Military Watch Bulova Type A-11 — Black Dial, Chrome 32mm (1943)

A question about this piece?
Chat with us on WhatsApp →

The issue watch for American aircrews, in its Bulova version

This Bulova watch meets the Type A-11 specification, established by the U.S. Army to equip US Army Air Forces crews during the Second World War. The specifications were precise: black dial with white Arabic numerals, central seconds, hand-wound movement, dustproof case, and above all a hacking seconds feature allowing the seconds hand to be stopped by pulling the crown in order to synchronize a crew's watches to the second. Three manufacturers produced the A-11: Elgin, Waltham and Bulova.

This example was assembled in 1943, in the midst of wartime production, as indicated by the AF 43 prefix of its serial number. Its 32mm chrome-plated case is that of an instrument: straight caseband, short lugs, screwed steel caseback, and beneath this back an inner Invar shield protecting the movement from the magnetic fields of the cockpit. The domed acrylic Crystal brings the total thickness to 13.5mm. The crown has been replaced, which is common on these watches whose crown was used at every synchronization.

The black dial bears the Arabic numerals and minute track that define the A-11, with light-colored hands standing out clearly against it. It may have been restored during its lifetime: this was common practice on issue watches, whose dials were refinished in military atelier as soon as legibility declined. We note this as a possibility, without being able to confirm or rule it out.

The movement is the Bulova 10AK CSH caliber: derived from a Swiss A. Schild caliber, it was manufactured in the United States by Bulova for the war effort, hence the absence of the Swiss Made marking on the dial. The letters CSH designate central seconds and hacking seconds. Serviced by our watchmakers, it displays the hours, minutes and central seconds. English-speaking collectors have grown accustomed to calling the A-11 “the watch that won the war”; the phrase is excessive, but it conveys the place it holds in military collections. This watch is fitted with a black leather strap with Buckle buckle, both later replacements.

Three points to note

• Type A-11 specification — the issue watch for US Army Air Forces crews, produced by Bulova in 1943.
• Functional hacking seconds — the feature that defines the A-11, designed to synchronize a crew's watches.
• 32mm chrome-plated Case — the period instrument format, now worn equally well by a man or a woman.

Why choose a vintage military watch?

Buying a vintage military watch rather than a contemporary reissue means wearing an object that was made for use, not for a catalog. The A-11 was never sold in boutiques: it was issued to aircrews, and every surviving example has passed through the hands of people who needed it.

This watch occupies a special place among vintage watches for men and women: its 32mm case, which was the standard size of a military instrument, today corresponds to a vintage watch in a restrained format, wearable by both.

Like all our vintage mechanical watches , this one has been opened and inspected by our watchmakers: movement check, examination of the dial, hands, and case. Each Bulova vintage watch that we offer comes with an invoice Atelier Victor serving as a certificate, a one-year guarantee, and guaranteed lifetime authenticity.

→ Discover all our vintage watches
→ View our vintage watches between €1000 and €2000

Technical characteristics

• Brand: Bulova
• Model: Type A-11, US Army Air Forces navigation watch
• Reference: Type A-11, specification 94-27834
• Year: 1943
• Origin: United States
• Gender: Men's and women's watch (Unisex)
• Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, caliber Bulova 10AK CSH, hacking seconds, serviced
• Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, hacking seconds
• Case: Chrome-plated metal, screwed steel caseback, inner anti-magnetic cover, round shape
• Dimensions: 32mm (35mm with crown)
• Lug to lug: 39mm
• Thickness: 13.5mm (including domed Crystal)
• Lug width: 16mm
• Crown: Steel, not original
• Dial: Black, Arabic numerals, possibly restored
• Hands: Light-colored, original
• Crystal: Domed acrylic (condition 9/10)
• Strap: Black leather, not original
• Buckle: Steel pin buckle, not original

Condition and guarantee

• Overall condition: Well preserved condition for a service watch. Even chrome plating on the case middle, signs of wear on the lugs and caseback. Clean and legible dial, possibly restored. Crown, strap, and Buckle are later replacements.
• Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
• Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
• Mechanical: Serviced movement, guaranteed for 1 year
• Included: Invoice Atelier Victor, protective case
• Not included: Original box and papers

Frequently asked questions

What is a Type A-11 watch?
It is a watch produced according to a United States Army specification for US Army Air Forces crews during the Second World War. The specifications required a black dial with white Arabic numerals, central seconds, hand-wound movement, and hacking seconds for synchronization. Three manufacturers met these requirements: Elgin, Waltham, and Bulova. A-11 watches were never sold in stores; they were distributed by the army, and the casebacks bear the inscription A.F. U.S. Army, the type, the specification number, a serial number preceded by the year, and an order number.

What is the purpose of hacking seconds?
When the crown is pulled, the seconds hand stops. This allowed an entire crew to set their watches to the exact same second before a mission: each person would pull the crown, position the hand at twelve, and all would push the crown back in on the signal. On this watch, the function is operational. It remains useful today for setting the watch precisely.

What does "dial possibly restored" mean?
It means that we can neither confirm nor rule out that the dial has been refinished. Military-issued watches were maintained in atelier service, and dial refinishing was a routine operation there as soon as legibility declined. A crisp dial on a 1943 watch may therefore be original and well preserved, or it may have been redone at the time or later. We prefer to state this rather than decide without proof.

How should a chrome-plated case be cared for?
Chrome is a plating over a base metal: it withstands everyday use well but wears on edges and friction points, revealing the brass underneath. On this watch, the chrome plating is even across the caseband and marked only on the lugs. A soft cloth is sufficient for care; abrasive products and impacts against hard surfaces should be avoided.

What wrist size is this watch suited to?
With a 32mm case and 39mm Lug-to-lug, it is the standard format of military watches from the period, ideally worn on a slim to متوسط wrist, where it retains the presence of an instrument without being cumbersome. That said, a watch is also a matter of style: depending on taste and the look sought, this piece can be worn equally well by a man or a woman, on all kinds of wrists. The measurement is only a guide, never a rule.

A piece selected by Atelier Victor

Authenticated, checked, and photographed by us. As all sales are final, our team remains available 7 days a week on WhatsApp to answer your questions, share additional photos or a video of the piece in hand — so that your choice can be made with complete peace of mind.

Chat with us on WhatsApp →