Bulova 1918 Hudson Maxim

Submitted by Stinky_Sullivan on February 4, 2024 - 8:43am
Manufacture Year
1918
Movement Jewels
7
Case Serial No.
-
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I know Bulova wasn’t the only company to put some variation of Hudson Maxim’s name on a watch so I figured, what the hell, let’s see what the panel has to say.  This watch belongs to a friend. He supplied the pictures.

The movement was made by Racine Freres. The only marks on the case appear to say GERBER SWISS.

Initially, I told him it doesn’t have the hallmarks of a Bulova. But I don’t know about the very early days and how Bulova did things. He found some reference in a form saying Bulova used Racine Freres movements in the earliest watches.

If this flat out isn’t an early Bulova in any way, please remove it from the database. It sure would be cool if it was though.

Hudson Maxim dial
Hudson Maxim movement
Hudson Maxim case
Stinky_Sullivan
Posted February 10, 2024 - 8:13pm

I’ve asked the owner to have the dial removed to examine it for hallmarks. I will see if a movement mark can be found.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted May 4, 2024 - 4:18am

'Freres' being brothers in French?

Racine Brothers can be traced to the 1700's 

neetstuf-4-u
Posted February 8, 2024 - 8:52am

Interesting and a very early one. Way out of my field of knowledge. I defer to those schooled in early models.

JimDon5822
Posted February 11, 2024 - 9:01pm

Great looking watch.  I am deferring to the experts on this one.  Too early for me.

Stinky_Sullivan
Posted March 9, 2024 - 3:19pm

When my friend first got this watch, the hands were missing. I don’t think the hands on it now are correct. Shouldn’t it have cathedral hands?

mybulova_admin
Posted March 9, 2024 - 9:53pm

I would have thought so, considering the dial number font being the kind that was typically lummed the same as the example I showed earlier.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted May 6, 2024 - 2:45am

Strong evidence now suggests that the names Hudson and Maxim appearing on early wrist and pocket watch dials are not for the namesake Hudson Maxim the inventor but as a coming together of 2 watch companies Hudson, proven to be owned by Arde Bulova and Maxim a Swiss manufacturer (Josephs' gig?)

Time will tell Us.