Bulova Tropical Diamond Dial - Guilloché Case - 1964

The tropical patina on this dial has aged into a deep warm cream-gold, and against that mottled surface three diamond star-set indices sit at 10, 2, and 8 o'clock catching light in a way that plain applied indices never could. The contrast between the aged dial and the stones is what makes this watch truly special. A concentric inner ring frames the Bulova signature at center, the square cushion case wraps it in cross-hatch guilloché texture engraved across every surface, and on a vivid blue alligator strap the whole thing commands attention without trying to.

In 1964, America was transforming faster than most people could follow. The Civil Rights Act was signed in July. The Beatles had landed in February and nothing sounded the same afterward. In Vietnam, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution had just handed the President a blank check for war. The country was prosperous, anxious, and in motion all at once, and Bulova was making watches for the wrists of the people living through all of it.

Joseph Bulova, a Czech immigrant, opened his jewelry shop on Maiden Lane in New York in 1875. By the mid-twentieth century the company had grown into one of the largest and most technically ambitious watch manufacturers in the United States, responsible for the first watch advertisement ever broadcast on American radio and the first television commercial in history. The Cal. 10BZC movement inside this watch is a 21-jewel manual wind, signed BULOVA WATCH CO. U.S.A., a movement produced at a moment when the company's American-made calibers were among the most reliable in the market.

The caseback is stamped 10K GOLD FILLED / BULOVA / M4, the M4 date code confirming 1964 production. Serial H172655. The watch is running well and fitted on a blue alligator strap.

Terms: Please review all photos carefully as they are a part of the listing. This is a vintage timepiece. Accuracy, power reserve, and water resistance are not guaranteed. Vintage watches may require periodic service. Performance can vary with wear, temperature, and position.

I am happy to service any unserviced watch listed on the site — please inquire about service charges when purchasing.

All sales final.