You Learn Something New Every Day

At my advanced age, which is the oldest I've ever been, you'd THINK you'd know everything there was to know (and what you don't know is best unknown or simply ignored.  Like Justin Bieber).   I listed a ladies Bulova watch in my Etsy store recently and on Saturday received a query on it from someone wanting to know how I knew it was a "1950's Ladies Bulova Watch" (my listing heading).

Well, when you're selling stuff online you really shouldn't assume stuff because it's almost an unwritten rule that if you put up something that's incorrect, you're going to get heat from some anonymous stranger taking you to task and accusing you of trying to mislead the public.  Of course that is NOT what this queryer was doing but I always always always think the worst.

The watch belonged to my first husband's mother and since he kept a great deal of stuff from his childhood (he was born in 1948, so unlike my current husband, the first one was older than me), I just assumed the watch was mid-century like his baby bowl, the Hopalong Cassidy wrist watch, the Fantastic Four comics, the Zorro trading cards, the Tom Corbett Space Cadet books, etc. etc. etc. that I have/had (I sold the wrist watch last year, sorry).

The queryer indicated that he/she'd done some research on Bulova watches and if the watch was indeed from the 1950's the case number would have an "L" in it.  Along with the watch, I also have a Bulova Watch Guarantee Bond with the case number.  This bond was shown in the listing and clearly showed the case number.  It says that if "your watch is stolen or lost, this number will be invaluable in helping you recover your timepiece."  Naturally, I googled the case number and came up with absolutely NO information on this particular watch.  Fortunately, though, good ole eBay saved the day.  I found a chatroom wherein I learned that (1) since the watch's case number had no letters, it was made pre-1948, and (2) year-specific marks could be found on the movement.  Meaning, INSIDE the watch.

Being me, of course, I merrily pried off the cover with what passes for my fingernails and started squinting at the movement with all its teeny tiny eensy beensy screws and dials and then, there it was!  A miniscule little stamped square, showing me that my watch had been produced in 1936!  If you can make it out, the square is on the upper left corner, directly below the screw on the edge, to the left of the screw on the right, and directly above the largest cog wheel.  How clear is THAT??!!  (It sort of looks like there's an "X" inside the box but there's not.  Hey, I amazed myself when I saw how semi-clear this photo turned out!)

The glass face is free of scratches.  There are two tiny diamond chips on the watch, and the face is surrounded by delicate engraving.  All in all, it's in amazing condition--AND IT RUNS, BY THE WAY--for being 74 years old.  Yes, yes, I know that there are 74 year old human beings that run and jog but they are freaks of nature and should be drugged, tied up and thrown in the loony bin.

If my wrist were about half its current size I'd love to keep it and wear it, but back in 1936 people with big wrists usually wore watches with names like Commander or Captain or Zeus (and yeah, they also wore suits and ties and had penises and were men.  Well excuuuuuuuuuse me . . . I'm German and I'm big-boned.  Now leave me alone).

So hopefully someone with a wrist the size of a twig will be interested.

Happy Monday to y'all, y'all!

Big Pea Ess!  The lovely Miss Dollie Deville just gifted yours truly with a blog award!  Woo hoo!  Amazing as it sounds, I think this is only the second award I've ever received.  Which is ok, really.  Really.  I mean it.  Really.


If for some insane reason you haven't visited Miss Dollie yet, just click on this link and you'll have a ball getting to know her: http://missdolliedeville.blogspot.com/.

I'm supposed to give the award to 15 other bloggers, which will have to wait until tomorrow since I'm heading out the door as we speak.

You haff been varned.