Bulova Railroad Watch

I recently appraised a Bulova Accutron Railroad Mark IV watch with a black leather band. The face is a white face with black numerals. There are red 24 Hour numerals in the center. The minute and hour hands are black with a red second hand. There is a date indicator window in place of the number three. The dial is marked Bulova Accutron Railroad Approved Mark IV. The watch appears to be in excellent condition. I have not viewed the watch in person. The Bulova Story: Source Bulova.com "The realization of a great American dream began in 1875 when Joseph Bulova, a 23-year-old immigrant from Bohemia, opened a small jewelry store on Maiden Lane in New York City. This modest enterprise was to evolve into one of today's preeminent watch and clock companies. In 1911, Bulova began manufacturing boudoir and desk clocks, along with fine pocket watches, which he made and sold in unprecedented numbers. During World War I, wristwatches were issued in the military for their greater convenience. Returning veterans brought home the new fashion--and a new market emerged. Bulova already had sufficient production facilities and a mastery of jewelry design, so his company introduced the first full line of men's jeweled wristwatches in 1919. It was followed by the industry's first full line of ladies' wristwatches and the first line of diamond wristwatches. America ran on Bulova time, beginning with radio's first commercials, broadcast nationally in 1926: "At the tone, it's 8 P.M., B-U-L-O-V-A Bulova watch time." Two years later, Bulova introduced the world's first clock radio. In 1931, Bulova conducted the watch industry's first million-dollar advertising campaign. And through the Depression years, Bulova supported retailers by offering Bulova watches to buyers on time-payment plans. As the next decade began, Bulova aired the first TV commercial. A simple picture of a clock and a map of the United States, it preceded a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game on July 1, 1941, and proclaimed, "America runs on Bulova time." By then, Ardé Bulova, Joseph Bulova's son, was also producing timepieces for the military. With the U.S. entry into World War II, the Bulova factories immediately put their perfected mass-production techniques and skilled craftsmen to work on precision military equipment. Bulova provided the U.S. government with military watches, specialized timepieces, aircraft instruments, critical torpedo mechanisms and fuses. At the war's end, the Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking opened its doors to help disabled veterans become self-sufficient. At the opening of the school, Ardé Bulova made the following statement: "For the purpose of aiding war veterans who are physically handicapped, the Bulova School of Watchmaking has been founded to teach the art and trade of watch, clock and instrument making and repairing, including the use of tools, machinery and equipment necessary in carrying on such a trade. Graduates of the school are expected to be placed in positions in jewelry stores throughout the country and thus be assisted in finding a place in life in a useful and happy occupation. This is but a small measure of the gratitude that can be shown to these men for their service to our country in this greatest of all wars." The school was supported entirely by the Bulova Foundation. No financial aid of any kind was received from any government agency or the students. Equipment at the school included magic-eye doors, wide two-way elevator entrances and exits, special workbenches, non-slip cork floors and other features so that disabled men could move about at no physical disadvantage. Complete medical facilities and a well-equipped recreation room provided treatment and relaxation. Graduates of the school were assured employment since over 1,500 positions were pledged by American Jewelers. A new era in timekeeping dawned in the 1950s. Through persistent and dedicated research, Bulova developed Accutron, the first electronic watch. Keeping time to within two seconds a day, it was the first breakthrough in timekeeping technology in over 300 years. During the 1960s, NASA asked the company to channel its Accutron efforts into making computers for the Space Program. As a result, Bulova's Accutron timing mechanism became an integral and vital part of space technology from the 1958 launch of Vanguard I to the first moon walk on July 21, 1969. A Bulova timer was placed on the moon's Sea of Tranquility to control the transmissions of vital data through the years. When Accutron precision became available to customers, Bulova was the first watch brand to offer a written guarantee of accuracy-in-use to within a minute a month. Another significant Bulova breakthrough occurred in the 1960s with the introduction of the Phototimer clock. Today, all Bulova watches contain the finest quartz-crystal movements, accurate to within three minutes a year. In recent decades, Bulova timepieces have kept official time aboard Air Force One, and Bulova products have repeatedly been awarded to visiting dignitaries as Presidential Gifts of State. Bulova has also served as America's official watch to the U.S. Olympic Team. In recent years, Bulova has presented a number of design innovations. Whether the customer prefers a high profile diamond watch, an heirloom quality 14-karat gold watch, a sporty elegant Marine Star watch, a day/date calendar watch or a contemporary career-style watch, Bulova offers a style for every taste and occasion. Each one is reminiscent of Joseph Bulova's demand for unique quality and beauty. Year after year, having satisfied customers for over a century, Bulova continues its tradition of growth and innovation. Today, Bulova remains a totally U.S.-operated company. As a result, Bulova now offers the widest range of styles in its long history. With over a century of technological leadership and service, Bulova is among America's most recognized names. Bulova Bulova timepieces use only the finest materials, precision craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology for enduring quality and performance. * At the heart of each Bulova watch is precision accuracy. From the finest quartz movements to alternative technologies such as solar or mechanical energy, each Bulova watch is guaranteed to be accurate to within one minute a year. * Every Bulova is anti-magnetic, shock-resistant, and features our unique distortion-free and scratch-resistant Dura-Crystal®. * Bulova uses only the finest materials for its bracelets and straps. Many of Bulova's bracelets are solid stainless steel. Some are plated with Bulova's unique 23-karat hard gold process, which is tempered to give an extra durable finish. Other bracelets are ion plated with a patented gold process for an ultra-resilient finish. The straps are made from the finest leathers to resist wear and maintain their elegant look."