nce lauded as the world’s foremost producer of fine Swiss watches, Bulova and its brainchild, Accutron, took the horology world by storm in the 1960s before fading into obscurity with the onset of the quartz revolution from Japan. However, in a twist of fate, the brand that spearheaded American watchmaking has found a resurgence in the 21st century under the aegis of Japan’s Citizen Group.

From the nerve centre of Citizen Watch America in New York’s iconic Empire State Building, we connected via video conference with Jeffrey Cohen, President of CWA since 2010. Poised and relaxed, Cohen exudes confidence in Bulova and Accutron, now distinct entities but deeply intertwined in their American origins. “The birth of Accutron is Bulova’s history going back many years,” Cohen affirms.

Jeffrey Cohen has been the President of Citizen for the Americas since 2010, which became Citizen Watch America in 2017 with the full integration of Bulova and Citizen.

Founded in 1875, Bulova transcended its role as a mere watchmaker, gaining prominence as a testament to American ingenuity. Joseph Bulova’s company, pivotal during two World Wars, led the transition from pocket watches to wristwatches. Renowned for its audacious marketing, Bulova was the first company to broadcast advertisements on both radio and television, firmly establishing its brand.

Bulova advertisement in a Europa Star issue from 1962

©Europa Star Archives

The rise and fall of Accutron

The culmination of Bulova’s pioneering approach was the creation of Accutron (“Accuracy through Electronics”), a horological marvel of its time. With its tuning fork mechanism, Accutron boasted unparalleled accuracy and embodied the promise of the future. Cohen reminisces, “Accutron was originally launched as a standalone brand by Bulova in 1960, and operated under various names over the years.” And yet, for the broader market, its close association with Bulova is inevitable.

A timeline distinguishing fact from fiction regarding Bulova Accutron’s involvement in the lead-up to the Apollo space programme, as published in the 1968 vintage issue of Europa Star, available in its Europe, Latin America, and Asia editions.

©Europa Star Archives

“Bulova Accutron was a leading brand in the ’60s and ’70s. It was one of the first fully electronic timepieces, and had a significant partnership with NASA,” Cohen asserts. Its precision instruments were crucial in 46 space missions, propelling the brand’s meteoric rise alongside America’s dominance in the Space Race. Before quartz watches rendered its technology obsolete, Bulova Accutron was billed as the “most advanced and exquisitely fashioned” personal timepiece, integral to the life of the wearer, echoing the founding spirit of Citizen.

[For a deeper dive into this fascinating story, listen to Europa Star’s podcast episode on Accutron’s journey at The Watch Files.]

Accutron’s own brand advertisement in Life magazine in 1960.

Since 2008, the Japanese conglomerate has owned Bulova, manufacturing its watches in Japan with a focus on mass-market appeal and affordability. While continually evolving its product range and technology, the century-old brand taps into its extensive archives to reissue vintage models like the Lunar Pilot, and Accutron Legacy. “It’s something we play on,” remarks Cohen. “We’re constantly looking for stories from our rich history because it’s very important to look at our past before we move forward.”

Skipping a generation

Cohen emphasises the delicate balance between heritage and progress. “With Citizen’s R&D, we’re always making advancements. One would be the world’s first curved chronograph movement, and also the Precisionist movement,” he adds. “There are so many things still to come from our company in Japan that we can integrate into the Bulova and Accutron brands. We’re always going to innovate and bring new things to the marketplace, whether it be through material, through design, or technology.”

The Oceanographer GMT marks the latest evolution of the vintage-inspired archive series, paying homage to the 1970s ’Devil Diver’ watch. It is available in three versions, each priced under $1,200.

With a firm grasp of the brands, Cohen reveals that Citizen Watch America, a wholly-owned subsidiary, steers their operations worldwide, devising brand strategies, product design and development, marketing, and distribution. This autonomy preserves the brands’ authenticity while catering to a diverse global audience. Leading from this stronghold has positioned the brands advantageously to capture the booming American market.

The newly updated Lunar Pilot is a modern take on the reissue of ’the other moonwatch’, a lesser-known Bulova chronograph that was worn on the moon during a NASA mission in 1971.

