Were All Sea Kings Designated Waterproof.....

Submitted by Stan The Man on April 6, 2011 - 12:39pm

Dial reads "Waterproof" unlike some which read "Water Resistant".Does either mean it's a SeaKing?

Back shows it to be 1960 Case # E482790 and a lot thinner than my other Bulova's.

Stan The Man
Posted April 6, 2011 - 12:50pm

This one is 1956 case# B242469 stainless back.One of my favorites,love that band even if it's not original....can someone date the pic?

Stan The Man
Posted April 6, 2011 - 12:51pm

Any info is appreciated.

geezer_D
Posted April 6, 2011 - 5:14pm

 Stan, can't help ya with the watch, but the picture is straight out of late 50's early 60's.  The boy kinda reminds me of Beaver Cleaver.  My mom had that funky hairdo about that time.

OldTicker
Posted April 6, 2011 - 7:20pm

Stan,

I think that was the whole idea of the Sea King, "Waterproof", and  in order for it to be advertised as waterproof, the case had to be certified and have waterproof stamped somewhere on the watch, (dial, caseback) The Sea King was introduced in 1959, and before that I believe they were known as the "Watertite"

Greg

Wayne Hanley
Posted April 7, 2011 - 5:03am

 Greg

I have five 1970, one 1971 one 1959 Sea King. None of them have Waterproof/Water Tite/Water Resistant stamped anywhere on the watch.. Surprised the hell out of me!

Wayne 

 

OldTicker
Posted April 7, 2011 - 10:42am

Wayne,

Do the 70-71's have the Whale symbol on the dial?

Seems I read somewhere that came into play in the late 60's and means waterproof, can't find the article yet but will keep looking, I think it was on the NAWCC forms.

Greg

mybulova_admin
Posted April 7, 2011 - 2:06am

Note how the crown is recessed...I think we discussed a watch similar to this not long ago.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted April 7, 2011 - 7:16am

The 1959 ad for the original 'SEA KING' states that they are all Certfied Waterproof, as Ticker mentioned it's the entire theme of the 'SEA KING' line of Watches.

I own what I believe are Three 'SEA KING's, all state Waterproof, anti-magnetic and shock resistant on the caseback, all are sweep Center Seconds with Radium Hands and Dials.

1963 - 1965 - 1971

Case Diameters are 33mm and Casebacks are Stainless Steel. The 1963 back screws on, the others held in place by a retaining ring.

Waterproof Automatics - as Greg pointed out recently the 1959 -1962 'SEA KING's were not auto's.

OldTicker
Posted April 7, 2011 - 10:33am

Wikipedia's defination,

Definition of waterproof

Waterproof (or water-resistant) describes objects unaffected by water or resisting water passage, or which are covered with a material that resists or does not allow water passage.

In horology, the waterproofness of a watch is defined by its resistance under pressure. The manufacturers indicate mostly the degree of waterproofness in metres (m), feet (ft) or atmospheres (atm). Watches with the "waterproof" name, with or without indication of overpressure, have to be complied and have to undergo successfully the tests planned in the standard ISO-2281. These watches are intended for a current daily use and have to resist to the water during exercises such as the short-term swimming.

So finally watches said waterresistant must : resist to a dive in the water in a depth of at least 100 metres (330 ft), have a system of control of time and answer all the criteria planned by the standard ISO 6425: luminosity, shock resistance, resistance in magnetic fields, solidity of the bracelet.

OldTicker
Posted April 7, 2011 - 11:26am

From looking at the ad's in the database, 1950-1960, there were a nimber of models that were advertised as "Waterproof" not counting the 23J watches

The  Clipper, the Jet, American, Sun, Sea, & Royal Clippers, the Watertite, Magellan, Commodore, Seebee, Winchester, Some Senator's, the Waterproof, & Sea Kings. (Probably more!)

They are all round case, 17J with Sweep center seconds, and only the Clippers & Winchester were self winding.

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