Name this "ladies" watch! Hahah!!

Submitted by plainsmen on April 6, 2011 - 9:42pm

This obviously is NOT a ladies watch.... but of course what the seller posted it as....

Name this explosion black/white dial....

 

P.S.... thanks for bidding me up Greg you special guy!! hahah....

NOVA
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:03pm

What is that thing?  Looks like an Ambassador "C" dial in an unengraved '34 Lone Eagle case.  How was that for a truly wild guess?

OldTicker
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:08pm

Heh Heh!

I think it looks American Clipper case wise, the dial??

At least I didn't bid more!!

NOVA
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:11pm

It's got straight sides--the American Clipper doesn't.

plainsmen
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:13pm

Haha... yeah you know.... I don't know exactly what dial that is.... I've seen several cases that match that from the mid 1930's watches.... the dial itself is very mid to late 1930's.... so...   what I'm thinking it is.. is a mid 30's Ambassador with a variant dial.  If you look at the mid 1930's the Ambassador had this style of case... and the dial would in fact be a variant that "went" with this style case for the time.  Pretty damned rare and very sweet.

Like I said before I'm a rediculous sucker for this tri-colored grey/white/black explosion dial.  I won't be reselling this one.

Oh and Greg thanks for the laughs when we spoke and for not overbidding me!  BUT.. maybe I shouldn't have told you about Gixen!  Hahah!

OldTicker
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:22pm

Here is the dial, different case

NOVA
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:22pm

I looked briefly for an Ambassador case that matched, since I do believe it is an Ambassador dial (look at the Ambassador "C" in the database), but I didn't find one with matching side steps. 

How about you throw up a pic of what you found for a case match? 

plainsmen
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:25pm

I'll look but I might not be the bestest at finding anyting tonight...

OldTicker
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:30pm

Banker, Clipper 1939 ad

mybulova_admin
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:32pm

Banker...not enough side steps...

plainsmen
Posted April 6, 2011 - 10:36pm

Alright... after looking again I think this might be the 1937 American Clipper case... very cool looking.. but yeah.  You know I have a 1935 Unknown I think had the same case.... sold it awhile ago though... we never really did name that one.

OldTicker
Posted April 6, 2011 - 11:33pm

Nova is right, It looks too square to be the clipper, looks more like the Ambassador or Lone Eagle with out engraving. The dial is also different than the one in the watch bible, part of the "6" is showing.

Will be interesting to figure this one out!

mybulova_admin
Posted April 6, 2011 - 11:09pm

The important aspect to this case is the first step and the pointed sides.  Most only have 2 steps.

Its not engraved so its not a LE....oh and its not a Clipper

NOVA
Posted April 7, 2011 - 3:05am

I'm not saying it's an LE per se, but I am saying take a look at Jerin's watch next to Stephen's 1934 LE.  The case shape and side steps look identical to me.

mybulova_admin
Posted April 7, 2011 - 3:12am

Thus my comment above about the side engraving...of which the LEs had, this one does not.

NOVA
Posted April 7, 2011 - 3:18am

In reply to by mybulova_admin

Agree completely about it not being an LE.  But it does look like they used the LE case for this watch and just left off the engraving.  I haven't yet come across another case with the same shape and side steps. 

At first I thought this was a Frankenbully, but now I'm thinking Plains has a new model.

mybulova_admin
Posted April 7, 2011 - 3:27am

Bingo, Bulova Commentator with either a variant dial or a dial swap.

Bulova Commentator

 

NOVA
Posted April 7, 2011 - 3:34am

That sure looks like it to me.  Great job on finding that '37 - '38 ad. 

plainsmen
Posted April 7, 2011 - 6:42am

Here's that 1934 Unknown with the two tone case that I had a few months ago...

www.mybulova.com/watches/1934-unknown-1253

Looks to be the same case design just using different color gold plate...  and this dial isn't the same as the ad either.  It's probably ok to assume there are variants.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted April 7, 2011 - 7:19am

If I recall this Watch the Case was hinged and not stamped Bulova in the traditional mannor (?)

plainsmen
Posted April 7, 2011 - 12:52pm

In reply to by FifthAvenueRes…

Yeah if you look at the link I provided it was stamped Bulova on the top of the case where it opened.  Hinged... no markings inside.  Who knows maybe a replacement case.   It was however probably around the same time this watch will date too.

I've seen one other similarly marked case and I think it was also mid 30's.