Bulova 1938 -Non-Conforming

Submitted by SilverBandit on
Manufacture Year
1938
Movement Model
7AP
Movement Date Code
Cresent Moon
Movement Jewels
21
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
-
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
16x25 mm
Gender
Mens
Watch Description
  • Rectangular, hooded end, 14K white gold watch. Date code indicates year of manufacture as 1928 or 1938 (crescent moon). Appears to have diamonds on numbers in dial. 7AP movement, 21 jewels. Matching color band marked speidel. 
Front of watch.
Back case in watch.
Back case opened and movement
Inside of back case
Dial out of watch
Kathy L.
Posted October 15, 2024 - 2:21pm

Welcome to myBulova and thank you for sharing your very nice watch with us.  This appears to be a very custom jewelers watch.  A non-Bulova case put together with a Bulova movement and custom Bulova dial.  For ID purposes we call this a Non-Conforming watch of mixed parts.  It is pretty cool!

Non-Conforming

mybulova_admin
Posted October 16, 2024 - 7:17am

A 7AP for 1938 would be ok, but the case has no Bulova markings which it should have.

I've seen this dial style a few times and always questioned its originality.

Non-conforming seems correct at this stage.

SilverBandit
Posted October 16, 2024 - 8:35am

Good morning, thanks for the info! Upon closer inspection, there is a marking on the case I missed. It looks like it is a Roman numeral VIII. I don’t know if that is a Bulova marking or not. Thanks again for the info. 

mybulova_admin
Posted October 16, 2024 - 5:50pm

 Bulova watchmakers use to scratch roman numbers on their case parts to ensure they married up the correct case components, but that ws backin the 1920s. The occurance of VIII on your watch is not something we have seen on later watches, so I would still suggest  that the case is after-market and not originally from Bulova. Even the hands are something Bulova didn't use during this timeframe.

Kathy's notion of a custom creation seems the most logical.

SilverBandit
Posted October 16, 2024 - 6:29pm

Thanks again for the info. The Roman numeral is on both pieces of the case and appears to match up when put together. The crescent moon date on the movement could also date the movement to 1928 so that would make sense if the Roman numeral practice was something done in the 20s.

Kathy L.
Posted October 16, 2024 - 10:08pm

I would date this watch at 1938 because these type of dials came out in the last 30's.  There is no serial number for the watchmaker to match the VIII to so it might be that this case was originally married to a different dial/movement.

Geoff Baker
Posted October 16, 2024 - 10:30pm

Clearly a custom dial attached to a Bulova movement. I don't see any indication that the case is Bulova production.  Agree with Non-Conforming ID. Also thinking late 1930's era. VERY nice watch.

SilverBandit
Posted October 17, 2024 - 7:10am

Thanks again for all the info everyone. I really appreciate your input!

JimDon5822
Posted October 17, 2024 - 7:55pm

I agree on non-conforming.   It is the case and dial were part of a kit for jewelers to upgrade watches using various movements.  That being said it is a beautiful watch.