My grandfather passed away in the 1980's and my father was left his Bulova watch.
Dad passed it on to me a couple years ago and I recently came across it and I'm trying to find out as much information as I can as I think I'd like to get it fixed/refurbished and give it back to dad for a gift.
Here is a link to some good pics of grandpa's watch:
The only other Bulova watch I can find online that looks very very similar is a 1930's Lone Eagle pictured here, the second watch down on the page:
The only differences I can see with my untrained eye from grandpa's watch is that the seconds indicator shows only 60 and 30 seconds in grandpa's watch and more places on the above mentioned watch.
I haven't taken the back of the watch off yet as I'm just a bit nervous and messing something up in it and will probably wait until I can afford to get it fixed.
Any help will be much appreciated! Thanks for looking!
Your family watch sure has the attributes of a 1934 Lone Eagle III series. Reference Bulova 1934 ad http://www.mybulova.com/vintage-bulova-watch-ads?title=1934 bottom right corner.
To view the movement:
1. On this bulova watch, the end that pries open is located at the 6 o'clock position. Place the watch in your hand over a sheet of white paper.
2. Holding the watch face down in one hand, carefully place a common pen knife blade accross the bottom lugs on the back of the watch, gently pry the back loose from the snap lock.
3. Log all info on the back of the movement for your records, using a magnifying glass or loupe. Be carefull not to touch the dial and especially the hands.
4. To close, gently position the movement into the bezel orienting the bezel crown opening to the crown on the movement.
5. Close the back, check proper position of all components, then with your fingers snap the back closed.
Note: First time I tried it I dropped a second hand on the paper. The local jewler charged $14.00 to put the second hand back on. I have had good luck ever since.
In reply to Your family watch sure has by Wayne Hanley
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for the help.
As you can see from my pictures, the glass is broken and it looks as though the minute hand is gone.
Are those hard to find replacements for? Am I being realistic thinking I would be able to have someone put my grandpas watch in working order for the next generations?
I'm having a heck of a time trying to find any information on it online. Is this watch somewhat rare? There's just really nothing on google except our website here.
I'm really glad we have people who genuinely want to help! Thanks so much!
I hate to dissapoint, as I always love it when another Lone Eagle is found and added to the site. Unfortunetly this is not a Series III or even a Series IV. It looks to be a CROCKETT. The band is different but the case and dial look to match. Maybe someone else here may have a different thought.
The Lone Eagle series IV has 3 distinct side steps. See the Lone Eagle page on this site.
Your attitude is wonderful. Whilst it may not be a Lone Eagle, you now know the exact model name which is sometimes very hard to find out.
A wonderful watch all the same and if you can get the missing hand and crystal (should not cost a great deal) then it'll be a great present for your dad and maybe one day he'll pass it back to you.
In reply to I hate to dissapoint, as I by Stephen Ollman
Interesting... The "Crockett" looks almost like an "American Clipper," eh? But the glass is slightly wider, and not as long... (I have three Crockett crystals in mineral glass here...)
And I also have glass for the American Clipper + B & C models (See my post on them, with Illustrations.)
And I also have the later square bezel opening glass, for the latter "American Clipper A & B," BTW, at about 21mm square...
And the American Eagle varietals... etc. etc.
Best :-) William
I'm ok with that as well Stephen. I'm finding this process of researching it very cool actually.
I don't know anything about either of those and while a Lone Eagle sounds much cooler the Crockett is still my grandpa's watch and I'm not disappointed!
I think I maybe starting to get a bitten by the old watch bug.
Can you tell me a little about the Crockett and how you distinguish the difference between the two?
I believe this watch was purchased by my grandfather before get got on a troopship to Normandy heading to WWII. He was then in Italy, North Africa with General Patton, and then alas was witness to some of the concentration camps in Germany before the end of the war.
So I think this watch has seen quite a bit of history!
I'm wondering if it's a cheaper verison of one of these or something as the missing seconds on the face still intrigue me.
The band is marked Kreissler Noncorrsive.
I tried to take off the back of the watch, which is engraved with my granfather's name, but when I did the whole watch popped out face and all, leaving the outside of the watch. It spooked me a bit and I didn't want to mess with it any further lest I break something with my big sausage fingers!
Haha...
Ah... yeah I think I really don't know enough of what I'm doing and it means to much to me to experiment. I think I'll just bring it in.
Are these old watches pretty expensive to restore? Like I was saying before the glass is gone and the minutes hand is missing. Lord lonly knows how long it's been since it kept time.
I think i'm going to be going around to all the old antique shops and finding watches. This is a good time.
