Bulova 1950 Kirkwood

Submitted by neetstuf-4-u on August 9, 2021 - 5:14pm
Manufacture Year
1950
Movement Model
8AD
Movement Jewels
17
Case Serial No.
2717217
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
Rose
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I bought this one from a Canadian seller, not knowing if it was legit, or a frankenbully. Now that it is in my hand, I have no doubt it's real. Copper face and rose gold casing. Both case back and movement are dated L0. Case back marked -  Bulova Quality  -  L0  -  2717217

It came to me with the last links of a rose gold band attached, I suspect they may be original. Case back interior is blank. Movement has no import code. This would seem to be a Canadian version of the Kirkwood in rose gold..I have never seen another. This was another "what the heck is that?" purchase.......

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neetstuf-4-u
Posted August 9, 2021 - 5:21pm

Here is a photo of subject watch next to a yellow gold Kirkwood. No question the case is rose gold.

2kirks

mybulova_admin
Posted August 9, 2021 - 6:49pm

Looks thinner as well, is it?

neetstuf-4-u
Posted August 9, 2021 - 7:04pm

I just added a better perspective photo. It is exactly the same size as Kirkwood with identical engraving.

JimDon5822
Posted August 10, 2021 - 10:49pm

I have nothing on this one.   Very unusual.   Looks to be a Squadron dial but everything looks to me like it is a complete package.   Unknown for me.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted August 11, 2021 - 7:15am

Agreed, Jim. I purchased it very tarnished off bad photos with the consideration it might be a yellow gold Kirkwood with a swapped Squadron dial, but hoped for case matching face. The fact it polished to bright rose gold was a pleasant surprise. Dates match and face is a perfect fit to opening

mybulova_admin
Posted August 11, 2021 - 2:14am

Looks like the Kirkwood had at least one other dial variant. Perhaps this is a rose gold variant.

Alas unknown for now.

1950s Bulova Kirkwood

mybulova_admin
Posted August 11, 2021 - 2:29am

Geoff, according to Lisa's site you had the above yellow gold version with a Marlboro hang tag.

1950 Bulova Marlboro

Also shows this version within the same listing which is actually a match for the above Kirkwood advert. Anyone confussed yet :-).

1950 Bulova Kirkwood

Geoff Baker
Posted August 11, 2021 - 9:25pm

Mine was switched to Kirkwood three years back, based on the advert the Bob supplied at the time.

As much as I want this to be Kirkwood too, I just can't abide it based on the lack of an advert. 1950 Bulova Unknown

neetstuf-4-u
Posted August 11, 2021 - 7:06am

In discussions in the past, along with the surfacing of ads for both Marlboro and single one for Kirkwood, we determined that Goeff's was a  mis-tag. It appears that this case design was only around a very short time and unique to Kirkwood. The 3 in the database, Lisa's and this one are all dated 1950 and 1951. ( 4 of the 5 are '50 and one is '51.)  Ad is dated 1951.

Based on the fact we have no other ads calling this casing anything else, is it safe to group it with the others and ID it as Kirkwood?

mybulova_admin
Posted August 12, 2021 - 6:44pm

I tend to agree that unique cases that vary in gold colour are more likely to be the same model, even dial variants.

It would be good to get more opinions on this so we can go with the concensus. I'm fine either way, as we all know Bulova were never consistant.