1944 Vintage BULOVA ‘CLIPPER’ Gentleman’s RGP Gold Art Deco Watch — 70 years old

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1944 Vintage BULOVA ‘CLIPPER’ Gentleman’s RGP Gold Art Deco Watch — 70 years old:
$151.90

THIS sale IS IN GB POUNDS (£). Please read the whole description before offerding.
Offered here for sale is this stunning-looking and rare WW2 era vintageBULOVA ‘CLIPPER’gentleman’s wrist watch, made in 1944 and presenting beautifully for its 70 years. With its ORIGINAL black dial and elegant styling, this is a particularly attractive and eye-catching vintage watch.
The 17-jewel hand-wound mechanical movement has just beenFULLY SERVICED — CLEANED AND OILEDand is running strongly, keeping good time*.
For your reassurance, the watch is triple-signed BULOVA — on the dial, movement, and outer case-back confirming its authenticity.
Most people that wear vintage watches do so as a statement of individuality and a fascination of the mechanical prowess and history that these unique and beautifully designed timepieces have witnessed throughout their lifetimes. They are not necessarily worn for their timekeeping accuracy. A vintage car is not going to be the most reliable car on the road, even if it has just been serviced, but there is still something very special about owning and driving one. A vintage watch should be considered in a similar way.
If you are new to vintage watches please note that gentlemen’s watches of this era were generally made smaller than watches of today and THIS MAY SEEM A PARTICULARLY SMALL WATCH — see detailed measurements below.
Case
The yellow RGP (rolled gold plate) case-top is a very striking, elegant design that looks great on the wrist. It presents beautifully with no noticeable signs of wear, just the usual very light surface scratches commensurate with age and careful use over the years.
Turning it over, the stainless steel back is excellent with a nice brushed finish and it fits perfectly to the top, snapping on tightly with no gaps. The outside is signed BULOVA QUALITY together with the case serial number starting with ‘4’ which signifies, on a Bulova of this era and with this particular movement, a manufacture date of 1944.
The case has been ultrasonically cleaned to remove decades of ingrained dirt and to sanitise for its new owner. It has polished up very nicely and been fitted with a good quality, brand new padded leather strap which completes the watch perfectly.
The glass crystal is probably original to the watch and shows a few light scratches, but appears fine overall.
DialThe ORIGINAL black dial is a real eye-catcher, contrasting beautifully against the gold case. The gold printed BULOVA signature, minute chapter and second hand sub-dial are all in excellent condition. The numerical lumed markers have, in the passage of time, lost their luminosity and the black background does now show a few marks here and there, but it still presents very nicely overall.
Most watch collectors would agree that an ORIGINAL dial, even with a degree of ageing, will add notable value to an already very desirable vintage watch.
Movement
The watch is powered by a Swiss-made BULOVA 17-jewel 10BA hand-wound mechanical movement. The 10BA was made from 1943 to 1947 and the circle symbol stamped on the bridge of this movement signifies a manufacture date of 1944, matching that of the case.
For your further reassurance and added value, this movement has just beenFULLY SERVICED.This consists of dismantling the movement, ultrasonically cleaning and inspecting all components, and lubricating at specific points whilst being re-assembled. It is then regulated and tested over several days prior to sale. The movement is running strongly and keeping good time* (please see note below about vintage watch timekeeping). It winds and sets smoothly and springs to life from a standing start after just a few turns of the crown.
Mechanical watches require periodic servicing, the cost of which can be anything up to £100 each time. As this work has just been carried out, please consider this in the value of the watch when offerding.
This watch will require fully winding once every 24 hours if you intend wearing it, and once every week or two is otherwise recommended.
*A general note on timekeeping and reliability
Please do not expect quartz accuracy from any vintage mechanical watch. The accepted timekeeping tolerances for a brand new watch back in the 1940s and 50s was +/- 3 minutes a day. Several decades on, many of these old watches will still keep time to well within these parameters and others may be slightly further out over the same period, though often they can be regulated to improve timekeeping. Even if a watch has been serviced, there may still be some wear or other idiosyncrasies within the movement that cause it to run less reliably and accurate than you may have been used to with a battery-operated watch.
Mechanical watches usually spring to life of their own accord whilst being wound, but some of these older ones may occasionally need a light shake to get things moving from a standing start. If I state that a movement has been serviced it means that following professional cleaning and oiling procedures, it has been restored to the best condition it can be without extensively replacing parts and therefore given the best chance of performing as it should, bearing in mind its age. It does not imply that the movement is in ‘as new’ condition. These are very old watches and therefore no ongoing guarantee can be provided beyond the standard 14 day return period.
