Bulova 1958 Senator

Submitted by wdjoyner on
K
Manufacture Year
1958
Movement Model
11af
Movement Date Code
L8
Movement Jewels
17
Case Serial No.
C282882
Case shape
Round
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
39
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

Based on mybulova photos, this appears to be a Bulova from the Senator line. (I bought it from etsy recently and they listed it as "Bulova L8/10K RGP Bezel stainless steel back watch"). It doesn't run or wind. The inside case is very dirty, and is especially cruddy around the crown.
My question is: Is this a 11AF made in 1958 (contradicting the mybulova database), or was the watch really made in 1959, but using a case from the previous year? (Motivation: I heard a story somewhere that the early Bulova facilities in the USA would sometimes use a part from left over stock when needed, but I have no evidence that is true.)

front dial of the bulova 1958 11AK wristwatch (possibly from the senator line?)
back of the bulova 1958 11AK wristwatch (possibly from the senator line?)
movement of the bulova 1958 11AK wristwatch (possibly from the senator line?)
Andersok
Posted August 17, 2026 - 3:45pm

Your model would be the Senator "K" 

LB147_1961_SenatorK

The 11AF movement family is valid for 1958

mybulova_admin
Posted August 19, 2026 - 5:26am

In reply to by wdjoyner

I've reviewed the 1952 entry and removed as it wasn't clear what the actual movement date stamp was. It wasn't L2 that was for sure and looked like either L3 or L9....I suspect the latter.

Geoff Baker
Posted August 19, 2026 - 9:57pm

Agree with Ken - 1958 (by case) Bulova Senator K

neetstuf-4-u
Posted August 20, 2026 - 7:55pm

1958 Bulova Senator "K"

Geoff Baker
Posted August 21, 2026 - 9:44pm

So - two answers to one question wdjoyner. When we created the movement records dB we set the begin / end dates for the examples we had in the dB. Obviously your movement was made in 1958 so now we can update the movement dB (I have). The second answer is that we typically date watches to to the manufacture of the case when known, assuming the movements may get swapped. There is no reason that Bulova wouldn't have originally made watches with a different date code movement than that of the case as the difference between one year and the next can be just one day. Bulova was mass producer of manufactured goods, I doubt, although we have no direct knowledge, that they had 'leftover stock". They assembled what they made and sold it as they did.