Founded in 1875, Bulova has established a reputation of excellence, innovation and ingenuity in timekeeping. From its humble beginnings in New York City, the brand has remained a steady presence within the realm of horology. Through the dawn of flight, the tumult of war and a race to the stars, the brand has championed technological advancements and solidified its legacy in the history of timekeeping.

Joseph Bulova was a nineteen-year-old immigrant when he arrived in New York City in 1870 from Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic). In 1875, he opened a small shop in Lower Manhattan in what is now the Financial District. A gifted jeweler and goldsmith, Bulova’s transition to watchmaking was a natural one. The United States was entering its second industrial revolution and New York City was a hub of innovation, social change and rapid production. Railroads cut through the nation like iron rivers, and new steam-powered locomotives and factories aided in the transition of formerly rural societies into thriving centers of urban industry.

In an age that saw the sunset of artisans and craftsmen with the rise of the factory, Joseph Bulova remained dedicated to honoring the traditions of the past while embracing the new opportunities of the present. He was particularly intrigued by the merits of the assembly line, as the mechanization of watchmaking allowed for the creation of standardized parts for the first time in history. At his factory in Bienne, Switzerland, Bulova employed his “American Watchmaking System,” which helped lead to his reputation in the annals of horology as the Henry Ford of watchmaking.

Bulova and the early aviation watches

The popularity of the wristwatch began to grow during and after the First World War, and Joseph Bulova saw the limitless possibilities of entering that market. The 1920s was a time of peace in the nation, but also a time of significant advancements in technology — most especially in aviation. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh completed the world’s first solo, transatlantic flight, earning him a Bulova watch as well as a cash prize of USD 1,000 from the brand. Lindbergh spoke highly of his timepiece, writing in a telegram to Bulova Watch Company that it “keeps accurate time and is a beauty.” Bulova commemorated Lindbergh’s accomplishment by issuing a “Lone Eagle” watch. His status as a national hero helped propel the brand’s global recognition and the Lone Eagle became Bulova’s best-selling watch.

The next year saw Amelia Earhart’s journey across the Atlantic Ocean and Bulova’s issuing of the “Lady Lindy” to commemorate the accomplishment. In a time where women were an afterthought in many parts of the consumer market, Joseph Bulova centered them in his horological ethos. In 1924, Bulova released the first complete line of women’s jeweled wristwatches. Though the “Lady Lindy” did not receive the same fanfare and collector legacy as Charles Lindbergh’s “Lone Eagle,” that the brand celebrated the historically unconventional successes of Amelia Earhart speaks a great deal to its advocacy of women’s rights during this time period.

War effort and support for veterans

Bulova would take to the skies — and beyond — many more times in the decades that followed. During the Second World War, Bulova turned its production focus to the U.S. Armed Forces. The A-11 pilot’s watch, affectionately known as the “watch that won the war,” had a hacking feature that allowed the wearer to stop the seconds hand by pulling out the crown. This enabled service members to synchronize their watches — an essential part of military operations where strategic advantage is won or lost in a matter of seconds.

While wristwatches were critical to Allied mission success, Bulova’s total contributions had a much wider breadth. The brand aided in many parts of military industrial production, from time fuzes and jewel bearings to navigation clocks and telescopes. It was an era where patriotic support meant a total reprioritization of every American company’s resources and goals, and Bulova met the challenge head-on. The brand dedicated 25 percent of its advertising resources to the promotion of war stocks and bonds, earning a distinguished service certificate by the United States government for its efforts.

At the end of the war, Arde Bulova founded a tuition- free watchmaking school in New York City which he named after his father, Joseph. When asked about his motivation, Arde Bulova said he “wished to repay, in some small measure, the sacrifice and service of returning disabled veterans.” The institution provided watchmaking training to its students, creating for many of them a newfound hope for the future. Though the school did eventually close, the spirit lives on in the Veterans Watchmaking Initiative (VWI). In 2017, VWI welcomed its first cohort, sponsored by Bulova as a nod to its past and present values of courage and sacrifice. The program remains free of charge for veterans to this day.

Bulova and the technical age

As the country moved into the unprecedented possibilities of the Space Age, Bulova set the standard for innovation. From the 1950s through to the 1970s, the brand enjoyed a strong partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that led to 46 missions together.

The 1960 Accutron revolutionized watchmaking as the world’s first full electronic watch. By removing the balance wheel and powering the watch with a tuning fork, battery and transistor, the brand set a new standard for the possibilities within timekeeping. In an era of mechanical watches, having a timepiece that was accurate to ±1 minute per month was astounding. The caliber 214 powering the Accutron oscillated at a rate nearly 150 times faster than the average mechanical movement. However, the brand wasted no time resting on its laurels. Just eleven years later, a Bulova chronograph — the reference 88510/01, which was later christened the “Lunar Pilot” — was worn on the Moon. The watch was a chronograph, and it included subdials to track the various technical responsibilities that come with spaceflight, including oxygen supplies and remaining battery power. It was a remarkable feat of engineering to meet the demands of the harsh lunar environment — and just one more example of Bulova’s trailblazing spirit.

A new iteration of the Lunar Pilot can be found in the brand’s Archive Series, which offers enthusiasts the opportunity to participate in Bulova’s spacefaring history. The iconic design has been updated with the brand’s high precision quartz movement — which resonates at a frequency of 262khz — allowing for a sweeping chronograph hand and unparalleled accuracy. The vibrant red dial is inspired by the Moon during a total lunar eclipse, which is sometimes referred to as a “blood moon.”

The 1970s Bulova Super Seville Day-Date continued the successes set up by the technology of the Accutron. Bringing the state-of-the-art Precisionist components to the average enthusiast, Bulova’s various iterations of the Super Seville allowed wearers to express their personal style while enjoying astronaut-approved levels of accuracy. The modern release of the Super Seville merges the retro aesthetics of the original with the robust features of a modern watch. The overall look is one of effortless elegance.

America’s watch brand

Today, the brand’s catalog harmonizes the many faces of its past by offering modern releases of some of its classic pieces from the early 20th century. The Bulova Hudson calls on design cues from Bulova’s age of pocket watches. At 39mm with a convex case shape, as well as Roman numerals at the twelve and six o’clock positions, this dress watch offers the best of modern design while still emphasizing its vintage inspiration. Similarly, the brand’s new Rubaiyat collection comes from Bulova’s earliest days crafting watches for women. This piece features a gold-tone stainless steel case, gold Arabic numerals at the three, six, nine, and twelve o’clock positions, and eight diamond indexes hand set on the textured dial. The most noticeable callback to the past is the blue spinel cabochon crown at the twelve o’clock position — a standard feature of pocket watches — as well as the name, Rubaiyat, which was chosen by Joseph Bulova for the brand’s first-ever women’s timepiece in 1917.

In tracing the path of progress from its inception to the present, one can understand that the history of Bulova is the history of America. With each decade of technological advancements — each new chapter of industrial innovation — Bulova has embraced both its rich heritage and a spirit of change. Each chapter of the modern nation is mirrored within the brand’s archives: as the country progressed, so too did Bulova. In the past 150 years, the brand has been a pioneer of precision and a champion of forward-thinking within timekeeping. As it seeks inspiration from the past, it is continually looking to the future, pushing the boundaries of design, and shaping the stories we will pass down to the next generation.

Find out more at Bulova website.