Bulova at BSL Home of Beverly Hills

Founded in 1875, The Bulova Watch Corporation is headquartered in New York and is part of the American-owned and operated Loews Corporation. The realization of a great American dream began in 1875 when Joseph Bulova, a 23-year-old immigrant from Bohemia, opened a small jewelry store on Maiden Lane in New York City. This modest enterprise was to evolve into one of today's preeminent watch and clock companies -- Bulova Watch. In 1911, Bulova began manufacturing boudoir and desk clocks, along with fine pocket watches, which he made and sold in unprecedented numbers. During World War I, wristwatches were issued in the military for their greater convenience. Returning veterans brought home the new fashion--and a new market emerged. Bulova Watch already had sufficient production facilities and a mastery of jewelry design, so Bulova Watch introduced the first full line of men's jeweled wristwatches in 1919. It was followed by the industry's first full line of ladies' wristwatches and the first line of diamond wristwatches. America ran on Bulova Watch time, beginning with radio's first commercials, broadcast nationally in 1926: "At the tone, it's 8 P.M., B-U-L-O-V-A Bulova watch time." Two years later, Bulova Watch introduced the world's first clock radio.