Frankenbully...different style case 10an mens watch...Unknown name

Submitted by Ellierose on November 29, 2011 - 8:40am

Hello i put a bid on this watch I lost but after trying more places to find the name i couldn't...i am wondering since the case isn't signed that it is not original....here are some pictures of the watch...although the case is interesting if its not factory..i don't know...i have a second chance offer on the watch..can someone help me out...

 

...by the way i used Firefox...since Internet Explorer doesn't let me load pics...the screen comes up but then nothing even after like 5mins and since use both browser it really isn't a big deal.....

bourg01
Posted November 29, 2011 - 8:50am

No, It's not a Bulova case, it's an aftermarket job used to re-case a movement that was still good.

vintagebulova.com
Posted November 29, 2011 - 8:50am

Its a bully.  This is a small watch, barely bigger than the movement.

Jay

 

vintagebulova.com

 

Ellierose
Posted November 29, 2011 - 9:02am

yeah i figured as much...the case was odd,but like you said it is small...not worth the 40 dollars,probably why the winning bidder backed out...if the case was alittle larger and know older watches weren't it might be worth it but anyway...thanks for the reassurement,on me being correct...

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted November 29, 2011 - 9:30am

This Watch was discussed in the forums not too long ago.

Run

Wayne Hanley
Posted November 29, 2011 - 11:35am

You could have fooled me again!

 

Elgin Doug
Posted November 29, 2011 - 2:29pm

Last week, I posted an Elgin that looked like a 1940s Bulova Senator, but had a 1929 Elgin 18/0 movement.  Turned out to have an Anchor case, so a later recase job.

This one is a Bulova that looks like an Elgin from the 30s, in an Anchor case, so it's also a later recase.

This is kinda funny - somebody recased and Elgin to look like a Bulova, and somebody else recased an Bulova to look like an Elgin.

I gather that recasing was a profitable business in the 30s and 40s, when peope might not be able to afford a new watch, but could recase their old movement. 

Ellierose
Posted November 29, 2011 - 7:30pm

i saw that senator/elgin on the bay...i don't know what it sold for but i know it did...goes to show there is alot of people out there who don't know or reserch what they are buying....

Elgin Doug
Posted November 29, 2011 - 9:36pm

In reply to by Ellierose

IIRC, the listing had a starting price of $35 and a BIN of $45, so there are bigger mistakes that one could make - which is why I will never buy an Omega Constellation!

I do wonder, though, how many folks who buy vintage watches just buy ones they think look cool without any concern about authenticity.  Certainly those ones with the wildly un-original painted dials aren't going to knowledgeable collectors - "Oh!  I never knew Bulova made a Senator with a blood red dial!"

mybulova_admin
Posted November 29, 2011 - 8:57pm

This site was originally set up to educate both owners and sellers of Bulova watches. It is a real shame more people (especially sellers) don't do a little more research. It's not hard....just Google 'vintage Bulova'

Free plug for ya Jay ;-)

Ellierose
Posted November 30, 2011 - 9:06am

sometimes like those redials and sometimes it good to see different dials then original..i would agree that some of the redials are done in a tasteless manner...or ugly two tone...like half green and white....or another tasteless piece...I think if a redial looks like it could be factory or aleast looks nice and isn't too far from what could have been done for the era....having a recase or a non factory case is something different and shouldn't be even called a bulova or anything else....but the dials it is good to see something other than factory once in awhile....also i think if a dial is redone its not original and brings down the the watch on the collector's scale anyway...you might as well have something different and too your liking..I have an Arnold that i want done in a wine colour,which is not a factory colour but isn't going to be tasteless or wild.....

William Smith
Posted December 9, 2011 - 3:50am

It's too funny how those crazy colored Bulova redials trade.  I've watched very closly over the last five years or so.  I bet I know the "half green and half white" guy- does his dials himself (or inhouse at least), and he can do pretty good at close to original too, but when he redials like factory he gets, say, $100 for the watch.  Same watch with the crazy colors redial, and he gets $140.  He told me "when I have a good condition original, I sell it like it is.  If I gotta redial, I often go for what $ell$.   

Like I say, there's no accounting for taste.