Bulova

Who are Bulova?

Bulova is an American watch company founded in New York in 1875 by Joseph Bulova, and still based there (Wikipedia; Gear Patrol). It has been owned by the Japanese watchmaker Citizen since January 2008 (JCK). This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a second-hand Bulova in the UK.

Bulova is known above all for the Accutron of 1960, which kept time with a tuning fork, and for the chronograph an Apollo 15 astronaut wore on the Moon in 1971 (Wikipedia). Today’s range includes many reissues of older designs (Gear Patrol). Its watches are not made in the US: Gear Patrol reports that some are made in Japan or Hong Kong and higher-end models are Swiss made.

The history of Bulova

Bulova’s history runs from a New York jeweller in 1875 to a brand within the Citizen group. The key dates are the Swiss factory (1912), the first television advertisement (1941), the Accutron (1960), Apollo 15 (1971) and the purchase by Citizen (2008).

New York and Biel. Joseph Bulova, an immigrant from Bohemia, founded the J. Bulova Company in New York City in 1875. In 1912 the company opened its first plant dedicated entirely to watch production, in Biel, Switzerland, and in 1923 it was reincorporated as the Bulova Watch Company (Wikipedia).

Advertising and training. On 1 July 1941 Bulova ran what Wikipedia calls the world’s first television advertisement, on the New York station WNBT, before a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game. In 1945 Arde Bulova founded the Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking to train disabled veterans of the Second World War; it closed in 1993 (Wikipedia).

The Accutron. The Accutron went on sale in October 1960. It used a tuning fork vibrating at 360 Hz, rather than a balance wheel, to keep time, and gave a faint hum rather than a tick. Its inventor, Max Hetzel, had joined Bulova in 1950 (Wikipedia).

Apollo 15. During the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, Commander David Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the Moon after the crystal came off his NASA-issue Omega (Wikipedia). The Omega Speedmaster’s role in the space programme is covered on our Omega page.

Changes of owner. Gulf and Western took a stake in Bulova in 1973 and sold it to Stelux in 1976; Loews Corporation acquired the company in 1979 (Wikipedia). The Biel factory closed in 1983 (Wikipedia). Citizen agreed to buy Bulova from Loews in October 2007 and completed the purchase on 10 January 2008 (JCK). Some sources, including Gear Patrol, give 2007 as the year Citizen took over, and Wikipedia’s own article gives both dates.

Under Citizen. Bulova introduced the Precisionist, a high-frequency quartz watch, in 2010, and a homage to the Apollo 15 chronograph, sold as the Lunar Pilot. Sources differ on its date: Wikipedia gives 2016, while Worn & Wound says the first reissue came out in 2015. A reissue of the Computron followed in 2019, and in 2020 Citizen made Accutron a separate brand (Wikipedia).

What is Bulova known for?

Bulova is known for the Accutron tuning-fork watch, the Apollo 15 chronograph, its high-frequency Precisionist quartz movement, and reissues of its own past designs. The details below are each sourced.

Tuning-fork timekeeping. In the Accutron, a tuning fork rather than a balance wheel regulated the watch (Wikipedia). Wikipedia notes that the industrial equipment used in the 1960s and 1970s to make the technology no longer exists. Our guide to mechanical and quartz watches explains the two technologies the Accutron sat between.

Apollo 15. David Scott wore his Bulova chronograph on the Moon when the crystal came off his Omega (Wikipedia). Worn & Wound describes the watch as made for Scott. Today’s Lunar Pilot is a homage to it with a 262 kHz quartz movement (Worn & Wound).

High-frequency quartz. Most quartz watches run at 32,768 Hz. The Precisionist runs at 262 kHz (Gear Patrol), and Bulova claims it is accurate to ±10 seconds a year (Wikipedia).

Reissues. The Archive Series reissues notable Bulova watches, mostly from the 1960s and 1970s, and the Military collection reissues historical military watches (Gear Patrol).

Which Bulova collections are there?

Gear Patrol groups Bulova’s range into the Archive Series, Military, Joseph Bulova, Curv, Marine Star, Precisionist and Regatta, with Caravelle as a lower-priced sub-brand. Bulova’s own site lists men’s, women’s, military-inspired and Caravelle watches, with the Archive Series and Marine Star on its home page (Bulova). The collections table gives a one-line description of the main ones.

