BULOVA Excellency, 1950s

— New York elegance at its height —

1950s New York, mid-century and in full bloom. Bulova's Excellency still carries the air of Fifth Avenue: softly rounded case lines, raised gold Arabic indices, and a classical small seconds marking the passage of time with some grace.

Warm 10K gold-filled brightness, fancy lugs with real curve to them, and a high-grade 21-jewel hand-wound calibre 10BM carrying the ambition of the American industry at its peak.

— A superb hand-wound calibre —

Open the case back and the 21-jewel calibre 10BM appears, the best of its period's technique, with rubies used generously against wear. It belongs to the years when American watchmaking was at its most confident.

The warmth of 10K gold-filled and the organic shape of the fancy lugs take the watch past the question of telling time altogether; it wears more like a well-made piece of antique jewellery.