Bulova 1972 Ambassador

Submitted by oliverb on June 19, 2012 - 12:29pm
Manufacture Year
1972
Movement Model
12EBACD
Movement Jewels
30
Case Serial No.
419618
Case shape
CornerCut
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
Acrylic, appears original
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I have been a watch enthusiast for more than 50 years but not always an active collector. For the past two years I have been adding to my collection of Accutrons but a recent post on Watch Talk Forum about Bulova 23J auto watches  piqued my interest.  Since then I have acquired 8 auto winds and re- sold two of those. I now have three 23J autos and three 30J autos. This is my latest - a 30J micro rotor that just arrived yesterday. The case is EGP and in near-mint condition. Top is polished but for a small etched ring around the crystal. The edges are etched and the case bottom is brushed. Case back is SS one-piece screw in. Case back markings are: Bulova, Gold Electroplate Bezel and Stainless Steel Back with the serial number and N2 date code. Crown is signed "Bulova". Crystal is acrylic and appears original. I say this because there were some surface scuffs that polished out and the case does not appear to have been abused.  The dial is reddish in the center, fading out to a dark red around raised, gold hour hash marks.  Minute marks painted on between hour hash marks. Hands are GP with a luminous light green section from middle outward. Markings on dial: Bulova, 30, Automatic and T SWISS T at bottom. The movement is clean, running  and auto winding well plus appears to be keeping reasonably accurate time. The band is not original but a new replacement that complements both the case and dial. While doing research, one statement I came across was that watches with these movements did not sell well. It is curious that the movement has a date code of M8 and the case date is four years later at N2. I know there is sometimes a year, maybe two, between movement and case dates but this seems a little wide to me. I am wondering if the movement was recased at some point. The watch is supposed to be factory original. I could not find a case style like it in the ads. Whil researching, I did come across a 218 Mickey Mouse Accutron with either a very similar or exact same case style. IMHO, the watch is stunning and, if not original, I plan on leaving it just as it is.  Any info would be appreciated. Many thanks!

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
William Smith
Posted July 8, 2012 - 3:51pm

In reply to by bobbee

Thanks Bob and Rob   It may be informative to have a timeframe during which this "T SWISS T" was used...but this may be better addressed through a forum discussion or through PM's?  Still working around new protocol for these things.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted July 17, 2012 - 7:04am

2nd example.

Case Dated 1972 (N2)

30 Jewel 12 EBACD.

bobbee
Posted July 17, 2012 - 7:15am

Nice, Mark. Good to establish the case/ movement combo, too.

oliverb
Posted July 17, 2012 - 2:14pm

Fantastic! Thanks.  Looks like the brushed finish on the case top may have been polished off. I think this is a gorgeous watch.

William Smith
Posted July 17, 2012 - 2:54pm

I've voted one tick (non-conformed) on this ID as now listed.