Bulova 1948 His Excellency

Submitted by M Watchman on March 14, 2020 - 12:28pm
Manufacture Year
1948
Movement Model
7AK
Movement Date Code
47
Movement Jewels
21
Case Serial No.
8277919
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
Rose
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Rose Gold metal case, very much light copper in color.  Inside of case reads, "Bulova", "14K Gold Filled", "New York".  Outside has, "14K Gold Filled" and "Bulova" on one end with the serial number on the other. Dial is a nice dark copper brown with black print and silvered numbers and copper hands. Matching rose gold bracelet marked on the clasp, ""Kreisler Quality","U.S.A.- Pat. 2,084,160" which places this patent to 1937 -1937, so well before this watch was made. This one is a great running watch!!!! Looks to be a 1947 Bulova His Excellency, I am not sure of the variant (if any).  Has the same dial (and a very similar bracelet) as this 1947 here: http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1947-his-excellency-2485  But my case serial number is later and looks to maybe date 1948 rather than 1947 (so please correct the entry if 1947 is wrong).

Face
Dial
Movement
Case Back
Side with bracelet
neetstuf-4-u
Posted March 14, 2020 - 3:48pm

This is one of those cases that always sparks some debate. It was used for multiple watches. Your case matches The HE you reference as well as  slightly earlier watches in the Db (1946)  we have ID'ed as Statesman and also Director (Director appears to be mis-identified) .. The Statesman and Director  models seem to have  rolled into the His Excellency collection in or around 1947, but I don't think this face configuration did as I find no ads depicting it after 1946 as a HE. We have 3 watches identical to yours that I find in the Db, the one you referenced identified as His Excellency, one here identified as Statesman and the likely mis-identified Director..

I'm on the fence. It appears that the His Excellency you reference was ID'ed early on in mybulova history with no ad evidence, rather by date. It looks to me like the 1947 and forward HE in a rose gold case had a fully black printed dial like this one, with ad evidence. Unless there is a second yet to be identified one with the same dial as the Statesman seen in ad below dated 1946, or a HE ad out there I missed with your face.  I'm thinking there was an overlap of names.

Honolulu star 1946

 

Without newer ad evidence identifying it as a His Excellency, I suspect subject watch and also the 2 others referenced are Statesman.

Geoff Baker
Posted March 14, 2020 - 9:46pm

In 1947 this model became the His Excellency. While there were a dozen or so variants we never discovered the variant for this configuration. Still one of my all time favorite Bulova (that's mine linked above) rose case on rose bracelet with a copper dial......a killer watch for certain.

1948 (by case serial) Bulova His Excellency

Kathy L.
Posted March 16, 2020 - 10:47am

Very nice in the rose gold plate.

1948 Bulova His Excellency

Geoff Baker
Posted March 18, 2020 - 9:31pm

panel- your thoughts?

Andersok
Posted March 19, 2020 - 6:44am

1948 Bulova His Excellency

JimDon5822
Posted March 19, 2020 - 6:03pm

I am going with 1948 Bulova Statesman based on the following ad which is a dead match including dial and bracelet. I wonder if the 14KT Gold filled cases are the Statesman model and the 10KT gold filled the His Excellency.  See alternate ad from 1946 confirming 14kt gold case on the Statesman not sure if this is gold filled or gold.  

1948 Statesman

1946 Senator

neetstuf-4-u
Posted March 19, 2020 - 7:00pm

I'm still at Statesman. The first ad Jim references is dated 1948, the second is 1946.

Dagmar
Posted March 19, 2020 - 8:59pm

The ads for the Statesman look like engraved bezel verticals. I don't see that on the subject watch.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted March 19, 2020 - 9:38pm

In reply to by Dagmar

What you are seeing in the ads isn't engraving, it is the printed seconds track on face through the side and front of the crystal.

JimDon5822
Posted March 19, 2020 - 11:08pm

Here is a clearer picture. I think it is just a reflection of the minute tracker in the side of the crystal.

Bulova Statesman