# Sticky  Bulova Manufacture Date Charts



## Tomas472

_Two easy charts to quickly identify your 
Bulova's manufacturing date:_


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## moneysworth

Nice job Tomas... Now everybody knows... j/k...lol !


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## wbird

I think you may have your first sticky for this forum.


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## Tomas472

wbird said:


> I think you may have your first sticky for this forum.


I'd like that, wbird.


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## Kurokaze - shura no ken

Interestingly, this also seems to hold for "Caravelle by Bulova" branded watches. Very cool. Thanks for the info!


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## Burgs

Thanks Tomas. I now know that my Caravelle dive watch is a 1970!

Information this useful really needs to be a sticky.


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## Samantha

Yes, Caravelle uses the same date codes.
Samantha


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## Burgs

Samantha,

Thank you for working your magic and making this a sticky. I guess now I'll have to bust out my other Bulovas and check the dates.

Thanks again to Tomas for sharing the charts.


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## Tomas472

On newer watches I've seen the markings on the case back, on older, mostly on the back of the movement. Here's an older one...


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## Burgs

Tomas,

Thank you for the update. This is very useful information!


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## bobbee

Nice one, works on 1920-1960(ish!) WESTFIELD watches too!

Cheers, Bob.

P.S.

Could we add Westfields to this forum?
There are no fora out there currently that deal with this Bulova sub-brand, and I and a friend have found many adverts/watches for these!

B.


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## Earthling789

Just curious if anyone knows how far "ahead" they stamp the date codes? 

The Precisionist I purchased/ordered in early November 2015 clearly has the date-code of B6 on the caseback, which would indicate 2016 model, even though it was purchased in the 4th quarter of 2015, and probably built/assembled in the 3rd quarter of 2015, or earlier.... 

Does Bulova release "next year's models" like car manufacturers, where you can get a brand new 2016 after July or August of 2015?


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## simpletreasures

Earthling789 said:


> Just curious if anyone knows how far "ahead" they stamp the date codes?
> 
> The Precisionist I purchased/ordered in early November 2015 clearly has the date-code of B6 on the caseback, which would indicate 2016 model, even though it was purchased in the 4th quarter of 2015, and probably built/assembled in the 3rd quarter of 2015, or earlier....
> 
> Does Bulova release "next year's models" like car manufacturers, where you can get a brand new 2016 after July or August of 2015?


Normally yes. Some "Limited editions" are marked within the year of production. Just remember it takes them awhile to hit the sales floor after production.b-)


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## Leopal

Tomas472 said:


> _Two easy charts to quickly identify your
> Bulova's manufacturing date:_
> 
> View attachment 6258561
> 
> 
> View attachment 6259345


And where there are no number like here : https://www.watchuseek.com/f705/bulova-valjoux-what-model-year-3460641.html

How can we do to know the year and name of a model?


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## simpletreasures

Leopal said:


> And where there are no number like here : https://www.watchuseek.com/f705/bulova-valjoux-what-model-year-3460641.html
> 
> How can we do to know the year and name of a model?


You need to open it up and look at the marks on the movement and anything on the inside of the case back.

In the later years, Bulova didn't always put the date on the outside of the case back.


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## feelasopher

Much appreciated date chart. Am I right to assume the Bulova T3 = 1993 case mark holds true for an Accutron watch as well? Been looking everywhere for this resource. Thank you.


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## CDEA1238

Not exactly sure how to use that second chart. I found a square inside and I see 5ab and AF . I think under the AF there's more numbers or letters but I can't make it out. I tried to take better pics but this just isn't a good camera on my phone apparently


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## new2oltime

*THANK YOU ! *, just confirmed my "wild guess" on my Marine Star... _was thinking, maybe 90's??? _


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## 357-Mag

Just curious but has Bulova ended the date markings? I have not seen them on current (2021) watches?


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## 357-Mag

Contacted Bulova and they have introduced a new method to determine the manufacture date. The letter and number system which was started in 1950 ended in mid-2019. Bulova watches from here on will use a serial number system which will determine the year/month/day.


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