Bulova 1974 Model

Submitted by oberuber on March 2, 2013 - 3:57pm
12013-9Y
Manufacture Year
1974
Movement Model
11AOACB
Movement Jewels
23
Case Serial No.
492829
Case shape
Cushion
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
OCTAGANOL FACETED CRYSTAL
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

DIAL FACE:  BULOVA, 23JEWEL, AUTOMATIC  -  CASE BACK:  BULOVA:  BASE METAL BEZEL,  STAINLESS STEEL BACK. MOVEMENT:  BULOVA WATCH CO, 23 TWENTY-THREE JEWELS, 11AOACB. INSIDE CASE BACK:  RV CONNEDTED OR R WITH CHEDK MARK, 7621-1, SWISS. WATCH BAND:  SPEIDEL USA, EXPANSION. EBAY SELLER STATED IT WAS A 1974 WATCH BUT NO DATE CODES ON CASE BACK OR MOVEMENT.

Bulova watch
1974 Bulova watch
1974 Bulova watch
1974 Bulova watch
1974 Bulova watch
oberuber
Posted March 2, 2013 - 4:03pm

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CRYSTALS LIKE THIS (AFTERMARKET?)

DarHin
Posted March 2, 2013 - 5:35pm

With a 23j automatic it may be one of the President's. I don't see it in the '70's ad's though. The rotor should have the date code so it could be a replacement rotor. I don't know about the crystal.

oberuber
Posted March 2, 2013 - 5:50pm

I see I have forgot how to count--the case should be hexagonal not octagonal.

mybulova_admin
Posted March 4, 2013 - 6:00am

Unknown model for me at the moment.

Geoff Baker
Posted March 4, 2013 - 6:05am

I agree, Unknown. I am wondering how we validate the year though, I don't see anything indicating 1974 do I? Is there no date code on the winding rotor? Usually that's where it's found.

William Smith
Posted March 4, 2013 - 8:29pm

Nice Unknown automatic.  Hopefully Rev Rob or Dreamweaver will recognize something about the movement to help with a date.  Overall style looks 1970's decade to me...

Reverend Rob
Posted March 5, 2013 - 1:14pm

My guess would be 1974 or thereabouts. Doc describes this as the 'last calibre family from Bulova'. I take that to mean after this there were no more new calibre series. I haven't found any detailed history regarding what movts or manufacturing procedures Bulova was using, other than they were purchased by Loew's in 1979. We came across unmarked movts in Caravelles while at school, and these resembled Russian and Chinese calibres, so at what point this started to happen in any of the main lines is unknown-however, if today's Bulova is any indicator, they may have kept the best movts for the main line, that is, the Bulova signed watches. 

My impression is that this is an in house Bulova movt., and as Doc says, the last of its kind. 

oberuber
Posted March 5, 2013 - 6:25pm

I contacted the seller of the watch and asked him how he established the 1974 date.  He reported that he purchased an identical watch that was identified as a 1974, also having the faceted crystal.  I've scoured the rotor and under the rotor of the movement and the case back again and can find no date code or indications there was ever one.

William Smith
Posted March 5, 2013 - 8:10pm

Its interesting that there is no date code/symbol as early as 1974ish for this example.  Wish we had a way to "guess" the date other than what an eBay seller recollects from a previously owned watch.  Maybe the sellers first example did have an N4 date symbol on its rotor.... Either way, it's an unknown model name to me.

mybulova_admin
Posted March 6, 2013 - 5:14am

There's a 1974 Accutron that looks alot like this watch so maybe that is where the date was obtained from.