Bulova 1953 Seabee

Submitted by bobbee on June 1, 2012 - 4:41am
Manufacture Year
1953
Movement Model
10BUC
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
246166
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Added "F" designation as this watch follows all criteria in adverts, page 8, image 19. Will update with more pics and info when watch arrives. In need of a lot of work to case, but watch is running. 1 fifth second gradations to dial register. Radium numbers and hands, red seconds hand.

EDIT:- Caseback will not come off, so looked further and the bezel is removable, as in pics. Could not take out stem as should come out in two parts, male and female, but won't. After letting mvmnt. drop partially out, I could see inside for info, and caseback reads, "BULOVA WATCH CO. SWISS, 53,   246166."  L3 on mvmnt. BXW, 10 BUC, 17 jewels. Running smoothly and keeping very good time. Length lug tip to lug tip is 37mm. Width minus crown is 30mm. lug gape is 16mm.

EDIT:- Name change to "Seabee" as watch is on leather strap, as per 1953 ad. 

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
Bulova Watch
FifthAvenueRes…
Posted June 28, 2012 - 7:02am

Bob,

a generic 'WATER TITE' ID would still be My recommendation (see first post).

The 'SEA BEE' has a numerically calibrated register.

2c

bobbee
Posted June 28, 2012 - 7:10am

Check the ads Mark. Page 9 image 10, for today anyway! : )

mybulova_admin
Posted June 28, 2012 - 8:44am

If anyone ever wonders why it's sometimes difficult to correctly identify a vintage Bully here is why.

We have conflicting adverts that indicate the Water-Tite came with both SS expansion band and Leather strap AND a "simiar" watch with leather band is a SeaBee.

 

1954

Bulova Magellan and Seabee

1954

Bulova Seqbee

1954

1954 Bulova Water-tite

1953

1953 Bulova Water-Tite & Seebea

What is meant by "Similar"? :-)

1951

1951 Water-tite

Its certainly not the Water-Tite "L"

bobbee
Posted June 28, 2012 - 8:54am

More like Water-Tite "hell"!  : )

Reverend Rob
Posted June 28, 2012 - 10:47am

Just a note on hacking; before the feature was added to watches utilizing a hacking lever to contact the balance, you could hack your watch by pulling out the crown and turning and holding pressure counter clockwise. This has the same effect as a binding minute hand, the power from the mainspring cannot, or should not, overcome the friction of the cannon pinion. if it does, your CP is slipping and worn. 

bobbee
Posted June 28, 2012 - 1:26pm

Thanks for that little gem, Rob. I've been experimenting on watches, and it works on all my mechanicals. Great to know that about the cannon pinion.

bobbee
Posted June 29, 2012 - 1:34pm

Above is the post, "the Seabee has a numerically calibrated register", If it is meant that the Seabee has all 12 numbers then yes that is true as per the 1954 ad. But this watch is from 1953, and  has a 1/5th of a second calibration on the outer register, a possibly quasi-pseudo-military effect. Is this what you meant Mark? 

Also with "similar", is it 'the same as' or 'not the same as, but looks a bit like it'? These are after all adverts, not  Bulova records, and as such we can only be tentative with a lot of the I D's of many models when using them, and not  confuse guesswork with fact, as so many have been proved to be when new evidence comes to light.

William Smith
Posted July 25, 2012 - 7:27pm

Two check tentative "guess" from me for 1953 Seebee.  (kidding about the "guess")