History of Bulova Watches
From the days when the only clocks available marked the sun to pocket watch hours and to this day, people have always been obsessed with keeping track of time. Like any other profession, the watch industry has worked hard to improve the methods they use and the quality of the products they put on the market. The general public has seen watches go from traditional balance-and-hairspring technology to more advanced quartz and eventually to the creation of purely digital timepieces. Each advancement was designed to outperform the competition and bring people the very best in wristwatches.
There have been many famous watch companies and makers, but one of the most famous is the Bulova Watch Company. Over the years, this company has built a reputation for luxury and precision in its watchmaking products. A bit of backstory makes the story that much more interesting. As with many companies, the history of the Bulova watch company begins modestly. A young man named Joseph Bulova opens a humble little jewelry store in New York City on Maiden Lane. The year is 1875 and he is a 23-year-old Czech immigrant in the US. Business is doing very well, but there is nothing to get excited about until 1911 when this young entrepreneur starts making and selling bedroom and table clocks. , and finely crafted pocket watches. The public reacts positively to new items and sales boom at an amazing rate.
The Bulova Watch Company did not stop there. Its owner knew a good thing when he saw it and in 1912, the first plant dedicated to the production of his incredible watches was opened in Bienne, Switzerland. This plant focused on the production of the watch components and the placement of the assemblies into the final jeweled movements. All of this took place before the advent of conventional wristwatches as we know them today.
Mr. Bulova didn’t have to wait long. With the start of World War I, the popularity of wristwatches, as opposed to pocket watches, took off. It was much easier for troops to have their watches literally at hand than to keep them hidden in a pocket. Once again, the Bulova Company was there to deliver what the public demanded. Joseph Bulova went a step further and designed a line of men’s watches set in jeweled cases. Considering that his first passion was jewelry, it makes sense that he would make this groundbreaking move. The year was 1919 and the world group posed for the most extravagant watches.
As history tells us, the road from this point for Mr. Bulova and his company is paved with gold. In 1923 the name Bulova Watch Company, Inc. is established. The world of watches is revolutionized again with the beginning of a precision watch part manufacturing system that makes every Bulova watch compatible with any other make or model of watch Bulova bracelet. In other words, watch repair became much simpler and more cost-effective because repair personnel could use any part of any Bulova watch to repair another. That kind of attention to detail had never been seen before.
Just one year later, the Bulova Watch Company finally remembers the ladies. Presents a full line of women’s watches with diamond accents. It was the “roaring twenties” and the people of the time were all luxury and beautiful things. A Bulova watch fits the bill perfectly.
Bulova Watch Company continued to take advantage of the events happening around them and made sure to stay up to date. For example, to honor Charles Lindbergh’s famous solo transatlantic flight, the company produced a series of Lone Eagle watches packaged with an image of the famous pilot. The company ships 5,000 of these commemorative watches. The supply ran out in 3 days. In total, 50,000 Charles Lindbergh watches were sold. It was this kind of forward thinking that made the company the huge success it was and is.
In 1935 the founder of the company, Joseph Bulova, died. Despite this sad event, the company continued its upward path. In the early 1960s, the Bulova Watch Company’s greatest claim to fame is released to the world. It was a totally unique watch called the Accutron. This watch was made using tuning fork technology. It kept time better than anything made to date and was used on many NASA flights, including the famous Apollo expedition.
With such a productive and colorful history, it’s no wonder Bulova Watch Company continues to be a stellar example of customer service and innovation in watchmaking.