Frankenbully

Submitted by jfoley on January 15, 2012 - 3:57pm

Egad is this my first frankebully???

Find at local flea market. Back of case reads 10k rolled gold plate, Bulova M7 serial# J903302.

Movement is 10CH dated M9, dial reads Bulova at top and Swiss below sub dial. It has two real diamonds at 3 and 9 o'clock. Any idea fellows, its got me stumped.

                                                                                            J. Foley

 

plainsmen
Posted January 15, 2012 - 4:13pm

Don't know brother.. maybe not.  I do believe that case or that very style of case was somewhat common in the early 1960's.  You could be okay.

bourg01
Posted January 15, 2012 - 5:00pm

Been there, seen that. The parts are all signed Bulova so it is a Bulova. The issue here is mis-matched date codes which would imply the movement and case are not original to each other. Not a big deal. I'd say the watch is all Bulova but it had a transplant on the movement.

jfoley
Posted January 15, 2012 - 6:21pm

thanks, but whats the name? ive been thru the data base and all the ads and the closest looking watches were in the 20s and 30s. plus i have a diamond detector and those little stones ring to the very top of the scale. im not nearly as sharp on bulovas as you guys so help please. j foley

NOVA
Posted January 15, 2012 - 6:52pm

I have the same model in yellow gold dated M7 with a 10CL movement.  Don't know what it is called, but it's a lovely watch. If yours is like mine, the case is signed Bulova on the back but not on the inside of the case, which some members of the site would claim makes it a re-case.  I'm not buying that theory, as the case bears no other maker's mark. 

bourg01
Posted January 16, 2012 - 6:53am

I think that Bulova moved toward this format of case signing in the mid 60's. I have seen several without the inside marked as well. I still think it's all Bulova.

jfoley
Posted January 15, 2012 - 8:40pm

thanks n n you always come to my aid. the movement is in bad shape in this one. any idea where i could get one that would fit? if so about what would it cost. j foley

mybulova_admin
Posted January 16, 2012 - 6:01am

It may be an early Beau Brummell. What are the crystal measurements?

jfoley
Posted January 16, 2012 - 8:22am

the nearest i can come is using a lug guage. its larger than 19mm but not quite 20. it is square so the measurements are the same. it came without a crystal .

GVP
Posted January 16, 2012 - 11:14am

 Definately a Bulova. I have had 2 or 3 of these in the past few years. A 2 year  date code gap is not unheard of either

mybulova_admin
Posted January 19, 2012 - 6:59am

Ok the crystal examples I have found for the square Beau's take a slight recangluar crystal....nothing major, I'm talking 1 to 2 mm difference in length v width. Are you certain the crystal is dead on square?

jfoley
Posted January 19, 2012 - 9:05am

dear my bulova admin, i stand corrected one side is about 1 or 2 mm longer. it is so small of a difference that with a little work i could have a square crystal to fit. j. foley

NOVA
Posted January 19, 2012 - 9:11am

I popped the crystal out of mine and measured it as 19.8 square.  The crystal is faceted along the edges.  I have pictures, but I have not been able to post pics in threads for the past two or three days.

NOVA
Posted January 19, 2012 - 9:50am

I just posted mine as a 1967 Unknown.  Crystal details and a picture of the crystal are included.

jfoley
Posted January 19, 2012 - 11:44am

i hope i havent lead anyone astray. im measuring with a lug tool which only measures mm and not fractions of mm. after several more attempts with failing eye sight it seems just a hair wider than long, yes i said wider. its almost impossible for me to be positive. j foley

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