Going to need some help on this one... pre 30's..

Submitted by plainsmen on January 18, 2011 - 7:49pm

I don't know much about these 1920's watches... I picked this up today... said was just serviced this year with new glass.  From the crappy pictures it sure looks cool.  LINEN type dial?  Is that common?

Anyway... HELP.. heh.  Oh and obviously when I get it I'll take good pics and share them to help out.

ORIGINAL AD DETAILS:

"This is a mans 20's bulova (believe the movement dates to 1926 10an). With a well maintained hinged case in beautiful shape (usually someone comes along with a boyscout knife and tries to pry up the wrong side). Elegant watch, filigree on the sides. Very classy! But what makes this watch rare is the linen dial! Very rare for this era! Try to find this watch on a vintage bulova website! You wont! The original dial is in great shape for its age ( probably because there was no radium inside). The white gold markers and bulova trademark are raised. This watch needs nothing! I had it serviced and a new crystal about a year ago. Runs sets and winds as smooth as silk."

 

plainsmen
Posted January 18, 2011 - 8:15pm

    1927 Banker maybe?

 

Hands are wrong on my new watch... I can already tell that.  Those are modern style black hands..

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted January 18, 2011 - 9:08pm

Nice find.

Looks like the Banker case Plainsmen but the raised Gilt numerals would date the Dial to around '31, at least that's the earliest I have seen.

Not sure if the Tonnau case was still being used in 35 but from what I see in the details 1935 Banker would be a start using the Triangle date code and Dial evidence.

Wayne and Stephens dept..

plainsmen
Posted January 18, 2011 - 9:14pm

Hrmmmm... wondering if this is a redial to get rid of the radium?  Changed to raised gilted at sometime or another...

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted January 18, 2011 - 11:14pm

dunno, could be a 26 with a 30's dial. Problem is there isn't a way to cross reference the case serial # with the movement. With the later stuff it's simple to figure out. the case and movement are both date stamped.

Wayne Hanley
Posted January 19, 2011 - 1:13am

The linen dial, applied numbers & the black hands are perfect for this version of the Banker, it's ready to roll.  In around 1929 Bulova started making these dressier versions avaiable along with the lum dial/hands models. I made comments about this on another thread just recently. I have applied numbers on a black dialed 1930 Sky King, a 1929 Lincoln linen dial &1931 Sky King applied numbers w/gold hands. "Bulova was Diversifying" 

 Wayne

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted January 19, 2011 - 5:11am

Wayne,

Was this style case still being used in 1935?

For the record:

The earliest documented appearance of the raised Gilt numeral dial I've seen is in a Bulova advertisement dated 1931.

plainsmen
Posted January 19, 2011 - 12:55pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Where are you getting the 1935 date?  I don't recall saying it was '35 at all?

Stephen Ollman
Posted January 19, 2011 - 5:27am

Its certainly a Banker case which would be pre 1935.

1930 is the latest ad I have showing this tonneau shaped banker (thats not say it didn't continue after 1930 in this form...I just have no ads showing it)

The hands are certainly period as its during this time that we see the hands change over from the open lum style to the closed modern style.

The dial is probably just a variant as Wayne suggests.

Plains, movement code and serial number????

plainsmen
Posted January 19, 2011 - 8:10am

In reply to by Stephen Ollman

Don't know yet.... I'll probably get it in the mail next week.  Those were pics the guy took of it with his cell phone.

Wayne Hanley
Posted January 19, 2011 - 1:55pm

Here is a picture of a 1929 Banker that has the dressier dial I was referring to above. Thiis was not advertised, but it sure does exist. I think that Plains has acquired a similar watch.

Wayne

 

vintagebulova.com
Posted January 19, 2011 - 4:46pm

I too have seen the same dial that you have on a Banker that I have in stock.

Jay

vintagebulova.com

 

Wayne Hanley
Posted January 19, 2011 - 4:57pm

I always thought the Banker was too fat looking, but Planes Banker with that linen & applied numbers seems to fill out the watch a bit more. I think it's a beauty, I would trade my Banker with lum dial & hands in a heartbeat, to acquire a linen dialed Banker. Really looks classic to me!

Wayne