I was rooting around in my 'junk' box of watches with my 3 year old grandson, looking for a 'junker' for him to wear around Friday night.

I found one on a really short Spidel twist-o-flex band that he wore for a bit, then handed back to me, bored with the watch. (he's more a pocket watch man. )

I glanced at the time, and noticed the little Bulova was keeping perfect time! Intrigued, I just set the watch aside to see how things stood the next morning. It was STILL dead on time the next morning, so I wound it up again to give it a 24 hour test.

End of 24 hours, STILL holding dead on time to my atomic clock. What the hey?

I decided to polish the case up, and found under the patina a case in practically mint condition! The only scratches were by one of the spring bars when I was replacing the old ones for new. I also didn't find any of the usual decades old 'crud' you usually find on watches of this age. I don't know that it was even worn very much, if at all, as the stainless steel back is unworn, and the case numbers sharp as a tack.

I decided to see if it was in the Shugarts book, and lo and behold, it IS there, listed as a 1958 Bulova 17j movement, gold filled case, and valued between $100 and $125 in value in it's current condition! It hasn't been monkeyed around with, having original hands and perfect crystal! Just an amazing little original watch!

It's also dead on the money time wise this morning.

I just ordered a new 16mm leather strap, and it will officially go into my collection rather than back in my junk box.

I don't think I have more than $3 invested in the watch originally, as I usually find and pick these things up in antique stores that are lumped in with lots of other 'stuff'.

What ELSE do I have in the junk box?



Regards! Mark

Yea, what else is in there? Sure would be nice to see a picture of that Bulova!

I can take a photo, but have no photo account to link it from.


In doing a search, it appears to look exactly like the Bulova "Senator".

You can find it in this montage of Bulova models. Go to 1958, and you'll see a photo of my watch in an actual color ad, listed as
1958 Senator.

https://www.mybulova.com/bulova-models-1950s

Regard! Mark

yupp best watches are from junk yards sale and goodwills

I've had better luck at antique stores, Peter.

They usually want an arm and a leg for pocket watches (mark them ALL as railroad watches ), but most wrist watches don't get much in the way of respect when they're from the 1930's through early 1960's.

I don't think I've ever paid more than $5.00 for one to date, but they ALWAYS want at least $150 for a non-running 7j junker Elgin!

I've found here in Tennessee at yardsales, and ESPECIALLY at Goodwill's, they think they have a diamond in the rough just WAITING for the next person with deep pockets to pay the price. (Too many folks watching Antiques Roadshow these days. )

Regards! Mark