
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Bulova Snorkel "K" (Ref. 608) Silver Dial, 1967
- Maker / attribution
- Bulova (maker)
- Date
- 1967
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- silver
- Stock no.
- BLVASKLK608
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (BLVASKLK608)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1967 Bulova Snorkel "K" (Ref. 608) Silver Dial (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number BLVASKLK608), this is a wristwatch by Bulova, made in United States, dated 1967. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: silver. 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 diving chronographs to eccentric electric watches like the famous Accutron. The elusive nature of the Snorkel "K" has captivated the Bulova collector community and the broader vintage dive watch community. These models rarely surface for sale making them a must-have for the serious collector. But it is not only about rarity, the unique design aesthetics are distinctly mid-century and very attractive, with dimensions that remain relevant by today's standards. SPECS Stock # BLVASKLK608 Brand Bulova Style Snorkel "K" Model 608 Serial M7 Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Silver Millimeters 36 Bracelet 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The excellent case has been gently polished in the past and shows gentle signs of use while retaining very thick and symmetrical dimensions throughout. The original black bakelite bezel insert is in very well-preserved condition, showing some expected but gentle wear but no major cracks. The "Caravelle" crown is likely an early replacement. The case back retains all of its factory engravings with some light tool marks from previous service intervals. The watch comes supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The original silver offers a gorgeous vintage aesthetic, featuring some warm color hues and handsome elements of age. The tritium lume plots do exhibit some degradation throughout and have aged to a subtle ivory color with a slight green color hue. The original hands match the dial perfectly with no degradation present. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time and functioning perfectly, previous service history is unknown.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
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.
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