Bulova 1928 Lido

Submitted by plainsmen on October 5, 2021 - 8:58pm
Manufacture Year
1928
Movement Model
6AF
Movement Date Code
Cresent Moon
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
194544
Case Serial No.
8194986
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Ladies
Watch Description

Well... I've wanted to find one of these for a long long time!  I finally met a fellow collector ready to pass on some of her wonderful pieces and this is the first one I saved up for!  Soooo excited and my daughter really loves it.

When the watch came into the previous owners possession it had an Elgin movement/dial.  Unfortunately whomever put it in this watch also tried to destroy any evidence it was originally a Bulova and scratched the heck out of the case.  At least with the right lighting the original case engraving and serial can be seen.

The ads don't do this watch justice!  The enamel goes all the way down into the lugs. Sooooo cool!

I actually had on hand a perfectly correct 1928 replacement movement and dial that matches the 1928 advertisement spot on!

1928 Bulova Lido Ad

1928 Bulova Lido 10-5-21 F
1928 Bulova Lido 10-5-21 L
1928 Bulova Lido 10-5-21 R
1928 Bulova Lido 10-5-21 M
1928 Bulova Lido 10-5-21 IC
1928 Bulova Lido 10-5-21 B
mybulova_admin
Posted October 6, 2021 - 5:09am

Wow, that is incredible. That enamel has to be one of the best of all Bulova watches.

No name though?

neetstuf-4-u
Posted October 6, 2021 - 9:14am

Great watch! The enameling on this one is quite unique in pattern, more  Native American than straight geometric like most. The only thing I find sporting this style enameling is the Croydon "Ladies Sport Watch". Ad clip is dated 1928 as well. Obviously not the same watch, but strikingly similar decoration.

croydon1828jerinsnip

OK, this might be a bit of a stretch, but here goes. I googled "Croydon Native American" and got this hit for PA.  Croydon is located between Philadelphia and NYC (home of Bulova). Is it possible that the Bulova model name "Croydon" refers to the decoration? Just a thought to consider.

plainsmen
Posted October 6, 2021 - 9:41am

In the loose 1920's ads we have two ads for this naming it the "Lido".  As Alex previously pointed out in our large 20's ads it talks about this new Lido series of enamel watches.  He speculates this watch can"t be the Lido as the series is called Lido.  Hrmmm I dunno.  Maybe this was the Lido and the series flagship?

neetstuf-4-u
Posted October 6, 2021 - 10:36am

The ads are a bit confusing.

shortlido1

shortlido2

The two in the short ads are newspaper printed in PA and MA 10 days apart (Dec 4 and 14, 1929 )and appear to use the same graphics. In the full ads, we see this one dated Aug 28,1928 talking about introducing the Lido Series. Ad shows 5 individually named watches not even remotely similar to subject watch. These 5 have two common denominators - lug shape and enamel decoration pattern, which differs from subject as well as newspaper ads.

1928lidoad

Kathy L.
Posted October 6, 2021 - 11:58am

This watch is fabulous!  I am glad you were able to work out buying it for your daughter's collection

JEV1A
Posted October 6, 2021 - 7:21pm

I vote LIDO if I had a vote LOL... WOW, nothing like it on the market today! 

Crown may have been changed out. 

Very Native American influenced. Probably sold a million of these in the Southwest. 

That's a very lucky Daughter indeed! 

JV

 

mybulova_admin
Posted October 8, 2021 - 10:06pm

I take pount that there was a series called Lido, we also have 2 adverts clearly showing the watch named as "Lido".

1928 Bulova Lido for me.

Geoff Baker
Posted October 8, 2021 - 10:53pm

I'm back and forth but have finally agreed with Lido. 1928 Bulova Lido it is! Love these enameled cases.