
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
WW2 Bulova RAF, Dual Marked British and American Military, ref. 6B/234 A 11194, circa 1943
- Maker / attribution
- Bulova (maker)
- Date
- c. 1943
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- vws4107
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws4107)
- Catalogue title (original)
- WW2 Bulova RAF - Dual Marked British and American Military - Model Ref: 6B/234 A 11194 - c.1943 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws4107), this is a wristwatch by Bulova, made in United States, dated c. 1943. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. 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 — Vintage Watch Specialist
A WW2 Bulova Dual Marked with British and American Military Engravings: 6B/234 A 11194 - Very Collectable in Such Fantastic Condition - c.1943 Bulova was founded in New York in 1875 and became known for producing highly accurate, purpose-built timepieces. Its connection to the British military emerged during the mid-20th century, when Bulova supplied watches to the Royal Air Force. Among the most notable was the 6B/234 specification watch, issued to RAF navigators and pilots and built to meet strict military standards for precision and legibility. These watches cement Bulova’s place in British military aviation history. What's on Offer This Bulova military wristwatch is a particularly compelling example of mid-20th-century service timekeeping, distinguished by its rare dual British and American military associations. The caseback bears markings linked to both Allied forces, reflecting a period when watches were produced to shared specifications or reassigned across military branches during wartime operations. This crossover provenance adds an extra layer of historical interest rarely seen on standard-issue pieces. The case shows honest, service-consistent wear, with surface ageing that speaks to genuine use while retaining its overall structure and presence. The black dial remains clear and purposeful, with bold Arabic numerals and a precise outer minute track designed for quick legibility. Original hands sit neatly against the dial, reinforcing the watch’s utilitarian military aesthetic. Protected beneath a domed Plexiglas crystal, the manually wound movement runs reliably, delivering the robust performance Bulova was trusted for. Paired with a period-appropriate leather strap, this watch offers strong wrist presence and authentic military character. It is a fascinating and increasingly collectible Bulova, appealing not only for its condition but for its unique place within Allied military watch history.
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Military, pilot and travel watches
The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.
In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.
What to look for
- Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
- High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
- 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
- Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
- Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
- GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.
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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