Bulova Watches
- A Brief History
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1875 Joseph
Bulova, a 23-year-old Czech immigrant, opens a small
jewelry shop on Maiden Lane in New York City.
1911 Bulova
begins manufacturing and selling boudoir and table
clocks as well as fine pocket watches. These pieces
are sold in unprecedented numbers.
1912 Bulova
sets up its first plant dedicated to the production
of watch components and their assembly into jeweled
movements in Bienne, Switzerland.
1919 During
World War I, the convenience of wristwatches (as
opposed to pocket watches) is discovered. In 1919
Bulova introduces the first full line of men's jeweled
wristwatches.
1923 The
name Bulova Watch Company, Inc. is adopted. Bulova
perfects a new concept in the watch industry with
total standardization of parts. Every part of a
Bulova watch is made with such precision (standardized
to the ten thousandth part of an inch) that it is
interchangeable with the same part in any other
Bulova watch. This revolutionizes the servicing
of watches in the industry.
1924 Bulova
unveils the first full line of ladies' watches,
including diamond accented pieces.
1926 Bulova
produces the nation's first ever radio spot commercial,
"At the tone, it's 8 PM, B-U-L-O-V-A Bulova
watch time."
1927 In
honor of Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic solo
flight from New York to Paris, Bulova ships 5,000
Lone Eagle watches, packaged with pictures of Lindbergh.
The supply is sold out within three days. During
the next few years Bulova sells nearly 50,000 of
these commemorative watches. 1927 is also the year
Bulova Watch Company goes public on the American
Stock Exchange.
1928 Bulova
introduces the world's first clock radio.
1929 Bulova
engineers and patents a new principle in the construction
of automobile clocks.
1931 Bulova
begins manufacturing the first electric clocks via
mass production.
The collection includes wall and mantel clocks,
and clocks for use in stores, windows, office buildings
and terminals.
1931 Bulova
conducts the watch industry's first ever million
dollar advertising campaign. Throughout the Depression
years, Bulova supports retailers by offering Bulova
watches to buyers on time-payment plans.
1935 Joseph
Bulova, founder of Bulova Watch Company, dies.
1941 Continuing
its tradition of advertising firsts, Bulova airs
the first television commercial: a simple picture
of a clock and a map of the United States, with
a voice-over proclaiming, "America runs on
Bulova time." 1941 also marks the year that
the Bulova Board of Directors adopts a resolution
to manufacture products for national defense at
actual cost. Throughout World War II, having perfected
the skill of creating precision timepieces, Arde
Bulova, Joseph's son, works with the U.S. government
to produce military watches, specialized timepieces,
aircraft instruments, critical torpedo mechanisms
and fuses.
1945 The
Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking opens its doors
to help disabled veterans learn watchmaking skills
1948 Bulova
begins developing the Phototimer, a unique combination
of photo-finish camera and precision electronic
timing instrument.
1952 Bulova
begins developing Accutron, the first breakthrough
in timekeeping technology in over 300 years. Accutron,
the first fully electronic watch, promises to keep
time to within 2 seconds a day.
1953 Recognizing
a new trend in the watch industry, the self-winding
and shock-proof watch, Bulova adds more of this
type of watch to its line. Also added this year
is the Bulova Wrist-Alarm, an entirely new kind
of watch.
1954 Bulova
introduces the "Bulova 23," a self-winding,
waterproof , 23-jewel watch with an unbreakable
mainspring, made entirely in the United States.
1955 An
A.C. Neilson Co. Survey reveals that Americans see
more national advertising for Bulova products than
for any other products, in any other industry, in
the world.
1956 Bulova
completes negotiations to co-sponsor the Jackie
Gleason Show, a one-hour live television show airing
Saturday nights from eight to nine o'clock. This
is the first time in history that any watch or jewelry
allied industry has made a sponsorship commitment
of such magnitude.
1959 Bulova
offers an unprecedented 1-year warranty on all of
its clock radios.
