Description
Made in 1969, as evidenced by the M9 date code on the case back, this was one of the very first of the second generation of the so called ‘Devil Diver’ watches from Bulova.
It differs from the more common later versions by virtue of the dial, bezel and hands – the two tone dial is blue with an outer silver minute track, and inner fifth of a second indices. But the major difference is that the dial uses simple tritium batons for the hour markers, rather than the jewel like applied luminous circles used on all later models, which are just too ostentatious, IMHO. The hands are polished steel with large luminous inserts, rather than the stubby white painted later ones, whilst the acrylic bezel insert is grey/red rather than black/red.
The case is quite evidently unpolished as all the edges on the cushion shaped sides are still quite sharp and the screwed case back shows no signs of inexpert attempts to open it. The inside case back is stamped “W. Germany” and the outside case back bears both the serial number and the date code.
The movement is the in-house 11 BLACD, which is an automatic calibre with either 17 or 23 jewels, depending on which market it was sold. US market watches have the lower jewel count in order to avoid the higher import taxes on watches with over 17 jewels. This is evidently a US market watch, with the 17 jewels, the missing six jewels are in the autowind assembly and are replaced with bearings in these versions.
Case & movement are both 95+% whilst the dial is 95%.
Diameter 36mm; Lug-to-Lug 44.5mm; Height 12.5mm., it takes a 20mm bracelet and the original signed folded ‘oyster’ style bracelet is still fitted.
£850.00 (approx. $1,150.00 US)
