
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Bulova Bullhead Chronograph (Ref. 7392) Cal. 11 "Parking Meter", 1973
- Maker / attribution
- Bulova (maker)
- Date
- 1973
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 43 mm
- Stock no.
- BLVCHRPM7392
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (BLVCHRPM7392)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1973 Bulova Bullhead Chronograph (Ref. 7392) Cal. 11 "Parking Meter" (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number BLVCHRPM7392), this is a wristwatch by Bulova, made in United States, dated 1973. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 43 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Craft & Tailored
The vintage Bulova obsession in the watch community is very real and here to stay! The unique and funky watches that Bulova made from the 60s-80s are always a cause for conversation. Ranging from colorful dive watches, chronographs, all the way to eccentric electric watches like the famous Accutron. The ref. 7392 is a must-have chronograph for any Bulova collector. The chunky and very 70s timepiece is affectionately nicknamed the "parking meter" for its arched 30-minute sub-register located at 12 o'clock which closely resembles what parking meters once looked like. The Bulova ref. 7392 also makes use of the ever-robust Heuer-Buren cal. 11 movement, however, Bulova uniquely turned the movement so the chronograph functions are placed on the top of the case with the winding crown at 6 o'clock, which is a chronograph setup commonly referred to as a "bullhead". SPECS Stock # BLVCHRPM7392 Brand Bulova Style Bullhead Chronograph "Parking Meter" Model 7392 Serial N3 Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Grey / Blue Millimeters 43 Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The noble case stands proud with a diameter of 43mm and an overall thickness of 14.5mm. The exceptional case is in excellent, potentially unpolished condition with crisp factory finishing present throughout the many surfaces of the uniquely shaped case. The case does exhibit honest signs of use throughout. The mineral glass crystal is free of blemishes or damage. The case retains its original bullhead pump pushers, the crown appears to be an early OEM Bulova-signed replacement. The case back retains its original finishing and features its factory markings in crisp and fully visible condition. The watch will come supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The slate silver dial with blue detailing is in excellent overall condition, showing some minor spots of age and wear but nothing that detracts from the beauty of the watch. The orange plots remain intact though they are flat and lack dimension, which is commonly seen as the lume plots are usually degraded on these watches when serviced. The original hands have been professionally restored with tritium hand feature a charming tan coloration. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time and functioning perfectly, previous service history is unknown.
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
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