Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

American military: A navigator’s Type A17A wristwatch, by Bulova, 1958, the signed black dial with luminous Arabic numerals, inner ring of 13-24 numerals in white, outer seconds track with 5 second numerals, luminous hands and centre sweep seconds hand with arrow tip and circular disc tail, the 17 jewel ‘10BNCH’ movement signed ‘Bulova Watch Co, U.S.A’ and bearing date code ‘L8’, within shock resisting soft metal inner case with dust cover and parkerized steel outer case with screw down case back bearing US military issue details ‘Watch Navig, Type A17A, Spec. Mil-W-6433A, MFR. Bulova Part No. 10BNCH, MFR. Bulova Serial No. 23593, Order No. DA-36-038-ORD-20328, Stock No. STAA-993000-24, U.S. property’, on a one piece olive canvas strap, dial diameter 26mm. £100-£120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Culling Collection of Military Watches.

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The waterproof cased Type A17-A with 17 jewel ‘10BNCH’ movement was provided to American Air Forces and US Navy flight crews, to be used for navigational purposes, unlike the 15 jewel dustproof ‘3818A’ General Purpose timepiece used by ground crew. The code ‘L8’ to the movement dates the watch to 1958, when America was at war with Vietnam.