Are Bulova Watches Good | A Brief Explanation

MR Sony July 8, 2022 0

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Bulova is the longest-running brand in the US watch industry and within their clock-making industry. This is an American brand, and they found it in New York in 1875 on its own. Since that day, this timepiece is identifying as a production of the most accurate timepieces.

Some of the Bulova Watches have products like Precisionist and Accutron. And many of the horologists used these types of products to make their decisions permanent mark on this industry. You will see that Bulova watches are featuring in movies as well.

This product designs and produces more of the stylish Caravelle, and those are Marine star and Wittenauer Swiss. These all are dress watches, and they have a signature item as Bulova. So are these products good and what background it has? Let’s check it out.

History of Bulova watches

The current industry of Bulova is coming along with the manufactured brand of it as brands above. The current owner is the Citizen Watch Co. they entered into this industry of watches in 1875, and the initial founder was a company called J. Bulova.

They were the same company that incorporated this brand. And the person behind this was an immigrant from Bohemian who was 23 years old at that stage, and his name was Joseph Bulova.

This industry had a humble beginning at its early phase, and it was a small jewelry store at Maiden Lane first. The store is situated in Manhattan of New York City, and this is the place where J. Bulova began to start up his career on his Bulova series.

He had a lifelong quest in here. Bulova needed to craft the supreme timepieces with quality, and he needed to use them with a dynamic and ever-changing landscape. Since that time, this company has had a foundation of unwavering drive for its efficiency, perfection, quality, precision, and craftsmanship.

His company had a reincorporation by the time of 1923. The reincorporation went on a name as Bulova Watch Company, and as a result, it becomes a subsidiary of Loews Corporation by 1979.

In 2008 June, a Japanese conglomerate called Citizen Watch Co. acquired this company, and the amount they spent on it was 250 million.

First Bulova

There is a long history in this, and the first released, produced, and experienced item was the “Firsts.” These achievements and the events in this industry let other American publics have a brand don them, and it had a significant impact on that public.

Following are the first timelines of the Bulova industry.

Boudoir and the Desk Clocks

191 was the year of manufacturing desk clocks and the boudoir. Bulova industry started to manufacture those products at that time, and within this time, they step onto another. They were producing so well-crafted watches on the pocket, and they had a significant sold volume compared to others.

First of the Manufacturing plant

1912 was the year of the first plant in the Bulova industry. They dedicated their watches production as the first plan in Switzerland at Biel, and the year was 1912. This was the time where J. Bulova started to standardizing the massive production of his watches.

They had a massive production, and their capability to produce timepieces with their type of volume was a new thing to the watchmaking industry.

Men’s first Wristwatches

It happened in 1919. Bulova brand got the capability of releasing its first range on wristwatches for men. They used a marketing method for this, and it was an iconic visualizing style, so it becomes a success as the first famous advertising in that era.

Bulova turns up to be a well-known brand after this release happened in America.

First Advertisement of Radio

Bulova took place on the radio airwaves as well. They produced their first radio commercials back in 1926 and had a history in radio history as well. Bulova used an announcement to tell the time, and they said like “BULOVA Bulova watch time.”

This was a broadcast that happened at that time. And millions of Americans heard this statement via radio as an advertisement. After spending two years on this in 1928, Bulova managed to launch the first clock radio in the world.

First TV Commercial

Bulova continuously keeps its legacy for advertising, and they began to TV commercials as well. In 1941 on the 1st of July, Bulova had permitted the television with a commercial aired on the TV. This was very simple and had only a clock picture on it.

There was a map on the united states there and had a voice saying, “America runs on Bulova Time.”

Disabled Veterans School

In 1945, Arde Bulova was the chairman of the Bulova company, and he was the son of J. Bulova. He founded the watchmaking school of Joseph Bulova and helped thousands of disabled veterans in Second World War to become self-sufficient.

Later this school becomes a rehabilitation center, and it facilitates the accommodations for worldwide disability persons.

Fully Electronic Watch

In 1993, Bulova designed their first fully electronic watch. The Accutron development turned out to mix those terms electronic and accurate into one, and it was started by an engineer called Max Hetzel.

These researches and the developments took some long way of breakthrough within the time and technology for years. And when it was the 25th of October in 1960, they released their first of the Bulova Accutron for the market.

This Accutron is using a fork of 360Hz than a balance of wheel as their element of timekeeping. When the tuning fork gets powered with an electric circuit of the oscillator on one transistor, it gets power. So it was the main reason for being this item as an electronic watch for the first.

As a result of these all, Accutron got a high-pitched and a faint hum coming from the tuning fork of vibrating, and they use it instead of a ticking sound from usual mechanical watches.

Accutron has a guarantee on a day to have two seconds, and it was better than many of the mechanical watches during that era.

Accutron on Space Program

As Accutron had the most remarkable accuracy, Bulova requested NASA computers back in 1960 to use their products on the space programs. So Bulova developed several technologies on several timing instruments to use on the NASA Satellites.

Since this happened, Bulova managed to give their efforts around 46 US space missions and for the first space station of United States.

First private own timepiece for the moon

At the Apollo 15 mission happened in 1971, there were twelve men walked into the moon. They all wore the NASA-issued standard Omega Speed master, and they all were considered the property of the government.

But there was a report saying within the transcripts of Apollo 15 journal on Lunar Surface. The crystal face had on Omega watches of the David Scott popped off. This happened during the mission, where he did the second excursion on the surface of the moon.

