Bulova Accutron

Accutron watches are made by the Bulova watch company. Originally designed in the 1950s for NASA, Accutron's state-of-the-art timekeeping mechanism is accurate to within two seconds a year. The success of the Accutron electronics was phenomenal enough that the Bulova Accutron division decided to manufacture a line of consumer Accutron watches with the Accutron mechanism. These were the Accutron Spaceview watches. Thus, the first automatic electronic watches for consumers were born.

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.

Top Selling Bulova Accutron
MEN'S ACCUTRON OXFORD CHRONOGRAPH WATCH 26B19	MEN'S ACCUTRON CHRONOGRAPH BRECKENRIDGE WATCH 26B29	MEN'S ACCUTRON BARCELONA ULTRA THIN WATCH 28B60

MEN'S ACCUTRON AUTOMATIC GEMINI WATCH 28B67	LADIES' ACCUTRON LUCERNE WATCH 26M04	LADIES' ACCUTRON CHAMONIX DIAMOND WATCH 26R11

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.

Bulova acquires certain assets of Heirloom, a custom woodworking company specializing in the manufacture of grandfather clocks. Operating as a Bulova subsidiary under the new name, Art of Time, Ltd., the Kitchener, Ontario-based facility begins producing high-quality, custom-made Bulova grandfather clocks for sale in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Bulova also launches a comprehensive international operating strategy to enhance its global positioning while protecting the integrity of the Bulova name by reasserting control over development and marketing worldwide. A key component of the program is the opening of European headquarters in Fribourg, Switzerland, marking Bulova’s return to full proprietary operations in Europe after nearly a quarter of a century.

Made in Switzerland, with product development at both Bulova Swiss, S.A. and Bulova’s home office in New York, the Bulova European Collection is set to begin distribution on January 1, 2003.

History is from Bulova's public information.

More Bulova Watches: Because Bulova watches are available from a number of excellent merchants on the internet we have listed these on our Buyers Guide so that you can shop with confidence knowing you are receiving the very best price and are shopping with merchants you can trust. Many merchants offer special discounts, coupons and memberships. Happy shopping!

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