How much is a Bulova watch worth?
Bulova watches are extremely common in the US and most people know that their value is usually based on the gold which is hiding in the watch band and/or the watch case. Almost every day someone is reaching out to our company requesting help about calculating the value of a Bulova watch.
We want to answer two very common questions:
- How much is a Bulova watch worth?
- How much gold is in a Bulova watch?
Important to Know
This article refers to solid gold watches and not to Bulova’s fashion watches or gold filled watches. Bulova’s solid gold watches are easy to identify as they are clearly marked 10K, 14K, or 18K.
How much is a Bulova watch worth?
Most Bulova watches are worth the gold’s value which was used to produce the watch band, the watch case, and the back of the watch. Sometimes, Bulova watches are heavy which is very beneficial for its value as the heavier a gold watch is the more money it’s worth. The most heavy part is the watch band but not all Bulova watches have a solid gold watch band. Some bands are only gold-filled or even made of leather or other non-precious materials.
In the past it was a common practice to remove the solid gold watch bands for selling if money was needed. The seller could keep the watch but turned the bracelet into money. Especially during a financial crises causing high unemployment rates, people were forced to acquire money. Thus the gold bracelet was sold and replaced with a cheaper material. This is the reason why many Bulova watches which are offered for selling have a solid watch case but not a solid gold bracelet anymore.
How much is it worth? Weigh your Bulova watch and deduct 15% to 25% to get a rough estimate of its value. Use our gold calculator as it’s a very helpful tool to get a quick estimate.
Bulova Diamond Watch
Gold Weight: 23.19 grams
Purity: 14K
Sells for: $914.36
Vintage Bulova Watch
Gold Weight: 17.50 grams
Purity: 14K
Sells for: $690.01
Christian Dior Bulova Watch
Gold Weight: 19.72 grams
Purity: 14K
Sells for: $777.54
Experiment
How much gold is in a Bulova watch?
We would like to find out how much gold is in the watch band, how much gold is in the case, and what’s the weight of the non-precious parts like the movement and the crystal.
(1) Initial Situation
The value of most Bulova gold watches is based on the material value and the current gold price. We need to find out how much gold is hiding in the watch.
Total Watch Weight: 28.96 grams
(2) First Check
A first check is required to find out if the Bulova watch is made of solid gold. Bulova watches are always clearly marked on the back of the case, inside the case, and also on the clasp of the watch strap.
Check if the clasp is also marked as some Bulova watches may have a gold filled watch band although the case is made of solid gold.
Markings indicating a gold filled band: “14K GF” or “1/20 14K”
(3) Movement Removed & Weighing
After removing the movement and the case back, the weight comes down to 21.01 grams reflecting a value of $828.80.
Weight: 21.01 grams = 72.54%
Value: $828.80
(4) Weighing the Case Back
The case back has a weight of 2.17 grams and is worth $85.56 today.
Weight: 2.17 grams = 7.49%
Value: $85.56
(5) Weighing the Chrystal
This is an unusual thick and heavy watch crystal although it’s really small and weighs 1.92 grams. Most crystals of that size weigh between 0.30 grams and 1.20 grams.
Weight: 1.92 grams = 6.62%
(6) Weighing the Movement
The movement is an important part of the non-precious parts of a watch. This diamond movement weighs 3.86 grams but we have also seen movements weighing up to 7 grams of that size.
Weight: 3.86 grams = 13.32%
Conclusion
The gold in this Bulova watch weighs 23.18 grams (=80.04%) and is worth $913.96. Always consider that non-precious parts of a watch can add up. Non-precious parts have to be deducted before doing a proper evaluation. Most Bulova watches (9 out of 10) are worth the current gold value with no additional premium for rarity.
Another experiment: How much gold is in a watch?