Bulova 1925 Treasurer

Submitted by Paleotime on October 31, 2011 - 1:13pm
Manufacture Year
1925
Movement Model
10AN
Movement Date Code
Square
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
220894
Case Serial No.
5214483
Case shape
Tonneau
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova & American Standard
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Inside case back reads: Bulova, 14K Gold Filled, American Standard

Movement symbol indicates 1927, but case engraving and lack of patent information indicates 1926.  Maybe the movement was replaced, or maybe year is like model year on cars?

1926 Treasurer
1927 Bulova watch
1927 Bulova watch
1927 Bulova watch
Paleotime
Posted October 31, 2011 - 1:15pm

An interesting side note on this watch is that I bought it in New Orleans a couple of years ago.  Strange it was still in Louisianna after all that time.

Wayne Hanley
Posted October 31, 2011 - 4:00pm

Interesting watch. I guess the presento date on the outer back case is justification for the 1926 date of the watch case. However, the movement is 1927 15 jewels, indicates a movement change from original. The earliest ad date for the Treasurer is 1928 with a 17 jewel movement. Ads for the Banker (which is essentially the same watch without engraving) dating back to 1925 call for 17 jewel movements.

 

mybulova_admin
Posted October 31, 2011 - 6:48pm

Movement serial number certainly confirms it's 1926.

What does the back engraving say?

Paleotime
Posted October 31, 2011 - 7:15pm

Interesting that the movement serial number is 1926 while the stamped symbol is 1927.  Although it is 15j it is clearly a high-quality movement - marked as 4 adjustments.  Maybe the 17j movement was new to Treasurers in the later production run of this case style, i.e. 1928-1929.  No way to confirm without an earlier ad or catalog.

The engraving says: "Presented to: Richard G. Drown 2dn Natl Vice Pres. La. Division T.P.A. of A. Lake Charles, La. 5/7-8-1926.

Whether or not it was called the Treasurer in 1926 or not, it is the same to my eye as the case in the 1928 ads.  Again, lacking the patent information on the inside cover suggests that it is indeed an 1926 case as indicated by the engraving.

mybulova_admin
Posted October 31, 2011 - 7:30pm

In reply to by Paleotime

So the date symbol is a square?

Interesting how the engraving in 26 yet the movement is slightly later. Maybe they back-dated the engraving :-)

Paleotime
Posted October 31, 2011 - 7:19pm

BTW...The first ad in the d-base for the Banker shows a 15j movement while the 1928 ad posted above shows 17j.  Interesting.

Paleotime
Posted October 31, 2011 - 7:36pm

The date symbol is clearly a square so...

Are date stamps necessarily calendar years and not say model years or even fiscal years?

Wayne Hanley
Posted November 1, 2011 - 2:22am

Movement symbols are year manufactured for the movement only. No way to really know when the watch hit the streets except for the ads. Therefore, without an ad there is no other way to accurately date the case. 

I'm still confused if the movement serial number indicates 1926 with a square date symbol.

A patent date on this case is irrelevant, it doesn't have a hinged case. The PAT.JUN.10.1924 was for the hinged case with movement cover.

Model Number 3155 is the earlyist date for a Banker states 17 jewels. In 1925 the model numbers were changed to names. The jewling differences in the 1925-1926 ads & actual 1925-1926 watches are a problem. I have two watches in conflict in the database. 

The only reason for my initial comment above was to point out the square movement symbol =1927  the presentation date of 1926 is a definite conflict. 

I did misread the jeweling in the 1928 Treasurer ad.

mybulova_admin
Posted November 1, 2011 - 6:51am

Ok I am incorrect in stating that the serial number puts it at 1926.

I have on record a 1926 10AN with serial number 215829

and

And a 1927 10AN with a srial number of 223750

So your's falls with the middle somewhere.

What's interesting is that the original Lone Eagle series, which has a triangle date code (1926), starts its serial number range post 223XXX

mybulova_admin
Posted November 1, 2011 - 6:59am

If the movement has a  Square date code please assign it to 1927, but check that it isn't dual stamped.