1969 Bulova Snorkel ref.774
My latest addition to the Devil Diver collection, a piece I didn't know existed until i saw it, and once I saw it, I knew I had to have it. This particular one is date coded on the movement M9-1969 and has a case ref of 774. The movement is a Swiss made 11BLACD, 17j with date and is self-winding. This is a beast at a whopping 44.75mm case size by almost 13mm thick. 20mm lugs and it is heavy. This is one that requires a good stout leather strap or good quality stainless bracelet.
A Bulova classic. Great addition to your collection. We have ID this model previously as a Bulova Oceanograher Snorkel like this one. https://mybulova.comw/atches/1970-snorkel-7114
In reply to A Bulova classic. Great… by JimDon5822
I did see that, though only after I posted this piece. I thought i searched well enough to see if an example existed in the DB already and i was sure it would be new.....Until i started searching for something else, then boom, found it. I didn't think to look under Oceanographer, I always thought the Oceanographer and the Snorkel were two distinct models. I never thought about "snorkel" being a sub model of the Oceanographer line.
I do find it odd that this example has a different case back than the existing example and my watch has not case serial number. There seems to be a handwritten japanese marking under what i am assuming a service date leading me to believe this piece spent some time abroad, possibly originating there.
The ID on the reference watch was done in the early days of MyBulova's history and we have learned a lot since then. The case back on the 1970 model is one we commonly see on international models. Yours being a 1969 is a year earlier and it is possible the case back change was a model year adjustment. The 1970 case back could have been a cost saving change or it could have had your case back in the US and the INTL case back internationally. There is no way to confirm but as presented. We have never found an ad or linebook listing confirming the name on the model, just a model number on an Interational ad (i believe from France), or if it was ever marketed in the US. I am now changing my decision and think we should ID based on the one international ad that we have that matches the watch and call this a 1969 Bulova International Model #170119. I also changed the case color to white as this appears to be a stainless case.
In the one international linebook we do have with a concentration of non-US watches, there are a couple of references to watches with "SNORKEL" on the dial.
Is it worth simply IDing these as a "SNORKEL"....we have that as an available model.
I vote for: 1969 Snorkel with the notation of it being of International origin. Great looking watch, by the way.
Fabulous watch, great dial! I think Snorkel is a good ID for this one (International model).
1969 Bulova Snorkel
In keeping with the example we have linked above I think we need to ID this watch as Oceanographer Snorkel OR flip the other example. This watch is clearly an International model by the case back and serial number. In that we do not have advert confirmation do we agree that the naming is tentative?
All this talk about the labels of Oceanographer, Snorkel, Devil Diver, 666feet .... all this, make me think back to another watch I was lucky to come across, a 1970 Chronograph B 666ft. which is in the database already. Looking back to the purchase of that watch which was in basically pristine condition and in a pristine box of which i was told was the original box. I was a little slow to accept it as original and in fact believed it to be correct, but not original, based on one thing. In that box lid there was an insert tag that said Oceanographer. I never associated the Oceanographer with any model other that the 333ft models marked in fact Oceanographer. Now I am beginning to wonder if all the 333ft and 666ft models are actual Oceanographers with various sub models. You can see the tag here, i changed the original strap to a bracelet so i could wear it, i just removed the tag, perhaps i should put it back in??
But on this photo (not my watch or photo, strap is wrong but hangtag is my point) for the hang tag for the chrono B there is no mention of Oceanographer.
My thinking here is that the box is not original to this watch, BUT I could be 100% wrong.
In reply to My thinking here is that the… by mybulova_admin
I did at the time, and somewhat still do agree. That although a correct box, it's not the box this watch left the factory with. I do still have in the back of my mind though, that I was told it was the original box....and that this man, to my knowledge from going through it, did not have an Oceanographer in his collection. (back story, the original owner passed away, his wife and son were selling off his collection. Information I received was from the son who knew very little about watches and had no interest in them. so the chance of ever being 100% certain has been lost)