Bulova 1977 -Unknown

Submitted by supaxtreme1 on September 18, 2020 - 7:45am
Manufacture Year
1977
Movement Model
5BD
Movement Jewels
23
Case Serial No.
3642
Case shape
Oval
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Ladies
Watch Description

This was my Mom's watch and after reading up on how to figure out the year it was made etc. I also found some interesting writing on the inside of the back cover curious to know what it is? Can't seem to find the name of the watch. On the movement  N4, 5BD On the inside of the back cover which is 3642 and with the most magnified setting on my loop I found this on one side that had been engraved G361641488RS and the other side G683011879RS the R and S look to be more personalized with a slight cursive loop in R

Front
Show Band
Movement
Inside Back Cover
JimDon5822
Posted September 19, 2020 - 1:12am

Thank you for posting your watch.  I could not find an ad match but think this is a Goddess of Time.  Hopefully one of the other panel members can find an ad match.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted September 19, 2020 - 9:41am

Nice watch, and a nice heirloom, thanks for sharing! I started out looking for a 1974, and found no matches. Looking at the movement a second time, it has a second stamp that is "N7". Presto! I found a match in the 1977-1979 Linebook under "1978 Bulova Ladies Assortment - J.C. Penny"

Watch is shown with "23" on the dial; which yours lacks, but your watch houses a 23 Jewel movement. It appears the watch didn't have a name at this point and was identified only by the number "1939". I don't know if this number is Bulova or JC Penny.

unknown 1977 ladies

At this point (still looking) I'm at 

1977 Bulova Unknown ...to me

supaxtreme1
Posted September 19, 2020 - 12:09pm

In reply to by neetstuf-4-u

Thank you so much just curious as to why they would put two different stamps and I was having a hard time trying to decide if it is 5BD or SBD

neetstuf-4-u
Posted September 19, 2020 - 2:26pm

The movement was produced / assembled one year and not used, so it was stamped again when it was installed in a watch,  It's entirely possible Bulova produced more high quality 23 J ladies movements than demand for more expensive mechanical watches in 1974, and it took a few years to use them up. Quartz and Accutron watches were increasing in popularity, and the majority of mechanical Ladies Bulovas at the time were 17 jewels.

The curious engraved writings you see in the case back are jeweler's marks. In days past, when a watchmaker serviced or repaired a watch, he often signed it with his own code to keep track of what was done, who did it and when. Movement is 5BD, the ink stamped number on case back interior is the case style.

Geoff Baker
Posted September 19, 2020 - 9:52pm

Cool heirloom watch, congratulations on having a keepsake from your mother. I too will suggest that we won't find a proper name but will have to tag it as an Unknown model. Thanks for sharing it.

Kathy L.
Posted September 20, 2020 - 4:32pm

Wonderful heirloom!  Unknown for now.