Bulova Pocket Watch

[Wayne C. Anderson]

Is there a way to date swiss made Bulova pocket watches? I recently aquired a 12 size, "unadjusted 15 jewel Bulova Watch Co Swiss" and the only identification type markings on the movement are "17AE" in a rectangle, and "BXW". Its housed in a "Bulova 10K rolled gold plate New York" with the number "L485432". If anyone has any information about Bulova PW that they would be willing to share, I would appreciate it. Thanks

[This message was edited by waynea38 on January 23, 2003 at 17:56.]

[Wayne C. Anderson]

Is there a way to date swiss made Bulova pocket watches? I recently aquired a 12 size, "unadjusted 15 jewel Bulova Watch Co Swiss" and the only identification type markings on the movement are "17AE" in a rectangle, and "BXW". Its housed in a "Bulova 10K rolled gold plate New York" with the number "L485432". If anyone has any information about Bulova PW that they would be willing to share, I would appreciate it. Thanks

[This message was edited by waynea38 on January 23, 2003 at 17:56.]

[Greg Davis]

Bulova watches are dated in essentially two ways . . . by style (up to 1950) and by a code stamped into the case back of items produced after 1950. The code consists of a single letter and a single number (e.g. L1). The letter represents the decade and the number represents the specific year. The code is as follows:

L=1950
M=1960
N=1970

I think they stopped doing that in the '70s, but I'm not sure.

At any rate, most of the Bulova pocket watches I've seen were from the mid-1950s.

- Greg

[Jerry Treiman]

Here is a movement picture of a Bulova that probably dates from the 30's, based on the case style. http://www.nawcc-info.org/Treiman/JT024Phantom_m.jpg
It is serial number 1306, but I suspect the "Phantom" model was numbered in its own series. I do not know who made the ebauche, but Bulova suggested it may be a Piguet (although I understand there have been several Piguet-related firms that could have been responsible). I would love to hear from anyone who might know more about this model.

[This message was edited by Jerry Treiman on January 23, 2003 at 19:44.]

[bil2054]

I have a Caravelle with date code N9, so they at least went all the way to the end of the decade.

Bill Miller
NAWCC Member #157710

[Julian Smith]

I see that someone else is frustrared by the Bulova dating system.Bulova had a system with small symbols stamped on the movement.The code for the symbols is very hard to come by.I know an ex-Bulova salesman that has the code but I haven't been able to pry it out of him.I have no idea when it started but I think it ended when the alpha-numeric code started.The symbols are such as a star or omega sign,triangle and so forth.I do know that the 17AE is older than the 17AH.I don't know if they were produced at the same time.
The letter and number code is still used.
J Smith

[ZackBortolot]

Hi Everyone,

According to my Bestfit guide, the Bulova 17AE corresponds to a Venus 133, and the 17AH corresponds to an ETA 953. If anyone's interested, I can post the complete list of pocketwatch movements.

Zack

[ZackBortolot]

Hi Everyone,

One of the forum members send me an e-mail requesting that I post a copy of the Bulova pocketwatch interchangeability list. Here is is:

17A: Unknown
17AA: Bulova 17AN
17AB: Unknown
17AE: Venus 133
17AH: ETA 953
17AI: Bulova 17A
17AM: A. Michel 520
17AN: Unknown
17AP: Le Phare (17 L.)
17AT: Le Phare (17 L.)
17H: Unknown
17M: A. Michel 520
17P: Le Phare (17 L.)
17R: Unknown
17TR: Bulova 17R
17V: Unknown
19AT: Unknown (19 L.)
21AE: Unknown (21 L.)
22B: Unknown (22 L.)

Hope this information is useful to someone!

Zack