Wayne started a very helpful analysis of these similar, if not identical, watches last Fall, and I thought it was time for an update given the numerous new ads that have since been added to the database. What I found was a pretty muddy picture. I only analyzed the ads, not anyone's particular watch, because we don't know what changes were made to a given watch along the way.
1941
- Ranger – 1941 ad, yellow gold, plain case, 1 – 12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, black figures (Bulova_AD_1941_1)
1942
- Lieutenant – 1942 ad, rose gold, plain case, 1 – 12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, blue-black hands, black figures (1942-Bulova-ad-3,1942-Bulova-ad-5, and 1942-Bulova-ad-6)
- Ranger – 1942 ad, yellow gold, plain case, 1 – 12 numbering, unnumbered seconds, 15J, gold figures (1942-Bulova-ad-3,1942-Bulova-ad-5, and 1942-Bulova-ad-6)
1943
- Cadet A – 1943 ad, yellow gold, engraved case, numbering 1– 12, numbered seconds, 15J, gold figures and hands (Bulova-ad-1943-4)
- Cadet A – 1943 ad, pink gold, engraved case, numbering 1– 12, numbered seconds, 15J, gold figures and hands (Bulova-ad-1943-4)
- Cadet A – 1943 ad, yellow gold, plain case, numbering 1– 12, numbered seconds, 15J, gold figures and hands (Bulova-ad-1943-1) NOTE: There appears to be a problem with this ad in that the picture shows a plain case Cadet A, while the description of the Cadet A states that it is engraved on the sides. This is the only ad we have the shows a plain case Cadet. Thus, it would appear that the description is correct, while the picture is incorrect.
- Cadet B – 1943 ad, coral gold, engraved case, numbering 1 – 12, unnumbered seconds, 15J, gold figures and hands (Bulova-ad-1943-1)
- Lieutenant – 1943 ad, rose gold, plain case, 1 – 12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, blue-black hands, black figures (Bulova-ad-1943-3 and 1943-Bulova-Sears-1)
- Ranger – 1943 ad, yellow gold, plain case, 1 – 12 numbering, unnumbered seconds, 15J , gold figures (also shown in another 1943 ad with numbered seconds (Bulova-ad-1943-3 and 1943-Bulova-Sears-1)
- Ranger – 1943 ad, pink gold, plain case, 1 – 12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J , gold figures NOTE: one has to assume that the ad should have referred to the pink gold version as the Lieutenant, as other ads clearly did (Bulova-ad-1943-4)
Note: One ad from 1943 shows the Cadet A with unnumbered seconds and the Ranger with numbered seconds, while another ad from 1943 shows the opposite.
1944
- Cadet B – 1944 ad, red gold, engraved, 1 – 12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, back Arabic numerals and hands (Bulova-ad-1944-1)
- Cadet D – 1944 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 1 – 12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, back Arabic numerals and hands (Bulova-ad-1944-1)
1946
- Bruce - 1946 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 3-9-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, appears to have black numbers and gold markers (Bulova-ad-1946-1)
- Cadet – 1946 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 3-9-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, black numerals and gilt hands (Bulova-ad-1946-2)
- Cambridge – 1946 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 1 – 12 numbering, unnumbered seconds, 15J, gold figures (Bulova_1946_AD)
- Lieutenant – 1946 ad, rose gold, plain bezel, 1-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, black figures (Bulova_1946_AD)
1947
- Cadet – 1947 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 3-9-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, gilt figures (1947-Sears-Bulova-Ad)
1948
- Cadet – 1948 ad, pink gold, engraved, 3-9-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J (Bulova_ad_1948_4)
- Cadet – 1948 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 3-9-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, gold markers (Bulova_ad_1948_4 and Bulova-ad-1948-4 and 1948-Bulova-ad-5)
1949
- Cadet – 1949 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 3-9-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J, gold figures (Bulova-ad-1949-2)
1950
- Cadet "D" - 1950 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 2-4-10-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J (bulova-ad-1950-1)
1951
- Cadet - 1951 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 2-4-8-10-12 numbering, numbered seconds (new Aldens ad)
1952
- Cadet - 1952 ad, yellow gold, engraved, 2-4-8-10-12 numbering, numbered seconds, 15J (bulova-ad-1952-2)
NOVA
Posted April 22, 2011 - 2:11pm
Wayne Hanley
Posted April 28, 2011 - 4:16pm
GVP
Posted May 23, 2011 - 8:09am