Ladies watch with a JB Champion band. X mark on movement suggests 1943 date. Handmade inscription inside of the back cover reads: 10134? - potentially a date?. Printed Inscription on inside of back cover: Bulova New York. 14K Solid Gold - Movement Code: 5AB - Serial Number: D34877
That's what you call "put away wet" !!
No luck finding a model match.
What's your plan for the watch?
In reply to No luck finding a model… by mybulova_admin
While I don't have a sentimental connection to this watch (I found it on the ground while camping), I am curious about its history. It was cool to stumble onto this website and I'm impressed by this community of watch aficionados and sleuths. Part of me is interested in restoration, though I know that that likely does not make financial sense.
Is restoration to a working state even a viable idea?
I'm also considering selling the watch case for Gold value, but keeping the band for future use
Ok so I missed that part about it being a solid gold case.
I think you have 2 real options: 1) scrap it and sell the gold. 2) source a replacement movement (easy enough), hands (easy'ish), dial (hard), crystal (hard) and you might have a watch that is worth what you paid for the parts. The obvious value is really all in the gold case.
As we don't have an example of this in the sites database, I'd love to see it restored and hopefully properly ID'd one day.
1943 Bulova Unknown for now though.
Great camping find all the same. Certainly looks like it was lost many many years ago.
I am coming up empty on this one. Unknown model for me.
Unknown but wow what a cool camping find! Agree with cleaning it up and throwing a new movement/dial in it or sell for scrap. It would be nice if it were a known model so you could get the correct dial/movement.