Bulova 1965 -Unknown

Submitted by tinyelk on October 17, 2012 - 3:24pm
Manufacture Year
1965
Movement Model
5AR
Movement Jewels
21
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
D305507
Case shape
Cushion
Case color
Two-tone
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Ladies
Watch Description

The date of 1963 is a total guess - I have no idea when this watch was made!

If I'm honest, I bought this watch from ebay because a) it is beautiful, and b) it had just been serviced and is running!

I've always liked the look of vintage watches, and so treated myself to one for my recent 25th birthday. I know nothing about it, but I would be very appreciative if anybody who does would share their knowledge!

I know that the strap doesn't match the watch, and this is part of the reason that I would love to know more about the watch itself - I want to replace the strap with something that at least looks appropriate, even if it isn't quite perfect! Although, obviously, finding the perfectly matching strap would make me squeal happily!

The attached strap says "Netovia RG" on the clasp. 

I have tried to include photographs that show the different parts of the watch , but I really don't know where to start when it comes to dating it. I've begun to look through old Bulova advertisements but haven't had any luck matching it so far - I will obviously update this if I do come across a match!

 

Unknown ladies Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
JP
Posted October 17, 2012 - 4:01pm

Try looking in the 1965 ads and go up and down one year from then.

DarHin
Posted October 17, 2012 - 6:43pm

Nice watch and thanks for entering it. Great pics too.

The movement is dated 1965, M5 (M=1960's, +5) so I would start in the 1965 ads and do as JP suggests and expand your search from there. I'm not seeing a similar date code on the outside of the case back though. Is there anything stamped inside the case back? Can you post a pic? If there are any light hand made scratchings inside the case back those are watchmakers marks from when the watch was serviced and not relevent to the id.

OldTicker
Posted October 17, 2012 - 7:22pm

The case looks like a "Barbara" from the 40's which would be a 17J movement, this has a 1965 (M5) 21J movement. The case serial number looks like it starts with a 0 or is it a "D"?...should have a date code stamped on the caseback id it was a 1965.

Non-Conforming would be my call

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted October 17, 2012 - 8:28pm

"

William Smith
Posted October 17, 2012 - 8:33pm

Good find OT.  If the "D" of case SN was a zero, case would be one year before the 1941 ad above....but it does look like a D compared to the other two zero's in picture.

DarHin
Posted October 17, 2012 - 8:57pm

Definitely a D in the serial #. The subject watch doesn't look like the Barbara in the ad, to me. Unknown.

tinyelk
Posted October 18, 2012 - 3:28am

It is certainly a D on the back of the case.... Um, I'll have to see if I can get my mum to open it up again to look inside the back of the case, but I don't remember seeing anything on there when she had it open for me to take these!

bobbee
Posted October 18, 2012 - 6:15am

If you look at the numbers, they get smaller as they seem to get "further away" from the eye. Optical illusion, and the "D" is probably a zero that was mis-struck, as there should be seven digits on the case back after 1934/5.

!940 "Barbara", with a new movement in 1965.

tinyelk
Posted October 18, 2012 - 11:44am

Could it be Ethel? From a 1946 advert -

http://www.mybulova.com/vintage-bulova-watch-ads?page=6#

The first ad on the second row. I can't work out how to get the specific ad to go in this box.The watch I mean is the one draped of the box in the picture. The watch strap of this one seems to match the strap of the watch I linked to in the last comment I wrote - which says it has its original strap.