Armed with a compelling legacy, CWA has spun off Accutron as a standalone brand to target a new audience, aged 35-55. Cohen notes, “While there are obviously the baby boomers, we’re seeing a younger demographic buying their first luxury watch, and these young people want a conversation piece. It’s interesting because they’re not choosing something that their parents are wearing. It’s what their grandparents are wearing. It skips a generation.”

Conceived and developed by Citizen in Japan, the electrostatic motor in the new Accutron generates electricity from kinetic movement and drives the sweeping motion of the seconds hand, setting it apart from the ticking motion of mechanical watches.

A revitalised legend

Cohen recognises the growing interest in the ’60s and ’70s vintage watches and in the complexities of movement design. “We kept seeing this increasing opportunity to get into the entry-level luxury space, and we’d developed this unique, unquestionable technology. So, we felt it time now to bring the consumer on board once again with another world first.” Engineered by Citizen, the novel mechanism uses two motors to convert the wearer’s motion into electrical energy and power the timekeeping function, thus replacing traditional mechanics or batteries.

Marking Accutron’s 60^th anniversary in 2020, CWA introduced the brand with this breakthrough technology, reimagining the retro-futuristic designs of its cutting-edge predecessors. However, launching a proprietary electrostatic timepiece and separating the brands in disrupted market conditions was a bold move. It would certainly be a test of resolve, especially amid the pandemic’s physical restrictions, to articulate the electronic intricacies and value proposition to a fine watch audience.

The Accutron Spaceview Evolution, with its proprietary movement powered by electrostatic energy, features a 2 o’clock crown and a revised dial layout, representing a design evolution from the Spaceview 2020.

CWA acknowledges establishing each brand’s distinct DNA will take time. “We have a lot of work underway to position Accutron in a completely different place for the future compared to what it is now, so that it’s recognised as a brand of innovation that is unheard of and sustainable; it’s something truly special,” says Cohen. Currently retailing just below the $5,000 mark, the brand is strategically placed in high-end stores alongside renowned brands like Patek Philippe and Rolex, catering to the burgeoning demand at higher price points.

Crafting the fabric of America

The company aims to carefully cultivate selective distribution, deviating from the traditional model. “We participate in watch fairs, such as Windup. Our recent collaboration with Analog:Shift (a part of the Watches of Switzerland Group that specialises in vintage and pre-owned pieces), and with collector groups like RedBar and Complecto, has been instrumental in conveying our messages directly to the market. Our focus is not just our retail partners but also the end consumer,” states Cohen.

With America as the primary market for both brands, Cohen maintains a consumer-centric approach, although he declines to comment on production capacity and sales volume. “We’re really playing into what people want and delivering that through Accutron,” he asserts. As for Bulova, the group’s fastest growing brand in North America over the last five years, it is currently gaining traction in Italy, and the growth in Europe augurs well for its global expansion.

Looking ahead to Bulova’s 150^th and Accutron’s 65^th anniversaries in 2025, Cohen’s vision is “to have even more clarity in defining their identities” and “to delight watch enthusiasts in different perspectives”. The strategy is to refine their appeal to the more discerning consumer, a process that will evolve over time. He says, “We have specific teams by brand dedicated to growing their particular brand portfolio,” adding, “more importantly, they work in unison during the key moments to take advantage of the brands’ shared history.”

A multi-brand flagship store in New York

As Citizen Watch America continues to develop Bulova and Accutron, the U.S. remains their strategic foothold. The recent opening of Citizen Group’s sprawling 7,000-square-foot multi-brand flagship store on Fifth Avenue at Rockefeller Centre in New York – a first outside Japan – epitomises its commitment. The central location offers visitors from all over the world a luxury setting to experience the brand essence, and see products unavailable elsewhere.

Cohen reveals plans for a third floor in the store, which will become a dedicated space for brand activations. “We’re going to have a Bulova museum up there, and a Citizen museum, of course. So, we will use that as a platform to engage the watch community, hosting collectors and major watch groups,” he shares enthusiastically. While details on product directions remain confidential, the future of both brands is assured by Citizen’s manufacturing prowess and a respectful nod of their American heritage.