Hi again,
I having way to much fun here!
I have a old Bulova that looks just like the hamilton piping rock, It has a rodiam plated case, it is stamped in the back Bulova watch company , pant. Jan, 11, 1927. It has a black enamal bezal and hinged lugs with the same dial design like a piping rock. If it had Hamilton printed on the dial you would think it was a piping rock. I have bought every complete guide to watches since 1984 and I have never seen it and I cant find any referance to it. The watch comes with a 9at movement. I would like to restore the watch, but I want to know if it is even worth it.
If anyone knows this watch , name , model, anything, Please let me know.
Anybody out there pick up this one? Looks like the Bulova Piping Rocks brother.
Jay
Thanks Jerin! It was in bad shape to start with, I also replated the case with rodium, after cleaning up the dents in the back and put on a NOS period correct braclet, but I may look for a differant band, as this is a little thin for a big guy like myself.
Jay, That looks pretty cool, I see he has relisted it, I should ask him some questions about it, or maybe I should bid on it to ad to the collection?
In reply to Thanks Jerin! It was in bad by Timemachines
I took a run at him already. Wasn't able to supply me with any additional info or photos. I passed. If it is one of the rare birds probably worth the $$. Took enough chances these last couple of months. BTW, he pulled the listing already so I thought that someone out there got it.
Jay
In reply to The 2011 Complete Price Guide by Wayne Hanley
Thanks Ticker!
I like the watch and how it turned out. if you look at the before and the after pics, it came along ways. I have had the watch a long time and I think that I now have about $30.00 into it, and I'll probably stick it in a drawer and my kids will give it away when I'm gone.
It has been alot of fun restoring it, and it does look good. I have alway's been partial to the Hamilton Piping Rock, and I had one one time as I have had alot of watches, too many to count. For the last twenty years I have fixed up these old watches and sold them off, Thats the way I raised three girls by myself. I only wish I had some of the old presish watches that I have owned in my time here on this big spinning rock.
I would like to thank all who have had a iterest in this peice and who have helped do some research on it. I'm sure one day someone will come up with a name for it, but for now it's just a Bulova Piping Rock.
Thanks again . Mike..
You need one of those Champion woven stainless bands for this one.. I have one on a Kingston Ill try and get a pic of it up, but I think something in the database has the same band . Very Nice watch !! I need to get some mvmt work done , send me some contact info If you dont mind.
I may be a bit late to this thread... but I agree with Stephen on this. I too have been restoring Vintage and Antique watches for years. I have plenty of case parts from the 1920s and have found some backs, bezels, movements, etc to be perfect fits to bodies, even from different manufacturers. With the right combination of parts, this would be an easy watch to "create". My vote is definitely a "Frankenstein" until some hard evidence is brought forth.
The only problem with your theroy ( and a big problem) is the case has been stamped out, not soldered together. Theirfore, the counterfiter would have had to have alot of money to make the dies for this project.
Also, when other manufactures were making the same design at the same time period, like Hamilton, Waltham, ect, I doubt that it was made a private watchmaker.
I believe that it was made for a differant market then the USA, or not enough interst in the model to continue with the total production, like a few prototypes came out, and thats it.
I still love it, But it is in no way, in any shape, form or matter a Frankenstien.
I guess, you would have to hold it, and look it over with a loop to convince yourself.
OK, here is the challange, If there is a Master watchmaker out there, Prefferably a member, I will send the watch out to them for their profesonal advice and await there opinion, while knowing that I have restored the watch myself. I'm open for another opinion. We can let someone else deside and haggel over that one. LOL
Thanks for looking. Mike
Mike, there is no point in doing this now that it's been replated.
I still stand by my original doubts but am happy to entertain the idea that Bulova flirted with the model.
I have a 1932 Bulova with a date wheel (something I've never seen before on a Bulova watch from the 30s), but I know its all real as far as matching parts and machining and certainly something produced by a high quality watch maker/company of the time. So I can appreciate that these 'odd' ball Bulovas do exist as long as all the parts and aspects point to it being original and connected.
