This is a wonderful site! Thank you all so much. I have had fun trying to figure out the following watch.
Very Handsome and unusual Bulova Men’s watch. Rare Harlequin / Checkerboard / chess face in contrasting silver colors that reflect the light differently. Applied Gilt Arabic numerals 1 -12 with a small seconds sweep instead of the number 6. Hour and Minute Hands are Gold. Crystal is has a significant cruve to it. (Don’t really know how to explain – see photo).
Gold Case-back with serial number 8092286 marked “10K Gold Filled (next line) Bulova”. Inside: 21-Jewel 7AP Movement marked with a triangle (1945?).
As I have been obsessed with this site all day – here is what I have found – Seems to be a similar style to a late 40’s Director, the case style looks a lot like a General, and the checkers is similar to the Park Lane (even down to the thicker line just between the second hand and where the hands attach in the center of the face – weird.)
I bought the watch in ’86 and it ran fine while I used it for a year or two and then I switched it out for another one and have not really looked at it much since. Needs a good tune up, but worked when I got it and has only been sitting in a drawer. May sell, not sure yet.
Good looking, interesting watch. This is a tough one - Good Luck !
Gang is all in on this one, 1945 President case with the 1952 Harlequin dial which could be a re-dial. Still it looks great in that case. Non Conforming gets my vote. That's not a bad thing, it just means the watch is not 100% original. Still a great looking combo if you plan to wear it.
The shading is just wrong.
the squares either side of the sub dial are shaded, as is the one with the number4 in it. If the "4" square had not been shaded, also the one to the right of the sub-dial, the bottom right square could have been shaded to keep the "checkerboard" sequence correct.
It looks like it has been hand-shaded by a novice trying, but not very well, to copy the AA/Park Lane dial.
Lovely watch, shame about the dial.
I'm going to go ahead and say more than likely non-conforming rather than unknown. Usually when a watch hasn't been seen in a variation by any of us... it might be to good to be true....
If the case is really from 1948.... then I believe it would be called the His Excellency "EE" at that time via this ad:
I don't believe this dial was around that early though so could either be a moded dial to fit the case or a redial. Tastefully done either way.
I would like to propose the existence of a "harlequin jester" who at some time in the past (likely in the 50's) who took higher end watches without a harlequin face and altered the face to include a harlequin pattern. If you look closely at OldTickers watch at http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1954-park-lane-3307 I think it was harlequinized by the same person.
Note the slightly thicker line directly above where the 6 should be on both watches and that both watches have non-confirming number of "checkers". Also note that on both watches it looks as though the "lines" to mark the checker pattern look to go over the numerals. As both OldTickers watch and this one are of the same era AND both have a curved bezel (although opposite curve!) I wonder if they were both "improved" by the harlequin jester. It will be interesting over the years if any other watches show up with a similar pattern.
Has anyone ever come across a code similar to that written inside the case that you can see in the photo? That may be a clue to the Harlequin Jester.
Thank you all for all your help and interest. Let me know via PM if anyone is interested in the watch.
In reply to I would like to propose the by ChicagoWatch