The date of 1963 is a total guess - I have no idea when this watch was made!
If I'm honest, I bought this watch from ebay because a) it is beautiful, and b) it had just been serviced and is running!
I've always liked the look of vintage watches, and so treated myself to one for my recent 25th birthday. I know nothing about it, but I would be very appreciative if anybody who does would share their knowledge!
I know that the strap doesn't match the watch, and this is part of the reason that I would love to know more about the watch itself - I want to replace the strap with something that at least looks appropriate, even if it isn't quite perfect! Although, obviously, finding the perfectly matching strap would make me squeal happily!
The attached strap says "Netovia RG" on the clasp.
I have tried to include photographs that show the different parts of the watch , but I really don't know where to start when it comes to dating it. I've begun to look through old Bulova advertisements but haven't had any luck matching it so far - I will obviously update this if I do come across a match!
Nice watch and thanks for entering it. Great pics too.
The movement is dated 1965, M5 (M=1960's, +5) so I would start in the 1965 ads and do as JP suggests and expand your search from there. I'm not seeing a similar date code on the outside of the case back though. Is there anything stamped inside the case back? Can you post a pic? If there are any light hand made scratchings inside the case back those are watchmakers marks from when the watch was serviced and not relevent to the id.
The case looks like a "Barbara" from the 40's which would be a 17J movement, this has a 1965 (M5) 21J movement. The case serial number looks like it starts with a 0 or is it a "D"?...should have a date code stamped on the caseback id it was a 1965.
Non-Conforming would be my call
If you look at the numbers, they get smaller as they seem to get "further away" from the eye. Optical illusion, and the "D" is probably a zero that was mis-struck, as there should be seven digits on the case back after 1934/5.
!940 "Barbara", with a new movement in 1965.
Oh, I just found this - THIS looks exactly the same as mine!
http://www.mybulova.com/node/3960
Could it be Ethel? From a 1946 advert -
http://www.mybulova.com/vintage-bulova-watch-ads?page=6#
The first ad on the second row. I can't work out how to get the specific ad to go in this box.The watch I mean is the one draped of the box in the picture. The watch strap of this one seems to match the strap of the watch I linked to in the last comment I wrote - which says it has its original strap.