Anybody know the story about Bulova and Westfield?

I spent a little time looking at this issue recently, and found a published source indicating that Bulova bought Westfield (which was a separate company) in the early 1930s (an exact date was not provided).  I have not found a confirming source.  If that information is correct, then Westfields produced prior to that acquisition are not Bulovas.

I have not personally collected any Westfields, but I know that some of our watchmakers and restorers have seen quite a few of them over the years.  They should be able to supply information regarding typical Westfield case signatures. 

I do believe that at least early Westfield dials and movements were clearly marked Westfield, not just Bulova, so that certainly is not the scenario we've been considering with early Bulova signed dials and movements in other maker's cases.

The watch in question was marked Westfield on the dial, and on the movt, with a Bulova calibre, I forget the cal. ID. The caseback had the date code L4, and said 10kt RGP, with a serial number. I wish I had looked at the maker on the inside back, but I was busy examining the movt and talking overhaul with the customer. Since the dial and movt were clearly marked Westfield, they are easy to spot, but I'm wondering if the casemaker was the same in some instances as the Bulovas, albeit unmarked as a Bulova case? Obviously a Bulova movt will fit into them, and voila, you would have a Franken with a well fitting case. I have a pile of Westfield movts, but no cases, from the 20's, so I can't confirm any of this, and they are too old, as you say, anyway.  Perhaps Star might have supplied Bulova with cases that they (Bulova) used for both lines? 

Edit: I'm having trouble uploading the jpg file, but I have found an online auction with an ad for Westfield, it shows various models, including "Miss Liberty", and gives the address as "Westfield Watches, Fifth Avenue, New York."

Ok, I ended the auction (technically a BIN) by buying it myself. I'm very curious. here is the ended Auction:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/260925571627?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3…

Jeff,

The Shield datecode on the 1928 (?) Westfield is interesting as this was Bulova's method of dating their Movements and not a universal one.

ad Dated 1928 here: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=19280428&id=c4EpAAAAIBAJ…

* I've seen several early Westfields (pre 1930) in Watch Cases hallmarked 'Providence Watch Case Co.

Here is another ad, which clearly states that they are a Bulova product. Only the pic will not load for some reason.

Westfield was definitely a Bulova product at some point.  The ad you purchased was from 1937, most likely after Bulova purchased Westfield and started marketing the watches themselves.

I've read two very cursory explanations for why Bulova would market watches under the Westfield name, i.e.,

1) It gave them a lower cost option (lower jewel count, cheaper case) so that they could target a different market (which, apparently, was something that many of the watchmakers did in the 1920s and 1930s, e.g., Benrus marketed under the Central name);

2) It allowed Bulova to "take advantage of an import duty/tax loophole".

Here is the link I found to a book that discusses Bulova's history and its purchase of Westfield in the 1930s:  http://books.google.com/books?id=KRjPBj19i-4C&pg=PA113&lpg=PA113&dq=bul…

I don't know what loophole they could be referring to, the movts are still Swiss, imported into the US, and bear the WXW import code for Westfield. Bulova's other import code was BXW, as we know. One of the ways they got around certain tariffs was to have the Swiss makers mark the movts 'unadjusted', which meant they could be considered to be unfinished. They most certainly were adjusted, and this marking is practically meaningless. 

I get the lower cost option, many companies did this, including Rolex with the Tudor line in the 50's. Many Omegas had a Tissot equivalent, and in some cases their is literally no difference in the movts, other than the markings on them. Heck, I once had a 1964 VW Beetle with a 356B Porsche engine in it. Zippy little thing, and everything about the car was designed by Dr. Porsche, just never meant to be 'cross contaminated' if you will,  in this way. 

I can translate:

This Christmas, give a Westfield Watch

Westfield Watches win compliments everywhere they go. The superb Westfield "Suzanne", set with diamonds, and the rugged (robust) "Trojan" are only two of the remarkable values available from the complete Westfield Collection. (line) From $22.50 to $60.00

Suzanne

17 jewels, 2 diamonds, Yellow or White (gold) (gold filled, most likely)

Trojan, 15 jewels, Water tight, Antimagnetic, luminous dial and hands

Westfield

A Bulova Product

Reverand,

The ad Will posted above is from the 1950's

Jeff's hinged Case is extremely interesting, as it could contradict what common knowledge is about Bulovas' purchase of Westfield if from 1928.

Nova, Currently, 'common knowledge' is that Bulova purchased the Westfield Company in the 1930's, the linked page You posted confirms this. Jeffs' Watch, although unseen, has all the traits of a Watch from the late 1920's, (read His description) including a 'Bulova' datecode on its movement.

If any other Company used this unique 'symbol' method of dating their Movements I would like to know.

This was not intended to become an arguement, merely an observation as personally I have as much interest in the Westfields as I do the Caravelle.

Post deleted.  Make all the assumptions you want.

Here's an actual fact worth considering. . .from the Bulova section of the horological trademark listings. . .