So for the commander’s third lunar walk, he has used the backup solution of Bulova. This was the Chronograph of Moon Pilot, which it auctioned for over 1625 million. We can say that this was the most expensive artifact of astronaut had on an auction.

Precisionist

This was a new kind of quartz watch that came on the recent history. The introducers are Bulova, and back in 2010, it was released; it had a boasting accuracy of up to 10 seconds per year and had a smoothest second hand of sweeping. They didn’t jump on one per second.

Bulova watches had an official time for the Air Force one throughout these many years, and they served for the presidential gifts on states when leaders are visiting dignitaries. And also, this product becomes the official timepiece of the United States Olympic team.

Where are Bulova watches made?

We already know that this is the watch brand of America, and it has the headquarters placed at New York, but it doesn’t inspire that all of its timepieces are manufacturing there. They are making their products in Hong Kong, Japan, and Switzerland as well.

This is a comprehensive operating strategy for international brands. They are developed into enhancing their global position while continuously keeping the brand name integrity. Bulova wanted to revitalize their brand, opening a headquarters as a European one in Switzerland, Fribourg.

The responsibility of the European facility goes with the distribution and production of the high-end products of Bulova. It may be particular on mechanical ACCU Swiss and with the movements of Accutron and battery driving Precisionist.

But know that both of the headquarters in this product development do the same job.

In addition to these all, mid-priced models came from Japan, while low-end and Caravelle timepieces are manufacturing within Hong Kong and Japan.

Are Bulova watches good quality?

If we talk generally, most of the reviews that came to this brand are positive. They came from professionals, enthusiasts, and consumers. The community will not consider it as the highest quality item, or sometimes it does, but if we talk generally, they are of good quality.

Bulova is producing well-designed, beautifully crafted, and luxurious-looking watches. And also, they come with affordable price ranges. So many of the enthusiasts and the consumers are so making a more choice on this product.

When talking about the quality of these products, there are mixed options. But most of the time, wearers consider this item as a fine one, and they compare it to Fossil and the Timex. So based on these two, they have a delicate design and fine manufacturing.

Usually high ranged products of Bulova coming from Switzerland. But the mid-range and the low ended ones are settling in Japan and Hong Kong. They are also good. Consumers and many enthusiasts are considering them as accordingly priced and well correctly to it.

If we talk about the movements, Bulova has had a great [production over the years. The Gemini models come on this brand on Accutron line is using the movement of ETA 2892-A2.

What is more attractive as technology here is that Bulova has a huge approval on consumers and enthusiasts for their movements.

One of the most popular and favorite items on these many consumers and enthusiasts is the highest accurate quartz movements. They are all characterized through sweeping hands, and this is the only feature that many have seen on automatic timepieces.

Are Bulova watches expensive?

We don’t consider them as an expensive product in the industry. We can compare them with luxury brands like Omega, Roles, or the Grand Seiko. But it will not goes to the identification of expensive.

Bulova will always go in hand with your pocket budget, and if a person needs to spend more than that, they can do it too because Bulova consists of several price ranges. Whether you expect low or high, it has both options in here.

Is Bulova a High-End Watch?

They all are not considering high-end products. But still, there are two. If a person is looking forward to a vintage timepiece, they can go for the Auction series as they are the best option for you all.

But if a user is searching for more of a modern watch, then they can end up in the series of Precisionist. Most of the time, they consider these two series as high ended products in the Bulova industry.

Accutron of Bulova is the most iconic time piece in the company they have produced, and they are the most accurate one that the Swiss automatic counterparts due to the Accutron in it.

So whether you are searching for a high-end or other, you have both options on here. But know that we don’t consider them as high-end. Most of the watches have a selling range of 600-1000. They do not have poor quality, but they don’t have a high ended price.

Is Bulova considered a luxury watch?

Yes, we consider it a luxurious one as it is a luxury watch company, and we consider it a luxurious brand. In modern society, this brand has an upscale brand of watches within the market.

This highlights the best offers for the users, and the features offered here are the dreams of many Americans. They have a luxurious end product, and they go with luxurious needs.

Are Bulova watches worth the money?

They are worthy because of the features they are offering. These all have high accuracy on them, and most of the features they hold are so valuable. As we consider it a luxurious product, it also gives some high ranged appearance to it, and they will be worthy of the money.

The design, quality, and movements are worth what you spent, and there will be no doubt that these products are worthy.

How to spot a fake Bulova watch?

You can keep checking on fowling steps to identify if it is original or fake.

Make sure there are no flaws.
Check if there are correct spellings and lettering.
If you buy a new one, it should come with a separate bag of plastic and pins and the extra links. If all of them are on the watch, it will be fake.
There should be a Bulova pillow for the display.
Counterclockwise turning bezel
The logo must be reflective with a 3D look.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question 1: Is Bulova a respected brand?
Answer: Yes, it is a much respected one. It has an amazing history of more than 140 years, and it delivered many brilliant timepieces to the industry, which properly impacted this industry.

Question 2: Do Bulova watches hold value?
Answer: Currently, they are retaining their value. As they are a respected brand, they don’t drop down from value, and some of their vintage pieces have more value since they are no longer with the production.

Conclusion

Bulova is the most iconic timepiece in the industry, and they are so famous for their accuracy. So it will never be a bad idea to buy this product as it is a worthy investment. Do not hesitate and buy your timepiece because it will be an always-worthy option.

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MR Sony

MR Sony is a watch enthusiast who has been using watches since 2002. In 2020, he founded the luxury watch blog(Pickedwatch.com). Before starting the site, he spent four years as a contributing editor to multiple web blogs, where he wrote about luxury lifestyles.