Bulova 1950 Academy Award

Submitted by JEV1A on June 10, 2016 - 7:48am
W
Manufacture Year
1950
Movement Model
7AP
Movement Date Code
49 (A9)
Movement Jewels
21
Movement Serial No.
L-O
Case Serial No.
2846680
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
Mineral
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Bulova L-0 1950 Academy Award as seen in NAWCC Magazine  - Golden Curtain Dial, Tuxcedo Case  21 Jewel 7AP L-O Movement Serviced and Running Strong  -  Band is a Kriesler 1/20th Gold Filled Twisto  Clamshell Academy Award Case with Original Bulova Price Tag  -  I have owned this Model since 2005  I hope you enjoy this Original Representation of the Bulova Academy Award Model

JEV1A

1950 Bulova Academy Award
1950 Bulova watch
jabs
Posted June 10, 2016 - 8:18am

1950 AA "W"

Bulova Watch

Geoff Baker
Posted June 11, 2016 - 5:49am

Nice watch,  NOS Kreisler "Bamboo" bands are still out there on the bay.

Academy Award "W"

JEV1A
Posted June 17, 2016 - 8:14am

In reply to by Geoff Baker

WOW, Thanks very much.. found a correct Kresiler "Bamboo" Band with boxes and tages on e-bay for 30 bucks! I'll update AA "W" Watch soon with NOS Band. 

 

Reverend Rob
Posted June 11, 2016 - 10:47am

For those that are interested in such things, $71.50 in today's money is over $700.00. Just for comparison, that was the same basic price as a Rolex. (Rolex prices have become insanely inflated since then)

This was and still is an excellent quality watch, with its 21 jewel, Breguet Hairspring movt, and would have represented a 'serious' purchase for someone who valued quality. 

The lawsuit story has since been disproved, Bulova manufactured AA watches through 1954, and ads exist that confirm this to 1953. Dealers continued to advertise and sell Academy Award watches until 1960 when stock was exhausted. What is unknown is what year Bulova stopped selling the popular watches.

The original lawsuit was a spurious one levelled against Bulova, not by AMPAS, but by an upstart company called 'Champion Play Corporation', which  in 1946  changed its name to 'Academy Award Products, Inc.' In 1950 they filed a suit against Bulova for infringement of copyright, based on 17 applications they made to use the terms 'Academy Award' for products like Watches and clocks that they did not even sell. The copyright was cancelled by the Patent Office following the filing of the lawsuit, stating that Champion had falsely obtained them. The suit against Bulova was dismissed, and Bulova sued for damages which were awarded in 1955. 

Wording on the actual Bulova ads was tweaked in 1952 following an FTC agreement with AMPAS that stated Bulova was required to state that the Academy Award name and 'Oscar' was being used by permission and under license. As long as they adhered to the requirement, at no time was Bulova ever prohibited from using the copyrighted terms, nor was the agreement cancelled between Bulova and AMPAS. The actual wording of the contract stated that Bulova would have to 'Cease and Desist' unless they used the approved wording. Bulova complied, and nothing more came of it. 

I believe we have discussed this elsewhere in the threads on other AA models. 

Geoff Baker
Posted June 12, 2016 - 6:56am

In reply to by Reverend Rob

Thank you Rev, for continuing to dispel the "legend that will not die". It's unfortunate that this story continues to grow legs and has somehow become one of the watch world most persistent urban legends.

mybulova_admin
Posted June 15, 2016 - 7:39am

Bulova Academy Award Watch 'W'

PJ
Posted June 15, 2016 - 4:36pm

Interesting information. Now to find an Academy Award watch for my collection!

JEV1A
Posted June 17, 2016 - 8:24am

In reply to by PJ

Search ebay... they are all over the place on prices. I feel the best is to find one complete with Clamshell AA Watch Case  as I have seen just the cases sell for as much as the watches.  The Golden Curtain Dials, 21 J and Tuxcedo Cases I like best. Just try to find a all original working AA. Be carefull, ask questions of models. Dials are being jammed into odd cases and called AA Models.  Not quite sure that is... if you get one owned by a Star that won a Oscar the night they received the watch in the gift backet, its worth 100 times more. Good Luck!

JEV1A
Posted June 24, 2016 - 1:58am

AA-BULOVA-L-O

UPDATE: My Bulova AA Watch now with Kreisler 14K GF Bamboo Band! Pictured is Hoagy Charmichael and Wife whom originally owned the watch.