The Bulova 10AK, a 15-jewel manual-wind movement used in this U.S. military watch during World War II, requires careful service to maintain its reliability and historical value. A proper repair begins with full disassembly of the movement, ultrasonic cleaning of all components, and inspection. Any damaged or missing parts are replaced with authentic or period-correct components, which are still available from vintage parts suppliers. In this example the balance complete was replaced with a new old stock part.
If you would like to initiate the repair of your vintage timepiece, be sure to visit getting started. For additional information on Vintage Bulova Repair as well as other watches we work on please visit these pages: Vintage Rolex repair, Vintage Breitling repair, Vintage Omega repair, and Vintage Heuer repair.
Background
The Bulova 10AK movement was introduced during the early 1940s, when Bulova became a key supplier of wristwatches to the U.S. military in World War II. The 10AK is a 15-jewel manual-wind movement, robustly built to meet military specifications for reliability under demanding conditions. Bulova fitted these movements into simple, highly legible military-issue watches—often with black dials, luminous hands and numerals, and sturdy steel cases—that emphasized function over luxury.