Greetings all,

I little while ago I got my first Devil Diver- (yes SNORKEL!!)


I didn't notice it at first but my friend who works on watches (not a watchmaker) noticed that the date window was slightly off from the date wheel.





Upon dismantling, it appears that the date wheel is not correct for this dial (it seems 1-2mm too small so the numerals are off to the left and you can see the edge of the wheel on the right) but it does work properly with the movement.




Now this would seem pretty simple- just get a parts movement of the same calibre or another date wheel for this calibre- but apparently there were several different calibers used in this model (just 386 in the case back, no suffix after the numbers like 1, 2 or 3) and these calibers were also used in different models.



What I am trying to figure out is if the previous watchmaker used a date wheel from a different model of Bulova and just "made it work", or if he swapped an entire movement from another model and the date wheel didn't line up with the dial (hence the painted area under the date wheel to make is less noticeable through the window). I don't want to buy another 11ALACD and have the same issue. Is it possible that the date wheels on these early 386's were specific to the case reference and not the movement?
Any advise?

 

My M9, 1969, has a 11BLACD.

Does the date code on your movement, M6, match the date code on the case back?

 

That I will have to check when I get home.

 

Ok, so the date code on the back is 1964, the movement is 1966

My back:


I found another DD on eBay dated ‘66 for both back and movement but it’s a 386-1, mine is just 386.
The eBay watch

 

Is it safe to assume that the movement in mine was a transplant from a later watch or different model? What would be my best course of action here besides live with it?

 

Just an aside, those are cool looking rotors.

Good luck with the quest.

 

You have an incorrect date indocator. Here is your dial side:



Note the distance between the OD of your date indicator and the chamfered hole that is just below the painted section.

Here is an 11ALACD dial side from another Snorkel that I serviced last year:


Note that the OD of the date indicator is at or nearly at the chamfer in that hole.

So aside from the dates not matching, if you just want this movement to work right, getting a date indicator from an 11ALACD should fix this issue.

Cheers, Al

 

Perfect!!! that's exactly what I needed to see and know, thank you Al!

So in your opinion, would you say this date wheel is from an entirely different calibre?
Just want to make sure if I hunt down another 11alacd for parts (or a whole watch), that it will be an exact fit and that the 386 didn't have a special date wheel.

 

Thanks again Al. I always double check as I have seen funky things like this where specific models (not necessarily watches) may get a one off part to suit that model.
Parts movements come up regularly for these on eBay- I’ll keep my feelers out.

 

Mismatched date codes still lead me to believe the movement was switched. How that relates to the incorrect date wheel may still be an issue if a new donor watch/movement has the same date wheel as the one you already have.

 

This is my fear. Buying movements or whole watches (like the Aerojet-date which had the same movement) can get pricey, all hunting for the correct part.

 

Typically the movement is the movement, and parts like this don't change in relation to date codes or related to case codes. They change when the movement changes, so an 11ALACD has very specific characteristics that won't change unless one of the letters or numbers change. Again as I've said, if you get another 11ALACD movement, you should be fine.

There is a base movement that a series of calibers are based on, and when parts change there will be a new alphanumeric caliber designation.

For example the movement here is an 11ALA base movement, and the date indicator for the 11ALACD is part 576, and it appears to be specific to that movement only:

If this doesn't convince you, well then I don't know what will...

 

I appreciate the research Al- I didn’t know where to begin finding the info you just found. I’m not looking for convincing, just assurance that they were all the same, which you are giving.