I would like to find out as much information about this Beautiful Two Tone Bunn Special as I can before it goes up for sale. Any Help Would be much appreciated!
Posts: 349 | Location: Western New York in the U.S.A. | Registered: December 22, 2002
Let us begin with the movement, that is a Bunn Special 163 Type I of which about 3,800 were produced making it the most readily available of the 163 variants. Although this one 5420264 is from 1931 production and it was produced at the same time as the Type I Elinvar, this one being a Type I does not have the Elinvar hairspring and balance. By the way, I have 5420388 which is a Type I Elinvar in my collection. Movements were not produced in chronological order as the numbers jump back and forth between variants. Check our Bunn Special 163, 163-E, and 163-A "The Seven Stars" Database to see collected numbers and images of all seven variants.
Your dial is a marked variant dial, one of the four preferred dials for this particular application. Our topic about "The Five Illinois 161 and 163 Variant Dials" show each of them in detail. The hour and minute hands look to be correctly blued Illinois hands for the era in question but I believe that is an Elgin seconds hand. Otherwise the watch looks to be entirely correct.
Finally about the case, that is a marked as "Model 28" which happens to be a highly desirable two-tone variant. The frame should be green-gold-filled and both the back and bezel are white. You will also find that case called a "Model 173" and which it is depends solely upon the model number markings. We consistently find confusing inconsistencies such as this in our hobby. Simply stated the earliest of these cases, introduced in 1928 will have "Model 28" markings in each of two distinctive designs, but Illinois did not use the two model numbers in advertising adding to confusion today.
By 1930 they had changed the designation from "Model 28" to "Model 173" changing only the number which is very confusing to many collectors. We find many 1931 movements such as yours in marked as "Model 28" cases, my theory is that around that time they discovered a quantity of unsold cases and used them to house then-current production movements. These two-tone cases commanded a premium which made them slow sellers. We can be glad that even in the most severe economic downturn in history there were still people willing to pay extra to dress-up these wonderful watches.
Due to the rapid appreciation in these watches some "made-up" two-tone cases have surfaced, they were done comparatively recently by selectively re-plating but that's another story.
Hope this information is of some help, let's see what others have to say.
Lindell
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
Hi John, Be sure to let us know when you put this beauty up. Lin, there is no way to improve on your descriptions and answers. Thank you so much for being here with us .
Posts: 4975 | Location: North Georgia Mountains in the U.S.A. | Registered: March 31, 2006
Thanks for all the information! This is going on ebay tonight and can be found via my ebay store at http://stores.ebay.com/Cranster-Com-INC tomorrow when I have the direct link I will post it for everyone here!
Posts: 349 | Location: Western New York in the U.S.A. | Registered: December 22, 2002
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
