FS: 1938 Bulova American Clipper, 17j 10AE, 10k RGP, serviced

[Rabbit]

1938 Bulova American Clipper 17 jewel 10AE movement, 10k yellow rolled gold plate (both front and back of case)


$130 including worldwide shipping from Germany


PM me if interested; newcomers please post here and I'll get back to you.


The watch is serviced, is cosmetically and mechanically sound, is all original except of course for the strap, and it keeps and sets time correctly. Timekeeping in correctly timed 1930s vintage watches has an inaccuracy of 1-3 minutes per 24 hours.

Dial:
The dial is also original and presents very well with an overall, evenly colored sepia patina.
All parts are model-correct (17j 10AE movement, GS acrylic crystal).

Movement and case:
The movement dates to 1937 (arrow symbol of the Bulova dating code), the case dates to 1938 (last digit of seven-digit code), so the watch left the factory in 1938*.
The case has normal age-related tiny scratches, nothing that offends. There is no wear to speak of to the high points of the stepped sides or the lugs.

*Differences of 1-2 years between the dates of movement and case are commonly found.

Note that the marks on the register are odd light reflections of slightly uneven surfaces of the gold numerals, which is normal and does not show like this in real life.
Note also that at this high magnification, any minor flaws appear highly enlarged. To the naked eye, the watch presents beautifully overall, with no distracting scratches on the dial or the case.

Crystal:
Model-correct GS crystal G-S MH525 presents well after polishing, with no crazing or distracting scratches.

Strap:
The strap is a brand new 14mm tan calf leather with natural grain.

See the model in this Bulova database for reference:
http://www.watchophilia.com/photogallery/bulovas-1930-1939/a1938-american-clipper/


Measurements of case:
36.5mm lug to lug x 25.5mm without crown
(29.6mm without lugs)

Measurements of crystal:
25.7mm x 16.7mm, hexagonal

Please make sure you understand these measurement, as vintage men's watches are extremely small by contemporary standards.
If you're new to vintage watches, feel free to ask anything.

 

[Johnny J]

Beautiful and very tempting!

 

[Annixter]

Agreed. Nik, you've been listing some beautiful watches for great prices, and it's hard to find such watches from someone you can trust on the internet. If I weren't saving for an upcoming move, I'd be seriously considering the watch. Good luck.

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you, Annixter. Since you're mentioning the topic of trust which is indeed an issue when it comes to buying vintage watches on the internet, let me elaborate a little on this.

A serviced vintage watch will be about as reliable as a serviced vintage car. You can expect it to function within reason only. The watch parts are very old and, although they really are surpirisingly well made and very durable, some parts may go anytime, especially the mainspring and the balance assembly with the hairspring. Parts that are visibly worn should of course be replaced during servicing. As for the mainspring, it can be removed from its barrel and examined by hand to see if it still has enough elasticity.

Servicing entails a complete disassembly of each and all watch parts, then cleaning them properly, then finally reassembling the watch and at the same time oiling the jewels and the gear as you assemble the watch. Over time and very slowly, the tiny amounts of oil are going to harden and finally evaporate. When a vintage watch is not used weekly, it is recommended to fully wind it at least every two weeks in order to keep the oils distributed. Regular servicing is recommended every two years or so, which can be stretched to maybe 4-5 years depending on frequency of use, maybe climate as well.

In other words, regular servicing is necessary but it won't give a guarantee.

One more thing. This had me worried for a while myself, so I thought I'd mention it. You'll sometimes see in auction listings the phrase "watch has been overwound, probably needs repair".
The term overwound is a misconception; it unknowingly refers to some other issue that keeps the watch from running. You would probably have to use a pair of pliers to actually overwind a vintage watch. There is no need to be afraid of winding the crown until the point where you feel considerable resistance. It simply won't wind beyond that point unless the winding gear itself is somehow faulty.


Edit:
That said, I have a lot of faith in these old watches. It's impressive to see just how well they were made.

 

[Annixter]

Good things to remember, Nik. Coincidentally, I have a 17j, 4-adjustment 1947 Elgin that I love and use daily for work. My local watchmaker performed a COA last November when I first purchased the watch off eBay. It kept great time, but two months ago stopped running at 2:39. When I noticed it, a slight shake of my wrist got it going again. I called my watchmaker, and he told me to bring it in if it stopped again. Sure enough, this week it stopped at 2:39. I took it in today, and we talked about good ol' vintage for a long time. He thinks it's probably that the hands need adjusting, but he echoed your advice, that sometimes vintage watches have quirks of their own due to wear, past owners, etc. He's a great guy and warranties his work, but, as you say, vintage well-kept doesn't mean brand new. I love the art deco of your Bulova and sincerely wish I had the spare money.

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, these old watches can have their idiosyncracies. I agree that it probably had to do with a slightly bent hour or minute hand. It's quite difficult to straighten a slightly bent hand, as they are very very tiny. They don't look too small as long as they're on the dial, but once you take them off you'll think that you somehow cut them in half!
Sometimes you'll see watches with a circular track on the dial resulting from an hour or minute hand bent downward at the tip, scratching the dial.

By the way, if a serviced vintage watch doesn't start running upon winding, it's likely because it hasn't been wound for several weeks. It will then require a light tap (just that, a very light tap with your index finger against the side of the case) which should get it started. Normally however, a quality vintage watch will start running almost immediately upon winding, i.e. at one of the first winds.

 

[Rabbit]

Sold, and going to a good home.