Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a vintage military piece following a full movement overhaul. I’ve noticed a few similar models on the site featuring sterile dials, and I believe mine is also a post-WWII / Korean War era depot reconstruction.
Watch Details & Specs:
- Movement: 15-jewel Bulova Caliber 10AK with a 1944 date symbol (circle) on the bridge.
- Case: Stainless steel decagonal screw-down case stamped ORD CORPS on the back, with its original anti-magnetic dust cover.
- Dial & Hands: Unbranded, sterile silver/white sub-seconds dial with radium cathedral hands. Factory brass dial feet are completely original, un-modified, and seat directly into the 10AK mainplate.
- Service Etchings: Hand-scribed bench watchmaker marks inside the case back with writing that appears to display “complete”
The evidence points to an Army Ordnance depot overhauling surplus 1944 10AK stock, fitting them with sterile replacement dials, and recasing them under updated "ORD CORPS" specs. The white dial and cathedral hands strongly point to non-combat, auxiliary, or medical support deployment.
Has anyone else documented similar U Bulova bench marks or depot-reissued 10AK variants in their research? Would love to hear your thoughts!
The 'ORD CORPS' formed in 1950. I agree 100% that surviving WWII wristwatches were refurbished and reissued during the Korean war era. Here is a 1944 dated movement in a 1950 case. Bulova 1950 Military Issue | myBulova.com We do not know the exact date the subject watch was placed back into service but would date it to 1950
Excellent watch I agree! I am inclined to go with the movement date with the case not having a date code. It is the best we have to go by. I would like to see all of these be dated consistently whichever way is decided. Either moving the one fifth linked to 1944 or having them all be 1950.
1944 Bulova Military Issue ORD CORPS
The watch can't be 1944, the ORDNANCE CORPS did not exist.
'Per the Army Reorganization Act of 1950, the Ordnance Department was renamed the Ordnance Corps.[11] With the outbreak of the Korean War, the Ordnance Corps largely re-established its successful procedures from World War II. It reactivated the various schools and units at Aberdeen Proving Ground, which had been dis-established following the end of World War II, to serve the Korea effort.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Ordnance_Corps
as fifth try to say this watch is an assembly ! the back case dosnt belong to the case... the back case came from a 43/44 military issue and the case himself can be from the 50/60 ! its a case from the corea or vietnam war cause the lug of the case . So here we got a movement, dial, back case annd hands from a military issue of 1943/44. But the case himself is not from that era! its a case from an other era from what we consistenly saw here.
Vintage military themed watches are tricky. There are sellers that assemble watches with the sole intent of passing them off was WWII relics. They are, I think intended to fool buyers. I have little doubt that this watch has been assembled using parts from at least wo different eras. The case back is post 1950 while the movement is 1945. The crown does not appear to be original to the movement. These cases are supposed to have a manufacturers ID marking between the lugs so it's hard to say if it is even Bulova.
I think we could ID this watch as Non-conforming
In reply to Vintage military themed… by Geoff Baker
Hey I think this a great discussion and I’m glad it’s getting some feedback! I would like to point out some new information. The scribe marks seem to read “O-1394 U balance complete” confirming an official military work-order overhaul sequence during its re-casing/service.
In reply to The Case and Crown are a… by FifthAvenueRes…