History of Bulova Watches

From the days of when the only clocks available where sun dials to the times of the pocket watch, and through to the present day, people have always been obsessed with keeping track of the time. Like any other profession, the watch making 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 the traditional wheel balance and hairspring technology to the more advanced quartz, and finally to the creation of purely digital watches. Each advance was designed to outdo the competitors and give people the absolute finest in wrist timepieces.

There have been many famous watch companies and creators, but one of the most famous is the Bulova Watch Company. Over the years, this company has acquired a reputation for luxury and precision in their watch products. A little background history makes the story much more interesting. As with many companies, the story of the Bulova watch company starts out modestly. A young man by the name of Joseph Bulova opens a small, humble jewelry shop in New York City on Maiden Lane. The year is 1875 and he is a 23 year old Czech immigrant to the U.S. Business progresses nicely, but nothing to get excited about until 1911 when this enterprising young man begins to manufacture and sell bedroom, and table clocks, and finely made pocket watches. The public reacts positively to the new items and sales boom at an amazing rate.

The Bulova Watch Company didn't 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 timepieces was opened in Bienne, Switzerland. This plant focused on the production of the watch components and placing the assemblies into the final jeweled movements. All of this took place before the advent of the conventional wristwatch, as we now know them in the present day.

Mr. Bulova didn't have long to wait. With the beginning 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 handy than hidden in a pocket. Again, the Bulova Company was there to provide what the public demanded. Joseph Bulova took it one step further and designed a line of men's watches set in jeweled casings. Considering his first passion was jewelry, it makes sense that he made this innovative move. The year was 1919 and the world set posed for more 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 put into place. The watch world is revolutionized again with the beginning of a watch parts making precision system that makes every Bulova watch compatible with any other Bulova make or model wristwatch. In other words, watch repair became much simpler and more cost effective because the repair people could use any part from any Bulova watch to repair another. That kind of attention to detail had never been seen before.

Just one short year later, the Bulova Watch Company finally remembers the ladies. It introduces a full line of women's watches complete with diamond accents. It was the "Roaring Twenties" and people of the time were all about luxury and beautiful things. A Bulova watch fit right in.

The Bulova Watch Company continued to take advantage of the events going on around them and made sure to keep up with the times. For example, to honor the famous transatlantic solo flight of Charles Lindbergh, the company produced a series of Lone Eagle watches packaged with a picture of the famous pilot. The company ships 5000 of these commemorative watches. The supply sold out in 3 days. In total, 50000 Charles Lindbergh watches were sold. It was this kind of forward thinking that made the company the huge success that it was and is.

In 1935, the founder of the company, Joseph Bulova dies. Despite this sad event, the company continued its upward swing. In the early 1960's the Bulova Watch Company's biggest claim to fame is released to the world. It was a totally unique watch called the Accutron. This watch was made using the technology of the tuning fork. It kept better time than anything that had been made to date and was used on many NASA flights including the famous Apollo expedition.

With such a productive and colorful history, there is no wonder that the Bulova Watch Company continues to be such a stellar example of customer service and watch making innovation.