We received this unfortunate Bulova recently and it's hairspring is badly bent, we will see what the result is after we straighten it, or if we have to replace it. I may have mentioned this elsewhere, but under no circumstances should anyone who has not had training try and straighten a hairspring or touch a hairspring. They are easily destroyed, and once straightened do not behave as well as a pristine or new hairspring. Fitting a new one is not as simple as it sounds, the spring must be properly pinned at the collet, with the correct number of coils, cut to length and the balance vibrated to the frequency. Then the balance must be re-set for beat error and in these old watches this is not a simple thing either, as the stud carriers are usually non-movable. All in all, a time consuming and costly repair, even if you can get one already pinned as a spare and authentic Bulova part, sometimes they are not cut.
Ok, rant over......
Patent date stamped 1927 with a square on the movt. The 8AN is the forerunner of the 9AN, although the 10AN was a different calibre ebauche, all by FHF.
I'm thinking President Madison, although I see the one in our db is the 9AN.
Sheesh Rob, I think I'm more concerned with YOUR hairspring than that of this beauty, HA HA!
President Madison. For those interested in US History, James Madison served as the fourth President of the United States and is known as the Father of the US Constitution and principle author of the Bill of Rights. What I find curious is that Bulova named this one seemingly after a real person, I wonder what the Bulova's loved so much about President Madison.
Sorry, guys!
It was a week of badly mangled HS -yet-otherwise-pristine watches, it's just a shame. Here's the edited version:
"Don't touch the hairsprings in your watch, your watchmaker is your friend."
;D
PS
Not sure why the special President Madison model, but they obviously also liked his wife, Dolly Madison.
In reply to Gentlemen, pardon the by old fred
Hello Fred, this watch came with two different case back types. My President Madison which has a hinged opening back does have a Bulova patented dust cover. This type of case, in which the movement is fitted into the case back will most likely not have room for a dust cover and because of the type of case probably not need one. By the way my watch indicates a 1926 manufacture date, this one is 1927.