A few points help when you are reading listings:

• Bulova or Accutron? Since 2020 Accutron has been a separate brand within the Citizen group (Wikipedia), and Bulova’s site links to it separately (Bulova). Older watches marked both Bulova and Accutron, including vintage tuning-fork models, are a different thing from today’s Accutron watches.
• Original or reissue? Many Bulova designs exist both as originals and as modern reissues, such as the Lunar Pilot and the Computron (Wikipedia). Check the movement and the reference: a “1971 Moon watch” listing may be a modern quartz homage.
• Swiss made or not. Some Bulovas are made in Japan or Hong Kong and some are Swiss made (Gear Patrol). Check the dial and caseback markings against the model.

Who owns Bulova?

Bulova is owned by Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, which completed its purchase from Loews Corporation on 10 January 2008 (JCK). When the deal closed, Citizen said it would run Bulova as a separate organisation, keeping its offices and structure (JCK).

Citizen Watch Co. is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange; our Citizen page covers its history and ownership. In 2020 Citizen separated Accutron from Bulova as its own brand (Wikipedia).

In the UK, Companies House lists a Bulova U.K. Limited, incorporated in 2009 and dissolved on 18 May 2021 (Companies House). We could not confirm which company now distributes Bulova in the UK.

Buying a Bulova watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

Check whether the watch is a vintage original or a modern reissue, which movement it has, and whether it has been serviced by someone who knows that movement. Then check its condition, papers and who you are buying from.

1. Vintage or modern. Decide which you are buying. A vintage Accutron or 1970s Bulova is a different purchase from a modern Archive Series reissue of the same design (Gear Patrol). The listing should say which it is, and the movement will confirm it.

2. The movement. Ask what is inside: tuning fork, mechanical, standard quartz or Precisionist. For a vintage tuning-fork Accutron, ask whether it runs, whether it has been serviced and by whom. Because the equipment used to make these movements no longer exists (Wikipedia), ask whether parts were replaced and where they came from.

3. Servicing. For mechanical Bulovas, ask when the watch was last serviced; our guide to caring for a mechanical watch explains what a service involves. For quartz models, ask when the battery was changed and whether water resistance was tested afterwards.

4. Authenticity and condition. Ask the seller to put in writing that the watch is genuine and all original, and to accept returns if it is not. Our guides on how to spot a fake watch and watch condition grades explain what to look for and how sellers describe wear.

5. Papers. For a modern Bulova, ask for the box, warranty card and receipt. For vintage watches, papers are rare, and the movement and dial matter more. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

6. Buying from abroad. If you buy a Bulova from a seller outside the UK, for example in the US, where the brand began, import VAT and possibly duty apply; see our guide to import duty and VAT on watches.

7. Who you buy from. A dealer must meet the Consumer Rights Act; a private seller has fewer obligations. See private sellers versus dealers.

8. Where it fits. A Bulova can be a first watch with a story behind it, and a modern reissue is a way to try a vintage design before buying an original or trading up.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bulova an American company?

Bulova was founded in New York in 1875 and is still based there, but it has been owned by Japan’s Citizen since 2008 (Wikipedia; JCK).

Who owns Bulova?

Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., which completed its purchase from Loews Corporation on 10 January 2008 (JCK).

Where are Bulova watches made?

Not in the US. Gear Patrol reports that some models are made in Japan or Hong Kong and higher-end models are Swiss made.

What was the Bulova Accutron?

A watch first sold in October 1960 that kept time with a 360 Hz tuning fork instead of a balance wheel (Wikipedia).

Is Accutron still part of Bulova?

Not since 2020, when Citizen made Accutron a separate brand (Wikipedia).

Did a Bulova go to the Moon?

Yes. On Apollo 15 in 1971, David Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the Moon after the crystal came off his Omega (Wikipedia).

What is the Bulova Lunar Pilot?

A chronograph based on the Apollo 15 watch, with a 262 kHz quartz movement (Worn & Wound). Wikipedia dates the homage to 2016; Worn & Wound dates the first reissue to 2015.

What is a Bulova Precisionist?

A quartz watch with a 262 kHz movement, introduced in 2010, which Bulova says is accurate to ±10 seconds a year (Wikipedia; Gear Patrol).

Can I buy a second-hand Bulova without papers?

Yes, and most vintage Bulovas are sold that way. Rely on the seller’s written description, photos of the movement and a check by a watchmaker you choose.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Bulova or Citizen.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.