I hate to admit but I knew basically nothing about Bulova. It turns out it was great American story of an immigrant from Bohemia (in what is now the Czech Republic) who came to America and basically drove the development of the wrist watch. The company had many innovations and many firsts along the way and play a role in many historical events:
- the standardization of watch parts
- launching the first full line of ladies’ watches,
- airing the first radio commercial in 1927
1927 was the year legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh became the first man to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. This accomplishment earned Lindbergh the Bulova Watch Prize of $1,000 and the opportunity to be the face of the company’s Lone Eagle wristwatch, which commemorated the record-setting flight. Lindbergh touted the watch in advertisements as “my pleasure to wear, keeps accurate time and is a beauty,” the Lone Eagle became Bulova’s best-selling watch of the era.
It was 1960 when Bulova announced its most famous and influential contribution to the science of watchmaking — the Bulova Accutron, which Bulova promoted as the world’s first fully electronic watch. The Accutron incorporated a revolutionary new technology that utilized a 360-Hertz tuning fork, powered by a one-transistor electronic oscillator, to drive the timekeeping functions instead of a traditional balance wheel. The Tuning fork subsequently became a well recognized logo of Bulova. The tuning fork technology ensured an oscillation rate of 360 times per second — nearly 150 times faster than that of a mechanical, balance-wheel-driven timepiece — and guaranteed an accuracy to just one minute per month. The Accutron was distinguished by its telltale humming instead of ticking, a sound generated by the vibrating tuning fork.
In the 1960s, the company was involved in a rivalry with Omega Watches to be selected as the 'first watch on the Moon'. In 1971, a Bulova chronograph was carried on board Apollo 15 (the fourth mission to land men on the Moon) by mission commander David Scott. All twelve men who walked on the Moon wore standard Omega Speedmaster watches that had been officially issued by NASA. During Scott's second excursion on the Moon's surface, the crystal on his Omega watch had popped off. So, during his third lunar walk, he used his backup Bulova watch making it the only privately-owned wristwatch worn on the moon's surface. The watch was a prototype given to Scott by Bulova - the Bulova Chronograph Model #88510/01. This watch sold at auction for $1.625 million in 2015 - one of most expensive astronaut-owned artifacts ever sold at auction and the one of the most expensive watches sold at auction. The company released an homage edition of the lunar watch in 2016, using a modern high frequency quartz movement.
The Bulova Watch Company became part of the Loews Corporation in 1979 (Loews Corporation is an American conglomerate headquartered in New York City.) and was eventually sold to Citizen at the end of 2007. (Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. based in Tokyo, Japan is an electronics company primarily known for its watches).
But back to the clock. I got it for a great price from eBay. I'm wondering if people didn't bid because the seller had a 1 feedback score. Anyway, When I got it was making a racket.
Bulova Sound Before
Turned out to be that a metal spring over the rotor needed to be adjusted - took it of and bent it a little - it's silent now. I really like how the alarm set and time adjust knob sticks out the side. It's unique.
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