Bulova 1942 Nighthawk

Submitted by neetstuf-4-u on June 17, 2019 - 8:17am
Manufacture Year
1942
Movement Model
10BE
Movement Date Code
Asterisk
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
2331174
Case shape
Round
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
21.4 mm
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Here is an interesting one; movement dated 1941 and case dated 1942. Based on date combination, I believe this to be a 1942 Nighthawk, which based on available ads appears to have been renamed the Air Warden in early 1943. Lots of jeweler's marks and watch is keeping time. It appears to have had the hour hand replaced with the later style seen in Air Warden ads.  1941/42 Ads for the Nighthawk show the stick luminous with lumed numbers, which subject watch has.

1942 Bulova Nighthawk watch
1942 Bulova watch
1942 Bulova watch
1942 Bulova watch
1942 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch advert
Kathy L.
Posted June 17, 2019 - 11:15am

I always love seeing these service watches.  I am seeing both advertised mid year in 1942.  It may have been a transition year?  Does it have a 14mm lug width and 26mm case?  Wondering if maybe there were two different size cases.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted June 17, 2019 - 11:31am

Case measures 25.9mm and lug width is 14.4 with digital calipers. Yes, it appears the name change was mid to late 1942 and by 1943 the Nighthawk (first advert 1941) was history.I based the ID on the 1941/42 date combination, not seeing any ads for Air Warden dated 1941 transition. If the watch was assembled at the change from 1941 to 1942, it would have to be a Nighthawk?

By my thought process, 41/41 and 41/42 combination is a Nighthawk.

42/42 could be either with maybe subtle differences yet to be ID'ed

42/43 and 43/43 would be a Air Warden

Geoff Baker
Posted June 18, 2019 - 8:49am

1942 would definitely been a transition year for Bulova, remember what happened in December 1941? I'm going with Nighthawk, assuming it's an early 1942 watch.

1942 Bulova Nighthawk

Kathy L.
Posted June 18, 2019 - 10:11am

1942 Bulova Nighthawk it is

jabs
Posted June 18, 2019 - 11:28am

1942 Bulova Nighthawk

mybulova_admin
Posted June 23, 2019 - 3:12am

Does the mention of a stainless steel back make it potentailly something else. The Nighthawk advert only mentions the 10K rolled gold plate, but that might be enough, without mentioning the back of the case.

Tentative Nighthawk.