Corrigan Wannabe

Submitted by NOVA on March 12, 2011 - 6:49am

I just picked this up on a "buy it now" deal.  I'd had my eye on it for a while, but the price was too high.  He dropped the price yesterday by half for one day, so I went ahead and bit.

Doesn't it look an awful lot like the Corrigan?  It was listed as a 1950s model, but that can't be correct, cause it's got a 10AE (which also connects it to the Corrigan).  I couldn't make out the date code on the movement, but there's no date on the case, so the '50s timeframe just doesn't work.

It definitely appears to be a Bulova case.

Anybody seen one like this before?  I don't see anything like it in the ads.

vintagebulova.com
Posted March 12, 2011 - 7:41am

I think that it may be a Corrigan missing the piece that holds the crystal.  Someone may have retrofitted a crystal to the case.  The bezel that holds the crystal has a tendency to fall off when improperly affixed as they often are when the original band is removed.   Just a theory. 

Jay

vintagebulova.com 

NOVA
Posted March 12, 2011 - 8:11am

So, you're saying that the Corrigan case is actually in two pieces? I didn't realize that. Maybe someone who has one could post some pics of it disassembled.

So, I need a Corrigan case to fix this. The dial looks good, though, right (for the Corrigan, that is)? And the movement appears to be appropriate. So, potentially, I could end up with a valid Corrigan in due course?

vintagebulova.com
Posted March 12, 2011 - 8:16am

Yes, the Corrigan bezel that holds the crystal is a separate piece.  You will have a very hard time locating a case for parts or just the bezel. 

Jay

vintagebulova.com

plainsmen
Posted March 12, 2011 - 8:18am

Uhmm... I unfortunately commented on this watch a couple months ago I think....  I've seen another like this and I do believe they're the same watch.  The Corrigan's crystal is on a seperate bezel. that fits over the case.

Check out this post Nova.

www.mybulova.com/node/1266

NOVA
Posted March 12, 2011 - 8:28am

Very sorry I missed that post, Plains.  The seller does have an excellent return policy, which I will consider using.  However, there is a Corrigan case out there right now.  It's got the wrong movement, and the wrong dial, and it's not cheap, but it could fix my problem, and, if the price doesn't skyrocket, I could end up with a Corrigan for less than I tried to pay (out sniped) in a recent auction. 

plainsmen
Posted March 12, 2011 - 8:43am

Ah yes... I saw thine item thee speeketh of a few days ago Nova.  Hopefully it doesn't... usually people willing to pay that starting price already know what they're looking at and realize that seems to be a 50's movement/dial in that late 30's early 40's watch.

vintagebulova.com
Posted March 12, 2011 - 8:53am

This is the same watch from the same seller that plainsmen posted about.

Jay

vintagebulova.com

 

plainsmen
Posted March 13, 2011 - 11:25am

I'm guessing that was you snagged that Corrigan a few minutes ago Lisa?  You'll make a good watch out of that... that case was in great shape.

NOVA
Posted March 13, 2011 - 11:31am

That was me.  I'm totally psyched!  The Corrigan has been high on my most wanted list for quite a while.  This Pinocchio story is going to have a happy ending.

plainsmen
Posted March 13, 2011 - 11:35am

Right?!  I love my Corrigan... easily one of my favorite pieces.  Congrats!

Oh and if nothing else you can offset some of the cost by selling that current movement in the Corrigan case.... looks to be pretty minty itself.