Circular case measures 38.5mm lug to lug and 33.5mm around non-inclusive of the crown using calipers.
White porcelein dial shows radium Arabic numerals and radium (Cathedral style?) hands and is unbranded, a sub-seconds dial completely obscures the 6.
Crown appears to be the original.
Movement is stamped Rubaiyat W. Co. Swiss
There are no identifiable datecodes.
WW1 Kitchener strap is a reproduction.
The one that started it all: https://mybulova.com/forums/retracing-bulova-history
........Crickets.
If American Standard hallmarked watch cases had been in continuous use by J. Bulova since Aug 1st 1918 then the case of this watch, hallmarked Rubaiyat W. Co (and the only one I've ever seen,) must pre-date 1918?
supporting document here: https://mybulova.com/sites/default/files/watches/AmericanStandardBulovaPat.jpg
That's weird, when I last looked at the photo of the inside of the case I didn't see the Rubaiyat W.Co stamping.
Would this make the watch a true and complete mens Rubaiyat wristwatch?
So reading the trademark regsitration a little more, it was Arde Bulova who re-resgistered "American Standard" in 1920 on behalf of the Bulova Watch Company Inc.
I'm still struggle to understand this difference between incorporated in 1911 and the name change of 1923. Anyone able to explain that for me?
The 1920 trademark registration does confirm that Joseph, on behalf of J.Bulova Co. had been using it since the August 1 , 1918.
However I'm not sure I can extrapolate from this any Rubaiyat dates. We do know that Rubaiyat was also in use from 1916 onwards, so this watch could technically be dated from that year onwards.
In reply to That's weird, when I last… by mybulova_admin
Stephen,
I re-shot the image of the caseback, the initial pic was illegible.
Yes, I believe the watch to be a a true and complete Mens Rubaiyat wristwatch.
In reply to Stephen, I re-shot the image… by FifthAvenueRes…
To answer Your question with a question did J. Bulova, the jeweler of 1911 switch to watchmaking exclusively in 1923 as Bulova W. Co ? or was it simply legal wranglings bringing Arde on board.
The subject watch is a Rubaiyat, model 'UNKNOWN' the date of manufacture is the closest I could come up with, 1916 - 17.
In reply to To answer Your question with… by FifthAvenueRes…
We have shown Joseph Bulovas' relationship to Rubaiyat W. Co with proof positive and Maxim at some level, somehow.
We have also shown Arde as being the owner of Hudson W. Co. with proof positive.
IMO the name change in 1923 from J. Bulova to Bulova W. Co would signal the combining of these 2 companies into one.
In reply to To answer Your question with… by FifthAvenueRes…
I'm fairly confident that 1923 saw Bulova move to focus soley on watches and thus the name change.
Was it that J.Bulova Co was incorporated in 1911, and in 1923 officially morphed into the Bulova Watch Company Inc with a name change?
* The subject watch is a WW1 Military trench watch, if You're struggling on how to categorize it and it looks very similar to the Hudson Maxim dialed watches here: https://mybulova.com/watches/1918-hudson-maxim-14528
I'm actually leaning very much to this being our first mens Rubaiyat wristwatch and not a Hudson Maxim.
Date wise it's a little tricky, but I have no real issue with dating as early as 1916.
So...1916 Rubaiyat
I will defer this to the experts. These early watches are out of my expertise.