Bulova 1946 American Clipper

I have a 1946 version of this unknown with a 10BCC movement. It has a red second hand and is in excellent condition . The watch is quite small with the dial  20cm diameter and it has been variously described as an airline watch. there appears to be a number of these around but it is yet to be identified.

terry

I wonder whether with regards to the date of mine (1946) that Bulova had a substantial number of military watch cases left over after the 2nd world war and came out with a ' fashionable ' dial to accomodate them ?

terry

I have seen many of these and they were definately a production model, not a customized dial.  The case is too small to be military.  This particular example is missing the mechanism that drives the sweep second hand.

Jay

http://vintagebulova.com™

Jay , as you say the case is too small for a military watch . The watch above has a dial 20cm diameter as against 25cm for the one military watch I own of the same era. The dial suggests is was made for an occupation which required a 24 hour dial which I guess would preclude a medical use and suggest something in the travel industry as suggested earlier ? I would love to find the identity of this watch as it was one of the first Bulovas I bought.

terry

Yeah I think it was production as well.  I've had 3 or 4 of these myself.  There's just to many out there for it to be custom I'm my opinion.

Based on an ETA 900 ebauche, some had sub seconds, some centre. The patina on the dial looks right for the age, various companies used these well into the 50's.

definately a production model, not a custom dial. I think this was a boy's watch and was the 1st Bulova to adorn my Son's wrist Thx to Dad. My boy has the sweep seconds model. The subject watch looks to be the same but has some parts missing.

Case is the same as for Air wardens and Nighthawks, so probably a man's watch, centre seconds mech probably been taken to use on a 10AK possibly? Also Minute hand gold, Hour hand blued.