Bulova 1955 -Non-Conforming

Submitted by tbbeaty on May 17, 2018 - 9:44am
Manufacture Year
1955
Movement Model
10BUC
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
257883
Case shape
Round
Case color
Yellow
Crystal details
Black with gold numbers
Gender
Mens
Watch Description
This is a Bulova watch the date code on the 10BUC movement is L5, it is a windup watch.  The face is all black and the hands and numbers are in gold plate.   The face has numbers denoting 12, 3, 6, and 9 with elongated diamond symbols for the other numbers.  Each hour has a dot, and a stripe on the hour and minute hands have a phosphorescent material that glowed in the dark.  The watch was purchased in southern Michigan sometime in the mid 1950’s, likely from a local jeweler.  The band in the photo is not original.  The writing on the back of the watch reads:  STAINLESS STEEL BACK ANTIMAGNETIC SHOCK PROTECTED  BEZEL 10 MICRON OF 18K ON BASE METAL   100%  WATERPROOF  TESTED  The letters TK  inside of a diamond with ® mark  I would like to know the model of this watch and what does the TK symbol indicate?
1955 Bulova watch
1955 Bulova watch
1955 Bulova watch
Kathy L.
Posted May 18, 2018 - 9:54pm

Do you happen to have a photo of the inside of the case and the movement?  This may not be a Bulova case.

mybulova_admin
Posted May 18, 2018 - 10:30pm

I agree the case is likely not original. When we have a Bulova movement in a non Bulova case it is not possible to identify, and normally label it as a 'non-conforming' Bulova watch.

Having a better image of the dial and looking through the 1950s adverts might help you determine what the origianl case would have looked like.

Geoff Baker
Posted May 19, 2018 - 9:01am

I agree - it appears that the movement has been recased in a non Bulova case. In terms of importance as a family piece I don't think it makes a difference, it's still an heirloom. Unfortunately it's not possible to ID it as a specific Bulova model.

tbbeaty
Posted May 19, 2018 - 3:18pm

Here are hi-res images of movement, face and inside back cover.  I noticed this time that on the inside of the back cover it says "Case Made in France" on it.  Bulova watches would have been made in Texas/US correct?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XUbr9l64SHG4zXh_G0Qm6HciIWtxx2TF/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IQgWfO0IOpFNHmVUQgOxtmqV_Ka6F6Ik/view?… 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bWVUPQyna-8P1I_YKFjCPSqBrLUPNhVb/view?…

So the local jeweler could have bought movements from Bulova and cases from France and made their own watches or purchased this watch from some sort of wholesaler who did that.

Any suggestions on what ‘type’ or description I would used to accurately represent this watch on eBay?

Kathy L.
Posted May 19, 2018 - 11:30pm

When I sold a non-conforming watch on eBay I just described it as having a Bulova movement with a description of the case and photos.  

1955 - Non-Conforming

neetstuf-4-u
Posted May 20, 2018 - 10:38am

It's most likely that it was re-cased by a previous owner after the case suffered damage.

1955 non-conforming