To be entirely honest, I did not expect to love this Bulova AeroJet as much as I do. I originally purchased it in non-working condition with a crystal so scratched that it looked like someone had taken it to a belt sander. The only reason I got it was to use it as a harvester movement for another project. Once I finished with that watch I decided to get some practice on the AeroJet. The final result was a watch that is just as beautiful if not more so than the original project watch (in my opinion.)
Before the age of quartz, Bulova revolutionized the watchmaking industry by creating a series of reliable and well-made mechanical movements with parts that were largely interchangeable as well as easily ordered, intelligently marketed, and well packaged for watchmakers. This fact makes them great watches to work on as well as great watches to collect because their maintenance and repair are generally straightforward and reasonably priced.
When I was digging through my drawer for a new watch to work on, I decided on this AeroJet because I liked the patina on the hands and dial and the scratched up and dull case provided a good opportunity to practice my polishing skills.
The only problem with this watch (minus the fact that it was missing parts from the previous project) was that the oscillating weight axle was broken. An automatic watch is wound by motion that is transferred to an oscillating weight. As this weight rotates it winds the mainspring of the watch. Some watches have ball bearings and others have an axle. When the axle breaks it causes the rotor to wobble and makes it unable to sufficiently wind the watch. It also makes a distinctive rattling sound that indicates that something is clearly not right. In the picture below the one on the left is broken and the one on the right is in perfect shape.
Broken one on the left, proper replacement part on the right
After procuring the proper axle and parts, I fully serviced the watch. As the dial sat on my bench it grew on me. It is immaculate which is always nice to find. The long, thin, and slivered hour markers shine brilliantly and stand out against the plain dial. they add a particular vintage feel and elegance to this piece. The “AEROJET” on the dial is an addition that adds an unexpected amount of intrigue to the dial (if you don’t believe me, cover it up and see just how much simpler the dial appears to be.) Finally, the perfectly matched patina of the hands and hour dots (see above the markers) is especially rare to find with Bulovas, as interchangeability is a double-edged sword with things like this. Once I polished the case and got it all back together with a new crystal I became enamored with it. This feeling only grew when I put it on a tanned brown leather band that perfectly complements everything I love about the watch itself. To me, this piece represents everything that is great about vintage Bulovas: well made, elegant, easily serviceable, and affordable.
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