Size
PLEASE NOTE THAT GENTLEMEN’S VINTAGE WATCHES WERE MADE SMALLER THAN WATCHES OF TODAY.I cannot emphasise this enough and yet I still find buyers surprised at just how small these watches can be in comparison with what they may be used to wearing. Please check out the following measurements on a ruler to satisfy yourself that you understand the size of this watch before offerding. THIS MAY SEEM A PARTICULARLY SMALL WATCH FOR A MAN BY MODERN STANDARDS — PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING DIMENSIONS CAREFULLY.
The case measures approximately 25.5mm, excluding the crown by 27mm (33.5mm lug to lug) and 8.5mm deep including the crystal. The face/crystal measures 22.5mm by 20.5mm. The watch is supplied with a good quality, brand new 16mm wide, dark brown padded leather strap which complements its styling perfectly. It has a total length of just over 230mm buckle to tip and will fit a wrist with a circumference of between 170mm and 195mm.I normally prefer to let the sale run to its conclusion but may, subject to offerding at the time, be prepared to consider appropriate Buy It Now offers early in the sale prior to the reserve price being reached.
Vintage watches are proving to be a great investment, especially striking, highly collectable examples in such good condition as this from the more famous brands. I have set a reserve well below the watch’s actual value, so good luck if you decide to offer.
PLEASE ALSO SEE MY OTHER WATCHES CURRENTLY FOR SALE THIS WEEK.
PAYMENT BY PAYPAL IS REQUESTED WITHIN 24 HOURS PLEASE.If there is any reason why you may not be able to make payment within this timeframe, please message me through to discuss BEFORE offerding on the item. Due to a growing number of non-payers, please be aware that after 48 hours an Unpaid Item Notice will be raised automatically by if payment is still outstanding and thereafter I reserve the right to offer the item to the next highest buyer. Non-paying buyers will be reported to and this may affect their ability to purchase items in the future.
Paypal is the only method of payment I can accept from international purchasers. For UK buyers, Paypal is my preferred means of payment but I may accept personal cheque (subject to clearance time) or direct bank transfer. Please message me to discuss BEFORE offerding.
Your watch will be very securely packaged and normally despatched to you by the next working day following receipt of cleared payment. Please note that in order to qualify for Paypal Seller Protection and in accordance with their terms and conditions, I CAN ONLY SHIP TO A BUYER’S PAYPAL CONFIRMED ADDRESS and therefore, if you are paying by Paypal, I am unable to send to any other location.For your reassurance, and mine, I will only ship by one of the following insured and trackable means:
UK AddressesFor UK buyers, your watch will be sent by ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY GUARANTEED at a flat cost of £7.50, which insures the item up to £500 and guarantees next working day delivery. The package is also fully tracked so you can check delivery status online at any time. For multiple purchases up to £500 value, I will happily include within the same postage cost.
International AddressesFor overseas buyers, the watch will be sent by one of the following methods, depending on location. A flat rate charge of £13.95 includes insurance up to £250, which is the maximum available. Multiple purchases up to £250 total value will be included for the same shipping cost or, if they exceed this value, I must ship separately and charge individual shipping costs for each.
1. ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL TRACKED AND SIGNED. This service is available to 43 countries and tracks the item from posting to delivery. It also requires a signature on delivery and, unless a winning buyer requests otherwise, I will use this preferred service if it is available to a particular country.
2. ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL TRACKED. This is available to 33 countries and tracks the item from posting to delivery. It does not require a signature.
3. ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL SIGNED. This is available to 190 countries and is tracked to the point where it leaves the UK and then confirms when delivered. It requires a signature on delivery.
Please see the attached link for a list of countries to which each of the above services above Royal Mail International services officially take 5-7 working days for delivery, but can take considerably longer. In most cases, Royal Mail ensures arrival of the package to the first port of entry in the country of delivery within just a few days. Thereafter it is entirely dependent upon local customs intervention and the speed of that country\'s internal postal service as to how long it will take to arrive at the purchaser\'s address. Packages sent to the US, for instance, are often tracked at the first entry point within two days of shipping. However, based on recent experiences, it can then take a further one to four weeks for final delivery, especially if the package is subject to security checks at customs. A watch sent to Florida recently was tracked in New York just 2 days after being posted in the UK. Tracking status didn’t change for a further 23 days and it took a total of 27 days to final delivery. Normally it would be expected to be there within a total of 10-14 days.PLEASE BE AWARE WHEN offerDING THAT DELIVERY TIME IS OUT OF MY CONTROLand I cannot be held responsible for any such international delays. Insurance claims for non-delivery cannot be actioned until 25 working days after shipping.
Please note that overseas buyers are responsible for any additional import or customs fees imposed by their own country.Your satisfaction and my reputation are very important to me. If there is a problem on receipt of the item,PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE NEGATIVE OR NEUTRAL response.Please be assured that I will always do my very best to help resolve any issue to your entire satisfaction, so contact me immediately on receipt of the watch if there is anything you are unhappy with.BEFORE offerDING PLEASE NOTE:
THIS sale IS IN GB POUNDS (£). INTERNATIONAL BUYERS — PLEASE CHECK EXCHANGE RATES.
