It's much easier to date vintage Bulova watches by their "year code" than by their serial number. If you look carefully, usually above or below the serial number, you'll see a little alphanumeric code, like L5, N3, or P6. These can be translated as follows:
Lx = 195x
Mx = 196x
Nx = 197x
Px = 198x
Tx = 199x
Older Bulova watches used little symbols to show the year of manufacture. A picture of those codes can be found here, as well as elsewhere on the Internet:
http://www.manleyhorlogerie.com/Watch_History/bulova.htm#Bulova%20Date%20Codes
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