Are Crockett's rare at all? I'm again having a hard time finding information on a watch this old.
In reply to Ah... yeah I think I really by plainsmen
You'll note that if this is a Crockett (others will either agree or offer another suggestion which is how this site works and works well) then its the first one added to this site...so rare...maybe.
In saying that though I've seen alot of similar watches to this wrongy sold as Lone Eagles on eBay over the last 5 years. What confusses the matter is that there are a number of stepped models from that era (early to mid 1930s)
If the movement is ticking away and all it needs is the minute hand and crystal then I'd say you'd be looking around the $50 mark. WatchCrystals.net may be able to help with the crystal.
Well I ventured to try again and success! I got the back off without breaking anything and here's a picture of a movement that looks to be in great need of a cleaning!
It shows the weird circle with legs symbol for a date code meaning either 1930 or 1940.
15 Jewels
Oh and as you can see the movement works!! I wound it up a little and tick tick tick... and the tiny little seconds hand was working! Wooot!!
Hopefully this will help narrow down what we're looking at. thanks guys.
In one of the 1940 ads it looks as though it could be the 3rd watch from the right on the bottom?
I'm thinking 1940 maybe a better fit for a year considering he was about the right age and the kids were all born in the late 1940's and early 1950's after he came back from the war and got married.
It's definately NOT a Minute Man after looking at the sides.
The box matches a box from a 1940's Bulova auction here:
www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1940s-bulova-10k-15-jewels-10ax-watch-w-display
But the watch in there isn't the same.
In reply to In one of the 1940 ads it by plainsmen
Where did I go wrong here? Here is the link I followed:
Here is a link to some good pics of grandpa's watch: I never saw anything like the Crocket. The watch I saw on this link was a 1933-34 Lone Eagle III series.
In reply to Where did I go wrong here? by Wayne Hanley
Uhmmm... that's still the same watch Wayne. I've now opened up the back of it and the picture of the movement is above.
I'm about the most unknowledgable person on this website and quite possibly the entire web on these watches so... you guys tell me!
Heh...
According to the movement with the goofy little circle with legs it's a 1930 or 1940 watch I think?
I totally respect Stephens knowledge on Lone Eagles. However, the ad picture of the Crocket shows a six sided Bezel, dial minute track and seconds bit outline. The 1933-34 Lone Eagle ad shows a rectangle on those items. I have a 1931 Lone Eagle, but I don't have a 1933-34. I agree the ad shows three distinct steps, but I need to see the real thing to believe that the artist was sober the day he made the ad. Just my humble opinion & to stir the pot for some discussion.
Does anybody have a 1933 or 1934 Lone Eagle?
OK, I looked at Stephens 1934 Lone Eagle. The first step looks like it is even with the bezel, but I guess I have to count it as one of the three steps. I think Grandpa's watch needs more research.
I just checkd a 1934 ad and the Senator and the Ambassador are also shaped like Granpa's watch.
Wayne
The only "Crocket" mentioned in the 1939+ crystal catalogs (as Wayne pointed out, and Stephens illustration also shows, al beit the illustrator didn't scale it quite correctly, as I have the glass here...) is indeed HEXAGONAL, not a RECTANGULAR bezel opening, as this watch clearly is...
And again... what's up with these "0" year date symbols? This is likely about a 1936- 38 model... (I'll guess 1938, since the one in the images is the 1938 Bulova "Banker," with 15 jewels!)
And the 1938/9 Bulova Banker, takes a 26.3 x 15.8mm crystal... which I have several of, in stock...
BEST :-) William
Looking into Williams idea this is a 1939 Banker next to grandpa's watch. Looks pretty close. Notice the lack of seconds numbers other than the 60 and 30 seem to match.
I don't know if it's just a old B/W picture but I don't know if I'm seeing the etching going to the side's next to the face?
Also I showed a watch guy some the pics of the watch after a recommendation from an older gent in the area and here's what he said: Does that seem like a pretty fair price for a full service?
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Hi, its a bulova cal. 10ax, from the 40's should not be a problem
getting parts. I see movt is very dirty. It would be around 125.00 to
go thru it completely including hands etc. thanks Bill
Does that seem like a fair price for what he's mentioning?
Giddy-up...I stand corrected...excellent!!
I agree, its a 1940 Banker. The movement is 100% 1940. You'll note that the movement is one of Bulova's USA made and not a Swiss made. They started making these in the mid 30s and also stopped putting serial numbers on the movemets and just on the case.
Nice work all!
As far as the price goes. If its totally stripped down, cleaned, oiled and serviced as well as parts then the price is very fair. 10AX movements are compatible with 10AN and 10AE.