Bulova 1929 Watertite

Submitted by Stephen Ollman on June 11, 2017 - 9:40pm
Manufacture Year
1929
Movement Model
9AT
Movement Date Code
Shield
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
404618
Case Serial No.
-
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I thought I would never find one but recently this fellow appeared on the bay and I won the auction. As you can see, it has not been well cared for but  here he is, the 1929 Bulova Watertite Watch. I added the bracelet to photograph it. I cannot open the back so I do not have movement photos or information from the marking. It is not running and the stem will not move. I will be sending this one on summer holiday to the workshop of M Cousineau to see if he can coax open the back or, if I'm lucky make it run again. It appears as if there is some sort of additional bezel ring alongside the dial perhaps to aide in making it 'Watertite', hopefully I can get some more photos in the future.

Truly a rare Bulova watch if ever there was one.

Added 6/11/2017

 

1929 Bulova Watertite watch
1929 Bulova watch
1929 Bulova watch
1929 Bulova watch
1929 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch advert
Timemachines
Posted June 24, 2017 - 7:25pm

In reply to by Reverend Rob

Hey Rob.   The tention ring is cast into the case so it simply makes a channel to set or glue in the crystal. it's a pretty strange setup.

           Mike...........

mybulova_admin
Posted June 22, 2017 - 10:11am

I'm surprised to see no typical Bulova markings on the inside back case. Nothing what so ever to indicate that it was manufactured by Bulova.  I have no doubt it is 100% genuine, but I wonder why there is nothing. Perhaps the case was indeed manufactured by a third party.

Timemachines
Posted June 24, 2017 - 8:47pm

In reply to by mybulova_admin

I agree, the case was probably made by a contractor, or is such limited quantity that Bulova never stamped it.  I sent Geoff a picture of the case between the lug and it is stamped 278 and the stamping looks non-uniform like it was hand stamped. I'm sure he will upload the pic for you.

 I also discovered that the watch originally came with a screw down crown, and the stem, crown and that little tapered tube is not original.  The tapered tube under the crown is a sleeve from a small pocket watch just used for a spacer.  I'm sure that finding the original screw down crown will be harder to find then the watch itself.

 In the pics I sent Geoff shows the threaded tube inside the case, The tension ring being cast into the case and the serial number for you to see.

Geoff Baker
Posted June 24, 2017 - 9:41pm

Here are the photos Mike is referencing.

This one shows the crystal tension ring as having been cast into the case.

The screw down crown threads are clearly visible here

Here's the possible serial number Mike mentioned

Geoff Baker
Posted June 24, 2017 - 9:46pm

I cannot help but wondering if Bulova was experimenting with this watch design and decided after one year to discontinue manufacture for unknown reasons. Perhaps it was too technically advanced to manufacture at a reasonable cost? If the design was successful it could have set a new standard for watches, maybe it just wasn't 'watertight' after all?

Geoff Baker
Posted June 24, 2017 - 9:50pm

Oh, and of course I have a new mission in life. To find an unmolested, fully intact version of this watch.

Please, don't hold your breath.......

Reverend Rob
Posted January 19, 2019 - 2:06pm

This is fascinating stuff. At the time, water resistance had become an intensely sought after attribute, and the Borgel patented screw cases had been sold since 1906-07. Rolex used these same cases for a limited run in 1922, and produced the oyster case in 1926. The Borgel wristwatch cases were invariably always pin set due to the screw in design of the carrier ring and movement, so designers were looking for a way to have a stem set watch with similar sealing attributes. 

Clearly, in order to protect the watch movement from the elements it was necessary to have a sealed case and a screw down crown. This is true today, and this watch shows both attributes. It also bears a strong resemblance to the Hamilton 'Piping Rock' watch, introduced in 1928, but the Piping Rock had no such water resistance features.

It's hard to say who produced this case for Bulova, but at the time various companies were working together to produce this type of watch. This may have been a limited commitment, as it does not continue in any Bulova model, so that may explain why there are no marks we are used to seeing.

At the time, stainless steel was more expensive than gold, and companies were trying various manufacturing methods to produce a case that was rust and tarnish free, especially in watches that were to be used outdoors or for 'sporting' purposes. Unfortunately, this type of chromium plate over base metal (often zinc based) was prone to pitting and corrosion.