchstore. Crown and dial are original.

Thanks for any expertise shared. I am a watch novice.

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
William Smith
Posted March 26, 2012 - 1:34pm

Hi Patrick  If it resembles both T and/or U variant, then I'd be inclined to ID w/o the letter variant.  If it matched the ad (s) for only U (including any text description in ad (s)) and that text was sufficient to exclude from other variant text in ads), then that suggests U variant.  It's kinda the mutually exclusive/totally exhaustive and sufficient/necessary lines of thought/logic.  Other similar known watch records are useful, but unless there exists good documentation or reasoning for how these watches were ID'ed, then that may suggest the other watch records are incorrectly ID'ed or they may only have one/two stars as they are entered.   Fun isn't it!

William Smith
Posted March 26, 2012 - 5:13pm

nice ladies watch...another double date code movement?  A square (1946) and something to the right of it.   How did you arrive at 1948 for a date?  I didn't see indication of 1948 stamp anywhere.  Thanks

Patrick G
Posted March 31, 2012 - 9:58am

Thanks for the comments. I have removed the "U" categorization (for now, at least). My guess at 1948 was the result of:

1. interpreting the date code as "48" (admittedly my photo is not so clear just below and to the left of the crown). Is there somewhere else on the back that I should be looking at? While not clear, it does not look like "47", "49", or "J9".

2. looking at the first vintage ad for 1948 (rightmost watch in green box). Admittedly, the first vintage ad for 1947 includes a similar image. Both of these are for Her Excellency "U". (I don't know how to capture those popups on my vista machine and add them to my images above.)

William Smith
Posted April 2, 2012 - 2:38am

Thanks Patrick.  I'll recheck the ads you mention.

The clearer T from 1947

and 1948 U  from 1948

look same.  Artist really made the diamond look bigger!  Perhaps the difference is the U is white gold and the T is yellow gold.  If that's the variant letter designation, then yours could be the U

William Smith
Posted April 2, 2012 - 2:34pm

..but w/o specifying U or T, it certainly looks like "1948 her excellency"

Patrick G
Posted April 7, 2012 - 11:51am

Thanks for posting the adverts, and clarifying on the letter designation. Since my wife's watch is definitely white gold rather than yellow gold, I will courageously return to my initial labelling of 1948 "Her Excellency U".

And I guess I should be glad that I'm able to contribute to mythbusting elsewhere!