Bulova 1950 Baxter

Submitted by timerestoration on June 28, 2011 - 6:11pm
Manufacture Year
1950
Movement Model
8AC
Movement Jewels
21
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
-
Case shape
Tonneau
Case color
Yellow
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

  Hi everyone, I recently purchased a Watchmaker's Estate. I opened up a box that had some NOS cases and dials, and THIS was mixed in with it! I don't know what it is. It is ALL BULOVA, right down to the original strap! The tag is marked "CROMWELL". Is there such an Animal? The flip side of the tag has the price $49.50. Appears to take an 8AC or 8AE movement. Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks, Jeff

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WatchCrystals.net
Posted October 12, 2011 - 12:00pm

Hmmm... Appears as likely, as any?!

 

Baxter, Cromwell, Princeton, Tuxedo, Wellington, Westover   CMX324-2
Cromwell, Princeton   CMX324-2C
Princeton   CMX324-2FT

 

 

Best :-)  Scott

 

bobbee
Posted February 18, 2013 - 8:41am

WHoops.

This 1950 ad has this down as the BAXTER. I have another, similar ad from a different jeweller to confirm ID.

mybulova_admin
Posted February 19, 2013 - 6:02am

Tentative Baxter...hang tag loses over the advert and crystal....although this may very well be one of those mount issues.

 

Geoff Baker
Posted February 19, 2013 - 7:01am

Yeah, I'm slow to suggest this change. I'm kind of a hang tag guy. My theory is that Display Boxes are tentative but hang tags don't move around so much. Dang, that ad............

I would go with the ad  - two ticks, Baxter based on crystal AND ad.

JP
Posted February 19, 2013 - 10:51am

Baxter based on the ad.

bourg01
Posted February 19, 2013 - 1:12pm

The ad gets my vote for Baxter.

William Smith
Posted February 19, 2013 - 2:22pm

I'm good w/ Baxter.
Bobbee says there's a second confirming ad, so I'm assuming the one above is the better of the two.  I'm guessing the movement added to the dase/dail combo was based on "what fit and worked good", so I'm not factoring that into the ID.  This one is a little more challanging, as the Bulova-signed strap, like-new condition and the hang tag/crystal specs sure pointed to Cromwell....

mybulova_admin
Posted February 20, 2013 - 2:36am

As you pointed out Will, it could be a timing thing with the name change. I think when we have a clearer understanding of the two models we will be in a better position to know if the hang tag is correct for a later or earlier release.

timerestoration
Posted February 20, 2013 - 9:17am

Hi All! 

I just cught wind of this discussion via email. I've been out of the loop for awhile, so forgive me if this topic has already been dealt with.

What conclusion has been made about some Model Names being dependent upon the watch having a Leather Strap VS a Metal One?

Is it possible that this is a "CROMWELL" on its original leather band, and a "BAXTER" on an expansion band. The price on my hang tag is $49.50. The price in the above ad which specifically mentions an expansion band is $59.50.

AGAIN...I am not married to an ID just because it is my watch. I'm just interested in a proper ID.

Thanks!

William Smith
Posted February 20, 2013 - 3:47pm

The November 1954 supplement to the official Bulova model price lists shows a 21 jewel Cromwell under the Diamond Dial section of the list.  It's not clear if it is solid gold or not, but the list indicates the gold color is yellow and it has a "diamond dial".  Because this list is a monthly supplement to quarterly (seasonal) lists Bulova puts out, the entries in the supplement suggest this may be a "new addition" to the Cromwell model line by November 1954.

In the January 1955 (Spring seasonal) list, there are three Cromwell models listed. These are not in the "newer release" section of the list, so I assume they have been out for a while.  Their presence in the list suggests these three are still available- whether they are still in production or just in inventory is not known.

Your hang tag is:

A single Baxter model is also in this January 1955 list, not under diamond dial or new releases section, but in the same section as the three Cromwell above.  

There are no other new/different Cromwell or Baxter models appearing in the latter model lists.
The single Baxter entry and the model number 38759 Cromwell $49.50 are no longer listed by Fall 1961. The two more expensive Cromwell are still listed in 1961.

Your hang tag - whether it is original to the watch or not- lets us know that the Cromwell model number 38759 had 17 jewels (not noted in lists) and matches what is most likely the "earliest" Cromwell release (as it is the first model number dropped from future price lists). 

I have not cross-referenced Cromwell or Baxter list information to ads on site (if we even have any other ads for these models), but for other model series from these lists for which we do have ads, I've seen a correlation with the price increase between the Cormwell 38759 ($49.50) and 37191 ($71.50) correspond to: 1. leather vs expansion and/or 2. different gold/dial color combinations. 

The Baxter ad Bobbee uses above indicates an expansion band and price of $59.50.  Was there more than one Baxter model released?  ...or does this ad show the Baxter 38783 model, and its price went up from $59.50 in the 1950 ad to $65 by January 1955 price list entry?  This $5.50 price increase is within the range of other model series price increases during this timeframe, for models which we have ads to cross-reference other features of the watches.  In some of these other models, we see this price increase over time being more inflationary, as no other features of these other watches changes with the price increase- they remain the same model variant.

So....although the price lists may not be complete (containing every model), when considered in combination with Bobbee's ads, and your hang tag on a Bulova-signed leather strap watch, they suggest there was one 17 jewel Baxter model and it came on an expansion band.  They also suggest the 17jewel Cromwell 38759 came on leather, the Cromwell 37191 either came on an expansion band, or it came on the same leather mount and had a different gold color/content dial configuration.  The mount of the diamond dial 21j Cromwell is unknown.