Bulova 1941 Cromwell

Submitted by JimDon5822 on
Manufacture Year
1941
Movement Model
8AE
Movement Date Code
Asterisk
Movement Jewels
17
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
1464948
Case shape
Rectangle
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
Curved Glass
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

This is what appears to be a 1941 Navigator with a Black Dial.  It is 10kt yellow rolled gold plate with an 8AE movement with asterisk date code.  The sides of the bezel are engraved as well as the tops of the lugs. I cannot find it and with a black dial variant. 

1941 Bulova watch
1941 Bulova watch
1941 Bulova watch
1941 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch advert
Andersok
Posted December 27, 2018 - 7:53am

Case looks to be the Navigator. Any indication the dial has been refinished?

neetstuf-4-u
Posted December 28, 2018 - 11:24am

Certainly appears to be a Navigator, but I find no documentation (yet) indicating they were produced with a black face. Possibility of a refinished dial.

Kathy L.
Posted December 30, 2018 - 11:20am

It certainly appears to be a Navigator and looks great with the black dial.  Hopefully an ad will come up for the variation at some point.  Unless it looks like a refinished dial to you. 

1941 Bulova Navigator 

JimDon5822
Posted December 29, 2018 - 8:13pm

 

Found this 1944 ad confirming the Navigator came with a black dial.  I also found an ad with a pink or rose gold version.  I put both in the ad forum.

The Boston Globe (Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America) · 18 Jun 1944

 

mybulova_admin
Posted December 30, 2018 - 6:42pm

Wonderfull! Certainly confirms the dial variation.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted December 29, 2018 - 8:37pm

Well done Jim.

Black face Bulova Navigator certainly did exist. Curious that both the new ads you found don't appear to show the case engraving.

 

JimDon5822
Posted December 29, 2018 - 9:28pm

I was wondering about that.  The "Navigator" ads from 1944 show both engraved and non-engraved.  I wonder if the rose gold and black dial were not engraved or if the ad was just missing the engraving.

jabs
Posted December 30, 2018 - 9:01am

Agree 1941 Bulova Navigator will be

Geoff Baker
Posted December 30, 2018 - 9:34am

based on the case I'll go with Navigator, not 100% sure about the non-engraved black dial ad.

1941 Bulova Navigator