Watch of the Week - March 23, 2013
This beautiful watch has been in my collection for a while now, and I have still never seen another one like it, nor have I found an advertisement to suggest what it might be called. It is, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular Bulovas I have ever seen. It stands out in my collection as significantly more ornate than other watches of the time period. It is also in a small minority of watches from the 1920s that have a case formed from solid gold rather than gold filled or plated.
The watch came to me through someone who had no idea what they had and who thought that $150 was more valuable than the watch. I will always be grateful for their priorities. The watch is in pristine condition, showing virtually no signs of wear. The two-tone bracelet with engraving that matches the bezel came to me with the watch.
The case markings on this watch are typical of solid gold models of this time period in that they differ from those seen on gold filled or plated models, which compose the majority of watches from the 1920s. The case serial number begins with "6" rather than the expected "9" to match the movement date code. The case signature is "Bulova Watch Co.", rather than "Bulova Quality" or "Bulova, New York". (See Bulova Case Signatures for more information on typical case signatures of the late 1920s.) There is no patent date inside the case. The watch is triple signed on the case, movement, and dial.
Please take a moment to enjoy this rare beauty as this week's pic for "Watch of the Week".
Details:
- 14K Solid Gold case (white and yellow)
- Case signed inside "Bulova Watch Co."
- Case serial: 695806
- Movement: 8AT, 17 Jewels, Unadjusted, 1929 date code, serial number 310296, signed "Bulova Watch Co."
- Dimensions: 33.5mm lug to lug x 25mm without crown