I'll post some very interesting photos of the 1932 date watch soon.
As for the true story behind this particular watch...I guess it's a case of watch this space for evidence for or against its original status.
I hope it's a prototype....
I'm sure everyone saw this auction finish up yesterday for a watch that appears to be the same model discussed in this thread. I've asked Mike to confirm that he still has his, but, even if he doesn't, a comparison of the dates and serial numbers indicates that these are two different examples.
These are the seller's pics. I hope to have the watch in hand very soon.
According to the seller's description, the lugs are hinged. The movement and case both date to 1930.
In reply to I'm sure everyone saw this by NOVA
If you go by the case serial number, I think Mike's model also dates to 1930, as the leading "C" is probably an unclosed "0".
As for why we have no ads, I can only say that I have 13 "unknown" models dated 1929, far more than any other year between 1921 and 1979. For 1928 through 1930, I have 23 unidentified models, not including this most recent purchase. We seem to still be in need of quite a few ads for the relevant time period.
In reply to If you go by the case serial by NOVA
We do actually have a good covering of ads from that period (more than most periods) so I'm starting to think that Bulova simply didn't advertise all their models during the 20s and 30s. If true that would be a crying shame.
So Mike's has a 1928 movement in a 1930 case and you have a 30s movement in a 30s case....both 9AT I gather?
In reply to We do actually have a good by mybulova_admin
Gang We have a "good covering" of ads for this period compared to other "periods". We don't know how many watch models were made during this period. So do we have good ad coverage of models available? We don't know, but I would say no.
Of those made and advertised during this time period:
Do we have a good coverage of ads - out of those which may be out there? We don't know, but I would say No.
So relative to other years, we have lots of ads for this early period. That's about all we can say with any certainty at present.
Did Bulova make it?
Did they advertise it?
Is the ad still "out there"? (survivorship)
Can we get the ad?
Will we get the ad?
When we go through all this, I would say we don't know quite a bit, but we know much more than a year ago.
How can we make an informed guess at the number of Bulvoa models produced in this time period?
In reply to Gang We have a "good by William Smith
Answers to your questions Will,
1. Yes
2. Apparently not much.
3. Possibly.
4. Maybe.
5. Maybe.
This is only the second one that I have seen, (Mike's is the first) and according to the info that Mike posted with his watch, Lisa's in not the same one. The only thing that is really different is that Lisa's new acquisition has a 1924 patent date on the back while Mike's has a 1927 date.
This is probably the rarest of all of the Bulova's out there...and its nice to know that both of them are owned by mybulova members...Good job Lisa, even if you out sniped me!!
In reply to Answers to your questions by OldTicker
Thanks Greg. I agree. Mike has handled too many watches over the years to not spot a custom job. That's what he does. It had been over a year since Admin thought it was possibly a custom, but I can still cook over easy or hard boiled. I'll even supply the napkin :)
A very rare Bulova indeed! It's nice to use that word correctly! I'm glad our fellow collectors have them. Now to find an ad, or perhaps an old jewelers catalog from the period. I know they are out there somewhere....and are turning out to be almost as scarce as the watch.
Now that's what I'm talking about!! This has been the most stimulating discussion I have had the pleasure of following since joining this prestigeous group. I love it... I will try to do my little bit by checking with some of my resources to see if I can help to find a difinitive answer to the burning question----is it a prototype Bulova or not and did they print any thing on it as a testor for its marketablity??
JP
Hi Guy's,
This should prove without a shadow of doubt, that my Bulova piping rock is not a "frankinbully", I must say that that upset me a bit, but this proves my theroy that it did exsist. I think it was probably made for another market other then the USA, or a very limited amount were made.
I'm so happy for lisa in here new find! Congrats Lisa!
I wish mine was in as nice of shape as hers, but I'm still happy to have it.
Mike...........
P.S. For those of you who did'nt know, I have moved a few blocks away from my other home, so if your going to send me anything, Please contact me first for the new address.