Bulova 1927 Lone Eagle

Submitted by Geoff Baker on December 25, 2014 - 7:56pm
Manufacture Year
1927
Movement Model
10AN
Movement Date Code
Triangle
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
228259
Case Serial No.
6636586
Case shape
CornerCut
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova & American Standard
Crystal details
21.0 x 21.0
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

My Christmas present to myself. This beauty has just returned from a visit to Dr. Cosineau (Timemachines) where it received ' the works' treatment. Triangle date stamp with arrow indicates a 1927 Lone Eagle.  I believe that both movement and case serial numbers fall within the 5000 range for the first issue. The new crown jewel of my collection! Nary a mark on the pristine case, new hand cut crystal and a wonderful new period strap and buckle.

Added 12/25/2014

Photos Updated 6/20/2020

1927 Bulova Lone Eagle 5000 Geoffrey Baker 1 6 20 2020
1927 Bulova Lone Eagle 5000 Geoffrey Baker 2 6 20 2020
1927 Bulova Lone Eagle 5000 Geoffrey Baker 3 6 20 2020
1927 Bulova Lone Eagle 5000 Geoffrey Baker 6 6 20 2020
1927 Bulova Lone Eagle 5000 Geoffrey Baker 7 6 20 2020
1927 Bulova Lone Eagle 5000 Geoffrey Baker 5 6 20 2020
mybulova_admin
Posted January 3, 2015 - 10:30pm

In reply to by William Smith

 

Why 1926? Because that's when Bulova first offered the $1000 prize money. It makes sense that they also created a batch of watches to celebrate the moment at or around the same time, as attempts for the crossing were being made in 1926 also. It makes further sense why they chose to give each pilot who registered for the Orteig $25000 competition a Conqueror watch, possibly from the same batch of watches they had been sitting on since 1926.

Does this notion sound crazy or possible?

The only real advert we have showing what I believe to be from the original release is a exact match for 5000 edition. The telling factor is the spade hands. Theses hands are only seen on a small amount of Lone Eagles and they all have the same traits corresponding to what I believe are from the original release. 5000 is just a number, a number Bulova themselves marketed. The true number may have been more or less, in relatity it doesn't really matter, what matters if that there was an original edition release of this model and as far as I'm concerned it's what we currently list as the 5000 release.

 

 

 

Reverend Rob
Posted January 3, 2015 - 11:19pm

In reply to by mybulova_admin

Correct me if I'm wrong, here, but Bulova gave Lindbergh a watch that was engraved to celebrate the crossing, but it was not a Conqueror. Did they subsequently give him a Conqueror also? 

mybulova_admin
Posted January 3, 2015 - 11:44pm

In reply to by Reverend Rob

 

Yes, according to newspapers reports he was given two watches. One, a Conqueror, pre flight along with other pilots that were attempting the crossing, AND the one presented to him aboard the USS Memphis upon his return.

mybulova_admin
Posted January 4, 2015 - 6:15pm

In reply to by William Smith

 

Will are you concerned that they are not Lone Eagles or that they are not 5000 series Lone Eagles?

Reverend Rob
Posted January 3, 2015 - 7:46pm

I should mention that many notable watch companies have a fair amount of BS in their so-called 'official history', and some of it is downright scandalous. We are going by the recollections of men with the Bulova story, and errors are bound to happen, and also get bounced around the web. I was doing my own research and found a lot of cut and paste and parroting out there. 

 

bobbee
Posted January 4, 2015 - 7:39am

The full Taub speech, from April 1930. The earliest article concerning the LE. 

 

Reverend Rob
Posted January 4, 2015 - 11:37am

The watch with the engraving, the presentation watch, is not a Conqueror, it's a President. Is this the watch he got on the Memphis? Have we ever discussed why the change in model? Did Bulova Maybe think the President was a more expensive model and wouldn't sell as well? If so, this suggests a different bent to the sequence of events. Perhaps Bulova did not originally plan to offer for retail sale a "Lone Eagle" watch, maybe marketing quickly came up with the idea, and the model was changed from the President to the Conqueror. I do remember we speculated that perhaps they had more of the Conqueror model in stock, and anticipating a large run, decided to go with it. 

Now, it is also possible they were ready and prepped for this, with boxes waiting to be printed and watches standing by, waiting to get a new name. 

mybulova_admin
Posted January 4, 2015 - 5:15pm

In reply to by Reverend Rob

 

Yes Rob, my theory goes that Bulova were prepped for this event. Others seem to think that Bulova could pull it off within 25 days. This is were we have a fundamental difference of opinion.

mybulova_admin
Posted January 4, 2015 - 5:01pm

 

The Taub article says they gave each aviator who attempted the hop a watch.....that means pre flight not post.

Yes Lindbergh was given a Conqueror (pre-flight) AND yes he was also presented with an engraved President model by Arde Bulova (the same watch as presented to Byrd, a President model) post flight.

 

Two watches, one Conqueror and one President.

AND once again we see the same statement that is frabicated or incorrect as there is no way the company made $7,300,000 from sales of a $50 watch, that would mean they sold 146,000 watches, so this article also contains errors.

Reverend Rob
Posted January 4, 2015 - 5:08pm

So the engraved President must have been post. I get the feeling that there is more to this than we can possibly imagine at this time...