You may need to use a magnifying glass to help you read the codes, as they are very small. If your watch was produced earlier than 1924, it will not have any date code on it. You may also see a serial number on the back of your watch. This can also be useful in helping you identify how old your watch is, but it is not the model number.
Between 1924 and 1945, a series of symbols was used to indicate the year in which the watch was produced. If you see a symbol, do an internet search to find a table that will show year which year corresponds to which symbol. Be aware, however, that some symbols were used more than once. For example, a circle was used in 1925, 1934, and 1944. A transitional system was used between 1946 and 1949. In 1946, the code was 46 followed by a square. In 1947, the code was 47. In 1948, the code was 48. In 1949, the code was J9. Beginning in 1950, Bulova started using a code including one letter and one number. The letter indicates the decade, while the number indicates the year within the decade. The decade codes are as follows: L = 1950s, M = 1960s, N = 1970s, P = 1980s, T = 1990s. For example, if your watch is stamped with the code M8, this means your watch was produced in 1968. If it is stamped with the cope P0, your watch was produced in 1980.
Patent dates may be helpful in helping you rule out certain dates of manufacture. For example, if your watch’s design was patented in 1950, you know your watch could not have been produced any earlier than 1950 (but it could have been produced any time after 1950).
If you check both the case and the mechanism and discover that they were made in different years, this can be due to several reasons. If the difference is only one year, it may simply be that one component was manufactured first and then warehoused until it was needed to assemble the watch. If the difference is more than a year, it is likely that one of the elements has been replaced.
Serial numbers do not all contain the same number of digits. Not all Bulova watches will have serial numbers on the case. If yours does not, you may want to consider looking for a serial number on the mechanism. You may want to use a magnifying glass to help you read the serial number. If you already looked for a date code on your watch, you may have already found the serial number.
Be sure to place the watch on a soft cloth as you are working in order to prevent it from getting damaged. If the watch has a snap back case, you should be able to see a raised lip around the back and bezel of the case. There won’t be any hinges or notches. Snap back cases simply snap into place, so you should be able to remove one by prying it up with a dull tool. Don’t use anything sharp (like a knife blade) that you might cut yourself with. Some older watches have swing-back cases, which can be identified by a hinge on the back of the case. These are opened the same way as snap back cases, but the back hinges open instead of coming all the way off. You may even be able to open this type of back with your fingernail. If the watch has a screw back case, you should see six grooves or notches located somewhere along the perimeter of the metal back. You will need to open the back case using these notches. Screw back cases must be unscrewed before you can lift them away. You will need a special tool known as an adjustable case wrench to open one. There may also be a second protective cover inside of your watch. This can usually be pried off with a fingernail, but be careful not to damage the mechanism as you are doing this. If you have any trouble getting the case open, bring the watch to a professional jeweler.
For snap back watches, locate the small pin on the inner lip of the case and the small hole around the perimeter of the watch. Line up the pin and the hole, then press and click the case back on using your hands. For screw back cases, place the case over the back of the watch and grab onto the grooves using the case wrench. Rotate the case clockwise until it screws back into place.
Some serial numbers are easier to identify than others. For example, watches that were produced before 1926 tend to have serial numbers that start with the numbers 1 or 2, but the exact number does not give any further clues as to its production date. [7] X Research source Between 1926 and 1949, the first digit of the serial number was typically used to indicate in which year within a decade the watch was produced. For example, a serial number that starts with 1 could indicate that that watch was produced in 1931 or 1941.
Be aware that there are often some variations within models. For example, Bulova may have offered the same model with different choices for case material, movement, dial, and hands.
After the shape, pay attention to the dial features, as these are also likely to remain the same, even if different options were offered. Note details like the placement of the hands and the sub-seconds.
