I found this piece in my fathers old tool box, buried beneath some misc. tools. It may have been my mothers - uncertain. Poor condition. Stem gone. Crystal hazed. Based on the band and folding clasp I'm assuming it is a ladies model. Case # on the back is the only identifier on the outside. Inside, the movement has a small triangle symbol which I will assume means 1945. Movement # is 10BC. Inside of the case cover has stamped lettering: Bulova - stainless steel back - New York. Also on the inside of the case cover is a hand-etched marking : K397 - above the stamped lettering. Validation of model and date is appreciated. Thanks for your time
Welcome to myBulova! What a fun find for you. This watch is a mens watch. The watches from this time were smaller than the watches of today. Although it is possible your mother wore it of course. It looks like a Minute Man to me, like this one and others in the DB https://www.mybulova.com/watches/1946-minute-man-5841 I will find an ad and attach it in a bit.
1945 Minute Man
That makes sense...it was in his old tool box after all. Had I known it was there 50 years ago, I would have taken better care of it!! Thank you for your time.
Here are a couple of ads. The first one from 1945 and the second from 1948 showing that the yellow gold filled version is a "D".
1945 Bulova Minute Man "D"
Awesome. Thanks very much. I didn't think that I would find anything at all. Appreciate the effort.
Great Story - I just love these old family pieces.
1945 Bulova Minute Man D - Nice match Kathy
1945 Minute Man 'D'.
Parts should be easy enough to find on eBay. Always great to hear a wonderful story like this.
I hope you are able to get it serviced and up and running again so that you can wear it.
I promise you it'll be a great feeling when you do :-)
1945 Minute Man 'D'
Heirloom watches are the best!
There is a shop not far from me that specializes in watches. I'm going there next week to see if they would do some restoration work - replace the winding stem and maybe clean up the crystal - and then deceide whether to display it or wear it occasionally.
My guess is that this Minute Man was either a gift or a reward to himself after VE day. $39 was a lot of money in 1945.
Somewhere in the house is his tiny old Timex with a half-rotted leather band that he wore all during WWII. He was in the 82nd & 101st Airborne and that little watch flew over Normandy [ he was in a glider going inland with his unit during the invasion ] and was with him through the Bulge and on into Berlin. Not a Bulova, but a keepsake nonetheless. :)
Thanks again to everyone for their help and comments.
In reply to There is a shop not far from by Einsteiger
Wow, what a wonderful story. It would be so worth getting both of them restored and serviced so you can enjoy them and think of him often.