1960 NASA
asks Bulova to incorporate Accutron into its computers
for the space program. Bulova timing mechanisms
eventually become an integral part of 46 missions
of the U.S. Space Program. Also in 1960, Bulova
reintroduces its redeveloped Phototimer clock, improved
with updated photographic and electronic technologies.
It features an infrared sensing element patterned
after those used on heat-seeking missiles. Mounted
on the starter's pistol, the Phototimer senses the
flash of the gun and starts a timer clock at the
same instant that the runners leave their marks.
1961 Accutron,
the first watch to keep time through electronics,
is introduced. It is the most spectacular breakthrough
in timekeeping since the invention of the wrist
watch. This revolutionary timekeeping concept of
a watch without springs or escapement is operated
by an electronically activated tuning fork. The
Accutron watch goes on to become a presidential
gift to world leaders and other dignitaries. President
Johnson declares it the White House's official "Gift
of State."
1962 The
Accutron Tuning-fork watch becomes the first wristwatch
certified for use by railroad personnel. 1962 is
also the year that Bulova introduces its Caravelle
line of jeweled watches. Designed to retail at $10.95
to $29.95, Caravelle competes with non-jeweled watches
in the same price range.
1967 Accutron
clocks are the only clocks aboard Air Force One.
1968 The
Bulova Satellite Clock, the world's first public
clock to display time controlled by time signals
broadcast by orbiting satellites, is inaugurated
by Gustavo Diaz Ordaz, President of Mexico. The
clock is installed atop the Torre Latino Americana,
Mexico's tallest skyscraper. 1968 also marks the
year that Caravelle becomes the largest selling
jeweled-movement watch in the United States.
1969 An
Accutron watch movement is part of the equipment
placed on the moon by Apollo 11 astronauts, the
first men on the moon. A Bulova timer is placed
in the moon's "Sea of Tranquility" to
control the transmissions of vital data through
the years.
1969 Bulova
introduces the Accuquartz, the first quartz-based
clock.
1970 The
Bulova Accuquartz men's calendar wristwatch becomes
the first quartz crystal watch sold at retail in
the United States. Designed in 18 karat gold, it
retails for $1,325.
1973 Three
specially designed Accutron portable alarm clocks
are placed on board NASA's Skylab, the world's first
space laboratory, launched from Cape Kennedy. Also
this year, Bulova wins the world's first design
competition for solid-state digital watches at the
Prix de la Ville de Geneve watch-styling competition,
the world's most prestigious international watch
styling competition. Bulova also wins two of the
three honorable mentions awarded at the competition.
1976 Bulova
introduces its line of Accutron Quartz movement
watches for men. Also this year, the Smithsonian
Institution's National Air and Space Museum opens.
Exhibits include a display replicating the NASA
Skylab, including an Accutron "space alarm"
clock, identical to ones mounted onboard the actual
Skylab.
1977 Bulova
introduces its line of Accutron Quartz movement
watches for women.
1979 Bulova
becomes a subsidiary of Loews Corporation.
1983 The
Bulova Dimension is unveiled. It is the worlds thinnest
wall clock, measuring in at just 5/8 of an inch.
1986 Bulova
introduces its first miniature clock. Creating a
new category in clocks, Bulova goes on to produce
entire collections of miniature clocks, including
limited edition pieces and themed groupings.
1998 Bulova
introduces the Millennia Collection, a group of
watches featuring either innovative technology or
materials. The collection includes a solar group,
watches powered by light; motion quartz, watches
powered by the motion of the wearer's arm; and vibra-alarm,
watches featuring two alarm mode options sound or
vibration.
1999 Bulova
adds World Timer and Perpetual Calendar watches
to the Millennia Collection.
Please
remember that this is an unofficial account of the
history of this company, Should you happen to
find any mistakes with our information then please
contact
the webmaster. [American
Waltham
| Audemars
Piguet
| Blancpain
| Breitling
| Bulova
| Cartier
| Corum
| Ellesse
|Fortis] [Girard Perregaux
| Gucci | IWC
| Jaeger le Coultre | Longines] [Movado
| Oris | Omega
| Patek
Phillipe
| Rolex |
Seiko | Tag
Heuer]
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