Good watches don’t have to be expensive, very rare, and often difficult to obtain; these are why Bulova watch brand decided to release its range of products into the market. It is pretty common to see Bulova watches with chunky cases and flashy designs, and those features don’t break the bank. Though there is some premium Bulova watches that cost higher than the average, most of the brand’s watches are within a budget range. Just like another watch brand, Bulova seems to have something for everyone.
So, Are Bulova Watches Good?
Yes, Bulova watches are accurate and more affordable than many other brands, but they score low on water resistance and can be gaudy.
Bulova Watches- What You Should Know
The following is some essential information you should know about the Bulova watch brand;
1. History of Bulova Watch Brand
Bulova watch brand was established in 1875 when a Bohemian immigrant named Joseph Bulova opened a small jewelry store on Maiden Lane, New York City. Maiden Lane has now become a significant financial district in the city.
Mr. Bulova happened to be an experienced goldsmith and a watchmaker before setting up a watch business. The company’s motive is to design and manufacture good quality American pocket watches. At the onset of world war 1, Mr. Bulova discovered that the fashion trend was shifting from pocket watches to wrist timepieces; he decided to embrace innovation, knowing that the future would likely be wristwatches.
By 1919 Bulova had switched entirely to wristwatch manufacturing and even displayed a complete set of men’s watches at his store the same year.
2. Development and Evolution of Bulova Watches Over the Years
In the early 1920s, Bulova decided to move his watch manufacturing company to Biel, in Switzerland, and that is where he was able to mass-produce a wide range of watches, especially for men. The mass watch product was quite alien to the watch industry, but it helped Joseph Bulova upscale his line of business.
In 1926, Bulova became the first watch manufacturer to roll out a radio advertisement for its range of watches.
The Lone Eagle is one of the earliest brands of watches released by the company, and it was released in 1927. The Lone Eagle was launched to commemorate the first non-stop flight over the Atlantic- a feat achieved by Charles Lindbergh. Bulova went on to produce its first TV advertisement in 1941 during the football game between Philadelphia Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers.
In 1945, Side Bulova, Joseph Bulova’s first son, took after his father, opened the first watchmaking school in the country, and was named after his father. The school had focused on training the World war 2 veterans’ watchmaking skills, but the facility later became a full-time rehabilitation center a few years later.
3. Early Bulova Watches
Bulova watches have evolved over the years with the release of new series constantly. By the 1950s, Bulova had become a household name in the watch manufacturing industry. In addition to making watches, the company also went into sports team promotion and other forms of advertising.
In 1951, Bulova introduced the Accutron- one of the earliest series. The watch was released under the theme “Accuracy and Electronic.” This phase represented modern times, and the watch operated with a 360 Hz tuning component that vibrates at 360 times/second. This technology is similar to the vibrating quartz found in modern watches today.
This watch also had an accuracy of 2 seconds/day and remains very impressive till today because it exceeds many mechanical watches around. Accutron was not released until 1960 commercially until a few years after Hamilton released the first electric watch.
The Precisionist is one of the newest Bulova watches released in 2010. The watch was released when Bulova returned to providing ultra-accurate timepieces for its followers and consumers. The Precisionist relies on an ultra-high frequency quartz movement that periodically maintains a 10 seconds perfection.
4. Bulova Space Mission
In 1971, an exciting development was recorded in the history of the Bulova watch brand. It was the year some astronauts went to space and were spotted wearing the famous Omega speed master’s watches. The watches were owned by NASA and were certified solely for the space exploration program. Bulova was motivated by this development and decided to create a watch for Apollo 15 exploration.
Commander David Scott was on preparing for his second lunar walk when his speed master’s watch crystal popped out. Rather than proceed on the journey without a watch, David Scott decided to wear the Bulova 88510 chronograph watch as a backup. This story was even more incredible because Bulova had bided to be part of the space mission but was unsuccessful.
The same Bulova watch David Scott wore sold recently for more than $1.6 million at a private auction. In honor of this significant milestone, Bulova decided to reproduce the watch. This means that those who can’t afford the original will surely afford the replicas.
5. The Controversies
Like most other top watch manufacturers, Bulova had passed through some controversial phases in its history. In 2008, Citizens bought the company for a massive $250 million. This purchase ended Bulova’s reign as America’s king of watchmakers.
While Bulova’s headquarters remains in New York, the United States of America, most of its manufacturing processes happen in countries like Japan, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.
What Are The Pros Of The Bulova Watches?
The following are some of the great reasons you should consider switching to Bulova watches;
1. The Lower Price Bargain
This is one of the best reasons you should consider buying a Bulova watch. Many sceptics wondered how the takeover by Citizens would affect the affordability and manufacturing standards of Bulova watches; thankfully, Bulova is not an overly expensive watch today.
It is quite common to see some Bulova watches priced at more than $1000, and at the same time, there is a wide range of good quality options in the $300 and $700 price ranges.
2. Innovation
Bulova is a watch company that is not afraid of taking chances. From the pre-world war 1watch series to the production of the first watch ads on TV in America, Bulova remains one of the most innovative watch manufacturers around today. The advancement in timepiece accuracies has transformed the watch industry for the better.
3. Good Customer Care Service
One thing you will notice with the Bulova group is that they listen to customers’ feedback. They have resized some of their watches and made them even more attractive than ever before. They constantly add those basic field watches and great chronographs to their lineup.
What Are The Cons Of Bulova Watches?
The following are some reasons why some people may avoid Bulova watches;
1. Styling
Bulova watch styling can be quite subjective. They are characterized by some wild and flashy designs that many minimalists really don’t want. The flashy designs seem to appeal to fashionistas and the younger generation who prefer hippy accessories. The watches are characterized by some busy dials alongside swirls and circles that can appeal to the average guy. Fortunately, Bulova watch manufacturers are adding new styles that appeal to all categories of society.
2. Size
They say Bulova watches are only good for the big guys, and that may seem to be somehow true. Most of the Bulova watches have a 44mm diameter or more, and that is quite big for some people who are not used to wearing bogus timepieces. There seem to be lug-to-lug length measurements for the watches too. The typical Bulova watch length may be more than 40mm.
3. Zero to Poor Water Resistance
It is possible to find some Bulova watches with great water resistance features; many of their watches are, however not good in terms of such.
Some Popular Bulova Watches You Should Check Out
The following are some of the finest Bulova watch options you should check out now;
Bulova Hack
This is one of the best field watches manufactured by Bulova. They are very compact and durable in design. It is a world war 2 era designed watch; hence it is military-inspired. It is a three-hand automatic movement watch and measures 38 x 47mm in width and length. The double-domed mineral Chrystal and stainless steel case complete the setup.
Bulova Chronograph-A
This is a flashy option, and it is a watch inspired by racers. It is a five-hand chronograph with pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock placements. This watch comes in beautiful color variants, and it comes with 200m of water resistance and measures 40.5mm in length.
Bulova A15 Pilot
The A15 is one of the big 44mm size watches from the brand. The lugs are curvy and short, thus making the watch comfortably wearable. It is also reasonably priced.
The Bulova Fly-me-to-the-moon, and Lunar pilot, are some other watches worth checking out.
