Louis Bolle 'Eulalia' Big Date Automatic
Fashion Complications Watch (Big Date/Small Seconds) · Louis Bolle (Owned by Always At Auction/Bonheur West). This is a legacy-themed 'mushroom brand' that marketed high-complication-look watches via online auctions in the 2000s.
Period: Modern Luxury/Fashion Era (Mid-2000s). Indicators include the oversized case, 'mushroom brand' branding style, and the use of a Chinese 'Big Date' movement common during the early internet auction boom.
Type
Fashion Complications Watch (Big Date/Small Seconds)
Brand
Louis Bolle (Owned by Always At Auction/Bonheur West). This is a legacy-themed 'mushroom brand' that marketed high-complication-look watches via online auctions in the 2000s.
Movement
Automatic, likely a Chinese Sea-Gull ST or Hangzhou movement specialized with a 'Big Date' dual-wheel complication and a sub-seconds hand at 6 o-clock; roughly 21,600 bph and 36-40 hour power reserve.
Dimensions
Case Diameter: 42-43mm; Thickness: 13mm; Lug-to-Lug: 50mm; Lug Width: 22mm. It wears large due to the thin bezel and expansive dial.
Description
The Louis Bolle Eulalia is a bold, oversized dress-style watch that punches above its weight in visual complexity. Using a guilloché-patterned dial and the distinct 'Big Date' complication (using two separate wheels for the numerals), it mimics the aesthetics of high-end Swiss horology from brands like A. Lange & Söhne at a fraction of the cost. It is designed for maximum wrist presence and visual interest.
Key Features
Double-digit 'Big Date' window at 12; Sunburst/Radial Guilloché dial; Small seconds at 6; Labeled 'Louis Bolle' with 'LB' shield logo.
Dial Description
Multi-textured silver/black dial with concentric 'focal' guilloché in the center. Features applied faceted dart indices on a silvered ring, a 'Big Date' window at 12 o-clock, and a circular-grained small seconds sub-dial at 6 o-clock. Blue-steel effect leaf hands.
Case Material
Polished Stainless Steel (likely 316L). The finish appears high-polish across the bezel and lugs with some wear visible on the lugs.
Crystal Type
Mineral Glass or Sapphire-Coated Mineral. It is a flat crystal with no apparent AR coating.
Bezel Details
Fixed, thin, polished stainless steel bezel designed to maximize the visible dial area.
Crown & Pushers
Large, knurled push-pull crown at 3 o-clock without obvious crown guards; likely used for time-setting and manual winding.
Bracelet or Strap
Three-link 'Oyster-style' stainless steel bracelet with polished center links and brushed outer links. Likely uses a butterfly or fold-over deployant clasp.
Caseback Details
Likely an exhibition/display screw-down caseback revealing the decorated Chinese automatic movement and a signed Louis Bolle rotor.
Movement Type
Automatic, likely a Chinese Sea-Gull ST or Hangzhou movement specialized with a 'Big Date' dual-wheel complication and a sub-seconds hand at 6 o-clock; roughly 21,600 bph and 36-40 hour power reserve.
Water Resistance
Rated 3 ATM (30 meters). Practically only splash-resistant; not suitable for swimming, showering, or diving.
Origin & Provenance
Brand origin marketed as Swiss-inspired, but manufacturing and movement are Chinese. Assembled in China using mass-produced mechanical movements.
Age Estimate
Circa 2005 - 2012. This period was the height of Louis Bolle's distribution via late-night TV and early internet auction sites.
Cultural Significance
Represents the 'Mushroom Brand' era of the mid-2000s, where affordable mechanical watches became widely available to the general public through the rise of eBay and ShopNBC.
Condition Notes
Very Good. The bezel shows light hairlines consistent with occasional wear. The dial is clean and the indices appear well-aligned. Bracelet shows minimal stretch.
Value Estimate
$50 - $150 USD. Value is mostly sentimental or for aesthetic use; these do not typically appreciate as collectibles.
Care & Maintenance
Service every 3-5 years, though the cost of service may exceed the watch's value. Avoid water exposure (low seal quality) and keep away from strong magnets.
Similar Watches
Parnis Big Date, Stauer Graves '33, or Ingersoll mechanical watches. These similarly utilize Chinese multi-complication movements in vintage-inspired cases.
Interesting Facts
Louis Bolle is part of a group of brands including Rousseau and Bernouilli that utilized 'ghost heritage'—creating a fictional history of a master watchmaker to sell modern Chinese-made mechanical timepieces.