Bulova 1949 -Unknown

Submitted by TdH on June 30, 2011 - 1:47am
Manufacture Year
1949
Movement Model
10BM
Movement Date Code
49 (A9)
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
1565863
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

This watch is composed of a 1949 Treasurer back, movement and dial with an early 1950's President bezel.

10kt white gold fill with stainless steel back. Approx 25mm x 30mm in diameter excluding the crown. Original 2-tone finish  dial.

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
Bulova Watch
Bulova Watch
Wayne Hanley
Posted June 30, 2011 - 2:44am

Nice watch!  Presidents were suppossed to be equiped with 21 jewel movements, according to the ad. This President case appears in ads from 1953 to 1956. I wouldn't trust the date on the movement A9 as the model year for this beauty.

Wayne Hanley
Posted June 30, 2011 - 2:30am

Nice watch!  Presidents were suppossed to be equiped with 21 jewel movement, according to the ad.

Geoff Baker
Posted June 30, 2011 - 5:17am

So here's the rub Wayne - the case is clearly marked A9, as is the mvmt. I agree that by this date the Presidents were all 21 j, so I'm not sure I could vote for the model name but I don't think there's a doubt on the dates. It's the '53-56 case style, it's just dated 4 years earlier than anything we've seen in ads.

Great watch TdH - I love this model in white gold. The case looks to be like new.

gb

Geoff Baker
Posted June 30, 2011 - 5:37am

And then I got to thinking....

I have always assumed that since our friends named a watch "President" in 1925 and as late as 1973 that they actually had a President model every year between. I just scanned throught the ads -  didn't look at every single one - but imagine my surprise - Bulova did not advertise a President model from 1944 through 1952 (I think I just named this period "The Excellency Years"). I wonder if there's going to be other years in which we didn't have a President as well ( don't go there Bob Bruno - I KNOW what you're thinking!!).

The plot thickens, I thought I knew my presidents.

Bob Bruno
Posted June 30, 2011 - 10:43am

OK OK GB I'll be good I promise. :) private joke

Stephen Ollman
Posted June 30, 2011 - 6:21am

Excuss my Australian ignorance...who was the President during those years....were they the war years?

Geoff Baker
Posted June 30, 2011 - 9:17am

 Arde Bulova was!!

Oh, you mean President of the USA? Franklin Roosevelt was until '45 (end of war also) Harry Truman took over until Jan '53. Can't imagine this had anything to do with the "Excellency Years" though. When did they stop the Excellency? When the President come back?

TdH
Posted June 30, 2011 - 7:14pm

Thanks, guys, for the comments. It sure looks like a President from the early 50s. I am very curious to find out if this model was called something else in 1949. Can anyone help?

Wayne Hanley
Posted June 30, 2011 - 7:53pm

I love it when you get to thinking Geoff!  The earliest ad we have for this (shape) model President is 1953, boasting a 21 jewel movement.  The fact that the subject watch has a 17 jewel movement presents a minor complication. I have a 1948 Bulova President E w/21 jewels that wasn't advertised, (in the db, same shaped case as the 1940 President E). The facts of the subject watch say that Bulova produced a President model with A9=1949 date stamps on both the case & movement. We just have no ads to back up this fact. I would call it a 1949 Bulova President. We also know that Bulova used 17 jewel movements in President watches.

 

Bob Bruno
Posted June 30, 2011 - 9:50pm

The movement database says the 10bm movement starts in 1952 and ends in 1953. This 10bm is stamped a9 = 1949. The DB is obviously wrong. Or am I missing somthing?