| 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. 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. |