Early WWII Bulova Type A-11.
30mm Keystone case.
Caseback marked as shown.
'Prior to the official introduction of this spec, the watch that preceded the A-11 featured a white dial, but after 1942 this changed to black with white numerical indices. The spec also called for a hand-wound, hacking movement with center seconds, an outer minute track with 10-minute demarcations, and minute and hour hands. There was some leniency with the rest of the production standard, however, as some watches were produced with flat bezels, some with coin-edge bezels, some with waterproof cases, some with dustproof cases, etc. Both unlumed and lumed versions of the watch were produced, with the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics specially requesting a fully-lumed version, which was given the designation FSSC 88-W-800. Three American watch manufacturers (Elgin, Waltham, and Bulova) were contracted to make the watches, though despite being an American production standard produced by American companies, the A-11 also saw service with the RAF (Royal Air Force) under the 6B/234 designation, the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force), and the Soviet Air Force.
The A-11 specification calls for the use of a minimum 15-jewel hacking movement, making the production guidelines more specific and stringent than those for the “Ordnance” watches outlined in the TM 9-1575 War Department Technical Manual for Wrist Watches, Pocket Watches, Stop Watches, And Clocks (these watches were produced for non-aviation personnel and can be found with many movement and dial variations produced by several American manufacturers). Because the spec also called for a center-seconds movement, most manufacturers seem to have begun with a 15-jewel sub-second movement (such as those featured in many of the “Ordnance” watches) and simply added a second hand pinion and extra jewel, bringing the total jewel count on these movements up to 16. All watches were also required to feature hacking (second hand stops completely upon pulling out the crown) for ease of synchronization and precise timing, and movements tended to be of high grade and quality, such as the Elgin 539 and the Bulova caliber 10AK CSH (the latter issued by the British as the Mark VIII).'
Text courtesy of Worn and Wound.
*I have emboldened a specific point of interest reguarding the subject watch, note the 15 J movement with an added bridge.
Assuming 1942 comes from the AF42 in the case serial. Do we know what AF stands for?
1942 Bulova Military Issue A-11
Air Force would be My guess, the Anchor on the movement confirms 1942.
Does that mean there are other prefixes for Navy, Army and Marines, or was the A11 only issued to the Air Force?
In reply to Does that mean there are… by mybulova_admin
From what I have read the A-11 was only issued to 'aviation personnel', which covers a lot of ground. Non-aviation personnel were issued the 15J 10 AK marked 'ORD DEPT'.
I have yet to see any prefixes other than AF (followed by a date) on a Bulova A-11.
In 1942 the U.S. Air Force was not a stand alone branch of the Military as it is today, it was part of the U.S. Army, the USAAF.
1942 Bulova Military Issue A-11 is a good match.