Bulova Wrist Watch

[Gan]

With a recent acquisition of some old watches, I also received a Bulova wrist watch, marked on the dial: 'Accutron/Quartz/Alarm', and on the movement: 'Bulova 2577.10'. My initial internet search for the information on this watch proved quite unsuccessful. Would you be kind enough to provide me with some technical data on it and the estimated period of its production? Thank you in anticipation.

 

[Gan]

With a recent acquisition of some old watches, I also received a Bulova wrist watch, marked on the dial: 'Accutron/Quartz/Alarm', and on the movement: 'Bulova 2577.10'. My initial internet search for the information on this watch proved quite unsuccessful. Would you be kind enough to provide me with some technical data on it and the estimated period of its production? Thank you in anticipation.

 

[Wayne D.]

Hi gan, if you look on the back of your watch under the serial number should be a letter and a number. The letter will give you the decade and the number the year. It should be M for the 60's or N for the 70's.

 

[Gan]

Wayne D.,
Thank you for your comment. I am familiar with this system of the Bulova products dating, but … the back of the case of this watch doesn’t have any symbols nor numbers except inscription: ‘Bulova PO’, ‘Base Metal Bezel’, and ‘Stainless Steel Back’. However, the movement shows additional information ‘Y2’ and ‘ESA’. The latter indicates that it is a product of Ebauches Electroniques SA made for Bulova.

 

[Cary Hurt]

Gan,

The "P0" should indicate 1980 production. Most watchmakers skip using the letter "O" in stampings, to avoid confusion with the number zero.

Cary

 

[Gan]

Cary Hurt,
Thank you for your dating of the discussed watch. Now we know that it was manufactured in 1980, and that its movement was made by ESA for Bulova. However, the technical characteristics of this movement are still not clear. To my query Bulova responded only that they do not archive the information on ‘obsolete’ watches. Perhaps, providing picture of the movement would help to trigger memory of someone familiar with such watches. Its history is not very long.

http://static.flickrht.com/61/177154986_e51c0e0582.jpg

 

[Gan]

It appears that the previous reference to flickr doesn't work. Here is its corrected version.

http://static.flickr.com/61/177154986_e51c0e0582.jpg

 

[Cary Hurt]

Gan,

Found in the Jules Borel online catalog, this is the only technical data I could find in a cursory search.

BUL 2577.10
QUARTZ-RESONATOR-ALARM-W/BOTH ANALOG & DIGITAL
DISPLAY
11 1/2L 70/120
ESA 900.911

At least it gives the base caliber for the ETA/ESA movement.


Regards,

Cary

 

[AnthonyR]

1980 is P0, 1990 is T0

 

[Wayne D.]

Anthony, how about the new ones, 2000? U6-2006?

 

[AnthonyR]

Sorry, I don't have a Bulova made in the 2000's in my collection, so I don't know.

 

[Wayne D.]

Anthony, just checked out their website. It's pretty nice. Found out it's - A - for the 2000's, so it's A6 for this year.

 

[Gan]

Again, many thanks for all the new contributions to this discussion. I specifically appreciate receiving the information regarding the ETA/ESA number for this movement. Where I could find its Technical Data Sheet of the 80’s (ESA 900.911)? It appears that it is not available on the line. Perhaps, it could be located in some old catalogues?