| The history and success of Bulova Watches is closely | | | | styles. By now, more Americans were wearing Bulova |
| intertwined with the history of the United States in the | | | | watches than any other watch brand. |
| 20th century. Just as America was founded by | | | | In 1926, Arde Bulova, the son of the founder and now |
| immigrants from foreign shores, the Bulova Watch | | | | President of the company, offered a prize to the first |
| company was started by Joseph Bulova, a young | | | | pilot to fly a transatlantic flight solo. In 1927 Charles |
| Bohemian immigrant in 1875 in New York City. Making | | | | Lindbergh was presented with a special |
| beautiful pocket watches and lovely clocks, young | | | | commemorative watch. Five thousand copies of the |
| Joseph brought with him old-world craftsmanship and | | | | watch named the "Lone Eagle" were sold in three |
| shaped it with new-world innovation. | | | | days after Lindbergh's' famous flight. |
| Over the course of the next 130 years, the Bulova | | | | Other firsts include the first national radio |
| Brand developed into one of the world's leading | | | | advertisement in 1926. Called the Bulova Watch Time |
| developers of timekeeping instruments. These included | | | | ad, it became a national symbol of pride. In 1931 they |
| delicate boudoir clocks and simple pocket watches to | | | | began building the first electric clocks. These included |
| diamond encrusted watch pins for women. In 1919, | | | | mantel and wall clocks for the home, as well as large |
| when the US entered World War I, the watch | | | | models for airports, bus terminals and train stations. |
| company began making simple yet sturdy | | | | During the depression the Bulova Watch Company |
| wristwatches for our soldiers. Until this time, | | | | spent over 1 million dollars to support their retailers by |
| wristwatches were for the elite. | | | | offering credit and time-payment plans. Another novel |
| In 1920, the company built an observatory atop a | | | | idea for the time. In 1941, they had the first national TV |
| skyscraper in the middle of New York City. This is the | | | | advertisement which costs $9.00 for the 20 second |
| first observatory to be built on top of a skyscraper. It is | | | | spot. |
| managed by a mathematician, whose readings are | | | | The Bulova Watch Company has worked closely with |
| instantaneously recorded electronically on a | | | | the Defense Department to not only produce watches, |
| chronograph, guiding the watchmakers in the Setting | | | | but also fuses and torpedo mechanisms. In 1941 they |
| and Timing unit. This was an important feat as it | | | | adopted a resolution that all national defense products |
| demonstrated Bulova's dedication to accuracy and | | | | would be sold at actual cost. They worked with the |
| exacting measurements for their timekeeping pieces. | | | | government to produce military watches, as well as |
| In 1923 the company introduced and perfected a | | | | mechanisms for torpedoes and fuses. During World |
| revolutionary concept in the industry: complete | | | | War II, 20% of all radio advertising was used to |
| standardization of parts. From then on, every Bulova | | | | promote War Bonds and Stamps. |
| watch was made with such precision (standardized to | | | | When the war was nearing its end, the company |
| ten thousandth of an inch) that it is interchangeable | | | | founded the Joseph Bulova Watchmaking School for |
| with the same part in other Bulova watches. This is a | | | | disabled veterans. Equipped with state of the art |
| revolution in the watch servicing industry. | | | | features for disabled accessibility, the school taught |
| Other firsts include the introduction of the first clock | | | | many of our veterans a trade that would provide them |
| radio in 1928. In 1929 they re-engineered how | | | | with employment for the rest of their lives. As if this |
| automobile clocks were made and installed. In 1924, | | | | was not enough, the school assured employment with |
| Bulova was the first watch company to introduce a | | | | over 1,500 positions promised by American jewelers. |
| line of women's watches, including diamond-encrusted | | | | |