The Bulova Beau Brummell Series
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The Beau Brummell is one of my favorite series of watches. They are highly elegant, quality watches that are immediately recognizable by their diamond dials, which vary in number and configuration. The Beaus date from at least as early as the late 1940s through at least as late as the early 1970s. The Beau movements typically include 21, 23, or 30 jewels, which makes them a top-of-the-line Bulova offering. However, several recently discovered advertisements specify only 17 jewels, making it clear that some models did have lower jewel counts than previously believed.
According to the limited ads we have, case composition may be solid or filled gold, though many of the available ads do not specify the case composition. I have seen one model that I believe to be a Beau, but it had a stainless steel case--a phenomenon not yet supported by a vintage advertisement. Other models have diamonds on the dial, including some of the Bulova 23s, so a stainless model may fall into that model series rather than the Beau Brummells. The Beaus are usually seen in round cases, but there are a few examples of square, rectangular, and cushion shaped cases as well.
There are no known advertisements for ladies' Beau Brummells, so, it would appear that the line was intended exclusively for men.
A recent study of a 1964 jeweler price list revealed 65 different Beau Brummell variants, and, within those variants, some were offered at more than one price level. While the price list did not explain the reason for the price options on the same model variant, most likely the difference is attributable to options in case material, such as solid gold versus plated or filled, or stainless steel rather than gold. Differing movements (with higher or lower jewel counts) could also account for the price differences. More information is needed to clearly identify the reason behind the price structure. In any event, that was just one price list for one year, and there were gaps in the variant letter sequencing, indicating additional models that were not listed. My belief is that there were at least 100 different variants of the Beau Brummell offered over the years, and many of those were offered with additional variations and prices within a given model variant designation.
The Beau Brummell variant names follow the same structure as seen in other Bulova series, meaning the watches are called "Beau Brummell" followed by a letter or series of letters, such as the Beau Brummell "A" or Beau Brummell "AAW". The variant designations may be only one letter or up to three letters. The 1964 price list also includes a couple of models simply called "Beau Brummell", so not all of the models had a variant designation.
The one constant, distinguishing feature of the Beaus is the diamond dial. However, even this apparant "constant" appears to have at least one qualified exception, i.e., one of the the earliest known Beau advertisements dated 1950 specifies "white stones" rather than diamonds, along with simulated rubies. No other example of the Beau is known to have simulated diamonds or rubies, and, to date, no advertisement for a Beau has had a dial unadorned by stones of some sort. The fact that all Beaus known to-date have diamonds on the dial should not be interpreted to indicate that any watch with diamonds on the dial is a Beau Brummell. Quite to the contrary, it is a long known fact that other models have diamonds on the dials, such as some of the Bulova 23s. Diamond accentuated dials can be seen on various models dating at least as far back as the early 1940s.
Finally, note that most of the Beau Brummells are waterproof and shock resistant. That may not be true of the early 1950s models or the 1970s models, but those characteristics do appear to hold true for the Beaus produced in the late 1950s and the 1960s. Some, but not all, Beaus are also self-winding.
Below are vintage advertisements and images of Beau Brummell watches.
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1947 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation3 diamonds in three positons, 17-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1946 Beau Brummell
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1950 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation8 "white stones" and 3 simulated rubies, 17-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1949 Beau Brummell |
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1957 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels 10K gold-filled case Available in yellow or white gold
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1957 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation3 diamonds in three positions, 17-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1958 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation12 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels 14K gold case
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1959 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation23 diamonds in twelve positions, 23-jewels 14K gold case
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1959 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1959 Beau Brummell |
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1959 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1959 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels 10K gold-filled case Available in yellow or white gold
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1959 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1959 Beau Brummell "FF"4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1959 Beau Brummell "J"23 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels 14k solid gold case
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1959 Beau Brummell KK6 diamonds in six positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1959 Beau Brummell |
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1960 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation3 diamonds in three positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1960 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation20 diamonds in twelve positions, 30-jewels Solid 14K gold case
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1962 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation3 diamonds in three positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1962 Beau Brummell "CC" and "DD"3 diamonds in three positions, 23-jewels "CC" - white gold filled "DD" - yellow gold filled
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1962 Beau Brummell "RR"3 diamonds in three positions, 21-jewels 10k Gold Filled
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Image courtesy of Shawn Bourget(eBay seller Bourg01) |
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1962 Beau Brummell "IIW"5 diamonds in five positions, 23-jewels White gold-filled case Also avaible in yellow gold as the "JJW" variant
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1959 Beau Brummell |
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1962 Beau Brummell "TW"3 diamonds in three positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1962 Beau Brummell "ZZW"12 diamonds in twelve positions, 30-jewels 14K gold case
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1962 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation3 diamonds in three positions, 21-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1960 Beau Brummell |
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1962 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation3 diamonds in three positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition
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Image courtesy of Robert Butler |
1962 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation4 diamonds in four positions, 23-jewels Unspecified case composition Also avaible with white dial |
Image courtesy of Robert Butler
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1963 Beau Brummell "QQ"3 diamonds in three positions, 21-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1964 Beau Brummell "C"4 diamonds in four positions, 21-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1964 Beau Brummell - No Variant Designation5 diamonds in five positions, 30-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1965 Beau Brummell - Unknowm Variant5 diamonds in five positions, 30-jewels Unspecified case composition
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1967 Beau Brummell "D" (?)4 diamonds in four positions, 21-jewels Unspecified case composition Available in yellow or white gold
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1967 Beau Brummell "AJ"3 diamonds in three positions, 17-jewels Unspecified case composition and color
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1967 Beau Brummell "AQ"4 diamonds in four positions, 30-jewels Unspecified case composition and color Calendar window!
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1968 Beau Brummell "AL"20 diamonds in twelve positions, 30-jewels 14k solid gold case Unspecified metal color
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1970 Beau Brummell "BB"3 diamonds in three positions Unspecified case composition and jewel count
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1972 Beau Brummell "BB" and"BA"3 diamonds in three positions "BB" in yellow gold 20-micron case with chocolate brown shaded dial "BA" in white gold 20-micron case with royal blue shaded dial
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1972 Beau Brummell "AX" and "AY"2 diamonds in two positions "AX" in yellow gold filled case with gilt dial "AY" in white gold filled case with white dial
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