Bulova 1957 Surfmaster

Submitted by brandall54 on April 26, 2019 - 3:02pm
D
Manufacture Year
1957
Movement Model
8AC
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
C366095
Case shape
Square
Case color
Yellow
Crystal details
22.8mm x 22.8mm square
Watch Description

1957 Surfmaster A  After reading both threads for the surfmaster and the surfmaster, I'm going with the Surfmaster A. IMHO, the 57 Surfmaster in the database should be an A  and the Surfmaster A should be a Model 23 U. Just sayin. I just got this bak from Kurt after an oiling and servicing so I dare not open the case. I used the movement info from the database for this one and Kurt said the gasket was dried out and in pieces and he didn't have a replacement so he pieced the original back together....don't get it wet lol. Definitely my prized possession to date. Will be wearing it daily with great pride. Oh yeah, it came in the original box with the tags but unfortunately its band was replaced with a very sharp looking duchess half expansion band that fits the watch very well.

1957 Bulova watch
1957 Bulova watch
1957 Bulova watch
Geoff Baker
Posted April 27, 2019 - 9:12am

I see three adverts on Surfmaster, one in a round case, and square one with and one square without an A variant. Both square cases show a quartered shaded dial. I think I'm OK with Surfmaster but a little tentative on the A variant as this one does not have the shaded dial.

1957 Bulova Surfmaster (tentative A)

brandall54
Posted April 27, 2019 - 9:42am

I'm sure you have access to lots more advertisements than I do, so I'll trust your judgements. I was mearly going by the 2 examples in the database for 57. a Surfmaster and a Surfmaster A of which a panel member at that time showed an ad for a Model 23 U that looked the the one called the A.

I probably made a poor assumption thinking the round one was the Surfmaster and the square one was an A.

The only shaded dial I saw going thru the ads again was for a square Ambassador.

Geoff Baker
Posted April 28, 2019 - 7:11am

In reply to by brandall54

I use the full and partial adverts found here in the myBulova dB and occasionally those in Lisa's 'watchophilia.com' dB. All available to all users.

brandall54
Posted April 27, 2019 - 10:13am

I don't know the outcome of this thread yet, but no matter what its called, I fell in love with the watch at first sight and it now has a new destiny, not relegated to a display case or on a shelf somewhere. This beauty is destined to be on my wrist every day. Not a bad deal for 53 bucks!!

jabs
Posted April 27, 2019 - 10:22am

Agree with Surfmaster

Reverend Rob
Posted April 27, 2019 - 1:10pm

I suspect the dial is refinished, that may be why no shading.

1957 Surfmaster.

brandall54
Posted April 27, 2019 - 1:55pm

Supposedly been sitting in a drawer for 35 years. but you can't trust what they say on Ebay hahaha

Andersok
Posted April 27, 2019 - 3:17pm

Well, I do not find this watch in any available advertisements. Note that the Surfmaster has center seconds; this watch has the sub second hand dial. Case looks like a match.

Unknown model at this time

Geoff Baker
Posted April 28, 2019 - 7:08am

In reply to by Andersok

Wow, totally missed that Ken (he said while cleaning his glasses). Leads to the possibility of a movement swap too doesn't it?

I'm at Unknown too.......

brandall54
Posted April 27, 2019 - 3:52pm

The only ad I found was this one, but it was listed as an ad from 1958

It does have the sweep second vs the sub

the 57 Ambassador has the sub seconds hand but a shaded dial

But this is the 57 in the database...note the sub seconds hand