Aurelio Joseph Portale, 1885 - 1972, purchased this wristwatch and is the original owner. He was my Great Grandfather who passed this watch to his son, my Grandfather, Dr. Joseph S. Portale, 1922 - 1982, who passed it to my Grandmother, Josephine Portale, 1924 - 2014, who stored the watch until my 18th birthday in 1995 when it was passed to me.
I kept it in storage until four months ago, when I learned I was going to be a Father. I sent this watch to Jeffrey Shimp at Time Restoration (www.timerestoration.com) to have it restored to original condition.
AJP is engraved on the back casing and is barely visible due to how often he wore it.
WOW!! How fantastic it must feel to be able to wear this watch and know the incredable lineage of it. This is what makes a watch so precious and priceless.
I have seen this watch in the data base but will have to dig through to find it for you.
Welcome to mybulove and thank you for sharing it with us.
JP
Congratulations Kevin, this is wonderful family heirloom. I'm one of the guys that places a higher value on family items than market price. To think that your daughter or son will be the fifth generation Portale to wear this beauty is pretty exciting. In collectable circles, provenance is everything and this is the jackpot. Thanks for sharing a great story with us. I imagine your great grandfather would be very proud.
In terms of identification, I think we're going to end with the "Unknown" name. I have this watch with a 1930 date, the difference is mine is lumed dial and hands (glows in the dark).
The Watch appears in this 1930 database ad http://www.mybulova.com/sites/default/files/vintage_ads/bulova-ad-1930--2.jpg
currently 'UNKNOWN'
Yes, it appears to be the 1929 version of the Luminous Hands one depicted in the advertisement. The Shield shown on the right hand side of the movement, under the serial number, leads me to believe this statement. Everything on this watch is original except the new Crystal Jeff installed, I even have the original flexible metal band but prefer to ware a leather strap with it.
I am so proud to know such great men wore this watch before me, if I accomplish 10% of what they did in their lives I would be happy. My Grandmother's surprise 90th Birthday is St. Patrick's Day, fitting for an Irish woman who immigrated here in the 1930's. Yes, her marrying my Sicilian Grandfather was rather scandalous in the 1940's; not to mention my Sicilian Great Grandmother who was devastated by the news. I am hoping to garner even more of the back story when I see her next.
In reply to Wow, she sue is a looker. by bourg01