The story of Bulova is deeply entwined with American manufacturing. 

Its founder, a Czech immigrant named Joseph Bulova, was inspired by the advances that Ford made in his factory in Highland Park, Michigan. In 1912, Bulova built a factory in Biel, Switzerland, using Ford’s principles of mass production.

The brand was among the first to offer a wide range of wristwatches for men, with a distinctive visual style that — thanks to its innovative adoption of advertising and a relocation to Astoria, Queens — became fixed in the American imagination. Bulova took over offices in a skyscraper on 5th Avenue in Manhattan and installed an observatory on the roof in order to measure universal time. In the workshop down below, watchmakers timed the watches they were working on against readings taken in the observatory.

The watches that Bulova produced were varied, from handsome three-handers to divers and even chronographs. Bulova produced its first chronographs in the 1940s — single-button affairs with screw-on bezels. Throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70's, Bulova honed its mastery of such watches.

This particular Bulova, with its unique, textured gold dial in excellent condition, is definitely not something you see every day. Housed in a 33mm, 10K yellow gold case with fancy lugs, it features a date aperture at 3 o’clock, gold stick hands with matching luminous material, an unsigned crown, an acrylic crystal, and the vintage-style Bulova whale logo. Powered by the automatic 11AOACD automatic movement, it’s wildly cool, and a great vintage size for both men and women.

If you’re looking for a cool vintage gold watch at a great value, you can stop your search right here!