This one has me mystified. Case back signed inside and out and is a perfect snap fit to the bezel. Movement matches case s/n as 1945. Gold colored numbers on dial appear either decal-ed or painted on. Case is 37.5mm including lugs x 21.5mm wide excluding crown. Based on size, it's definitely a men's watch. Bezel is 10K yellow gold plated with a stainless back. Lugs are fixed to case in the center, it takes a 16mm band. Leather was added by me. Bezel front bears raised hour markers with numbers at 12, 3, 6 and 9.
Running currently and keeping time.
Wow Bob that is so interesting!! What a great find, congrats.
Unknown for now, hopefully an ad will appear at some point.
Oh YOU got that. I and Geoff were pondering it's legitimacy... I say yes.
One of the lugs where it attached looks a little slaggy... Made us question maybe it was a jobber?
But way Unknown. This could be a prototype one off imho... I've never seen another like it. Super cool... I almost bought it.
In reply to Oh YOU got that. I and… by plainsmen
The "slag" was crud that all picked off with a toothpick. No sign of modification under magnification. I made an offer and bought it for less than posted buy it now price.
I pondered it as well, but in hand, it looks legit to me. Couldn't help myself....you understand, I'm sure.
Simply WOW! I have not seen anything like it ever. Totally an unknown. Great find!
Yeah, there it is. Where, on earth did this thing come from Mr. Bulova?
I have only one question....is the back case a nice snug fit to the bezel? Just ruling out the possibility that the bezel is the odd part out.
The design of the back case though is unique, so we may just have an all new model and a crazy rare one at that.
In reply to I have only one question… by mybulova_admin
I'm usually pretty skeptical when I encounter a watch I absolutely don't recognize. Proper fit was my first question and the first thing I looked at. Second was case markings and dial fit. The case back is a perfect snap fit with no signs of mechanical modification of either the back or bezel edges to allow them to correctly mate. Dial outer seconds/minutes track also a perfect fit to the crystal opening.
Case back design also questions if the bezel is "odd man out". One would think if a replacement part company was going to produce replacement bezels for Bulovas; the way to make money would be to produce them for a relatively simple common configuration model. Replacement being the key word. The 1940's His Excellency series comes to mind. The backs and faces from multiple models would fit the case, and case is relatively simple to produce by stamping them in a single piece. Supply and demand paired with cost of production vs. return. The vast majority of replacement cases I have encountered bore a resemblance to a known Bulova model.
The lugs must have been a time consuming endeavor to produce, and I have never seen anything similar in any watch from any brand name. If the case was a generic replacement, one of us would likely remember seeing something similar, or another case with these lugs used. The construction complexity of this case and quality of workmanship would have been wasted if it was built to only allow mating with one or two obscure Bulova models. Why even bother if the product you produced comes with a case back interior stamped with your brand and likely a matching dial stamped "Bulova movement" or "Bulova rebuilt"?
Just my thoughts and personal opinions
What I also find interesting is that the dial AND bezel have the hour markers. You'd expect only one or the other to have the hour markers, not both. Just an observation.
In reply to What I also find interesting… by mybulova_admin
That is an interesting point. My LeCoultre like this has a blank dial and uses the bezel for the hour markers. hmmmmm.