Bulova 1939 -Non-Conforming

Submitted by WendellD on September 9, 2023 - 11:17am
Manufacture Year
1939
Movement Model
10AE
Movement Date Code
Shield
Movement Jewels
15
Case Serial No.
none found
Case shape
Tonneau
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Other
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

unknown model and date. Would be happy to learn more.

Based on the information I found on this site I think it is 1935. I remember my grandmother wearing it when I was a child. 

Front of watch. Unknown model.
Back of watch (stainless steel) no identifying marks.
10AE movement and 15 Jewels clearly shown
inside of case. "Stainless" stamp, triangle (?) stamp or etching, faint #s and letters
clearer view of date stamp triangle (?)
WendellD
Posted September 9, 2023 - 11:41am

crystal dimensions aprox 1.8 x 2.4 cm

neetstuf-4-u
Posted September 9, 2023 - 2:35pm

Welcome, and thanks for sharing your heirloom with us. It looks to me like the date stamp on the movement is a shield (to the left of the word "adjusted" in your photo), dating the movement to 1939. The case is a replacement and not Bulova, so the triangle stamped in the case back has no meaning.. This happened a lot; the case would get worn out or damaged, and taken to a jeweler for a "sprucing up" to rejuvenate an old friend. There were a lot of companies making replacement cases to fit watch movements by size.

Base on the replacement case, we would call your grandmother's watch a "non-conforming" meaning it can't be identified as a specific model. No matter, it has a family history. It would be cool to know if she bought it new and wore it until it needed an new case or bought it as a second hand/restored trade in from a jeweler.

1939 Non-Conforming

Based on the movement size and the time period, this likely started out as a man's watch.

.

mybulova_admin
Posted September 10, 2023 - 3:26am

Non-conforming as the case is not original to the watch and not made by Bulova. As such would not be able to ID your watch.

WendellD
Posted September 10, 2023 - 11:34am

In reply to by mybulova_admin

Just to be clear: the entire case is not Bulova, or just the back portion?

mybulova_admin
Posted September 11, 2023 - 4:42am

In reply to by WendellD

I would say the entire case. Most watch movements were manufactured as a certain linge size. That meant the movements could (in many cases...excuse the pun) fit into non-original cases.

Front bezels and their case backs were however made as a pair, so it isn't likely that the bezel and backcase were married.

Whilst the case is similar to stepped cases of the era, this one deosn't match any known model, and the inclusion of a 3rd party case back, suggests the entire case isn't a Bulova case.

Kathy L.
Posted September 11, 2023 - 6:28pm

Welcome to myBulova and thank you for sharing your grandmother's watch with us.  It is a wonderful heirloom and very cool that you can remember her wearing it!  As mybulova_admin said a Non-Conforming model.

Non-Conforming

Geoff Baker
Posted September 12, 2023 - 12:29am

While we might not be able to ID it to a verified Bulova model, I submit that this watch, being remembrance of your grandmother is priceless!