As a watch collector myself, I like to be able to see what I am buying. That is why I provide the most comprehensive and accurate description I can, including close-up photographs from all angles. If there is anything else you would like to know about this watch, or to see further specific photos, please let me know and I’ll be happy to get back to you just as quickly as I can.
If you are new to vintage watches, here are a few things to be aware of:
SIZEVintage watches, especially gentlemen’s watches, were generally made smaller than today’s contemporary timepieces. Please satisfy yourself before offerding that you are happy with its size by checking the dimensions shown above on a ruler. Having pointed this out, I regret that I am unable to accept returns if having purchased the watch you then consider it to be too small.
TIMEKEEPINGPlease be aware that vintage mechanical watches do not keep as accurate time as modern quartz watches and can gain or lose a few minutes a day. Whilst it may not be possible to achieve timekeeping comparable with a quartz watch, a good watchmaker can often regulate and fine-tune a movement (subject to its age and condition) to suit a particular person’s style of wearing and the typical angles that the watch experiences whilst on the wrist. It is not a good idea to try regulating the watch yourself — I strongly recommend taking it in to your local watchmaker who can remove the back with the correct tools and without damaging the case. They also work in dust-free conditions and this is very important as the smallest particle of airborne dust or hair entering the movement can be enough to stop a watch working.
WATER RESISTANCEVintage watches are generally NOT waterproof, so be sure to keep your watch well away from water, steam or damp conditions. If exposed to such conditions, corrosion can form inside the movement and stop it working. It’s always a good idea to remove your watch when washing your hands and NEVER swim, shower or bath whilst wearing your watch.
WINDING AND CHANGING THE TIMEManual-wind mechanical watches typically require winding once a day until fully wound, but you should stop as soon as any resistance is felt. This can be anything from 20 to 40 turns. Normally, the watch will spring to life during the wind, but often these old movements require a shake or tap with the finger to get things moving. To change the time, pull out the winding crown until it clicks. If it doesn’t move, wind it backwards half a turn or so to engage the cogs and try again. Then wind the hands in a clockwise direction. It is normally fine to make small adjustments backwards, but best practice to wind forwards as some movements can otherwise suffer damage. Be sure to push the crown back in again afterwards. Always remove your watch from your wrist before winding or adjusting the time as this can cause damage to the winding stem. If you are not using the watch for an extended period of time, winding it once a week or so will help keep the oils distributed.
SERVICINGMechanical watches require servicing every few years and an indicator that this is due will be that either the watch will run intermittently or stop working completely. If you purchase a vintage watch that has no service history and intend wearing it regularly, a trip to your local watchmaker is to be recommended so that you know this work has been carried out. A mechanical watch service entails completely stripping the movement and carefully inspecting and cleaning each component to remove dirt and congealed oil. The movement is then reassembled and oiled at specific lubrication points before being regulated and tested. Most watchmakers also utrasonically clean and polish the case when servicing.I have made every effort to describe this watch as accurately as possible and am not aware of any defects not mentioned in the description. This watch being offered for sale is many decades old and under close scrutiny will show minor surface scratches and signs of use. Please study the photographs carefully which are intended as part of the description. They are enlarged many times for clarity but bear in mind that to the naked eye many of these imperfections are hardly noticeable. Please be aware that due to their age vintage watches can develop faults unexpectedly, even if they have been serviced, and can run erratically or stop working if exposed to magnetism (i.e. TV sets, computer equipment, audio speakers or any electrical motor generating electro-magnetic fields). Exposure to water, moisture or dust can also have devastating effects, or if the watch is accidentally dropped damaging one of the pivots or jewels. As the above factors are out of my control once the watch has left me, I regret that I cannot provide any ongoing guarantee beyond that it will be as described and in working condition when you receive it (it may need winding!).
If there is any problem on receipt please let me know straight away. I package my watches very securely to minimise the risk of any damage, but on rare occasions problems can occur in transit. For instance a sudden jolt can cause the hairspring to catch or hook up on itself and then the watch will not work. Also, scanning equipment used by postal and courier services has been known to magnetise a watch, stopping it from working. These are usually easy fixes so if there is any problem on receipt of your watch, PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE NEUTRAL OR NEGATIVE response. Contact me immediately and we’ll work out a solution — I want you to be completely satisfied. Likewise, if I’ve missed something and you feel I have misdescribed the watch, I will offer a full, no-quibble refund including postage cost, on the watch’s safe return.
Please note that due to scams, I will not sign for a return package unless by prior arrangement, so contact me first if there is any problem.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS I WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP.