Bulova Vintage Wrist Alarm N2

Established in 1875 by Joseph Bulova, born in the Czech Republic, Bulova started as a small store in New York City dedicated to jewellery and later developing into a large watch company. They were also the producers of the first radio advertisement broadcast in 1926 and the first ever television advertisement in 1941. Regarding Bulova’s horological advances, there are a few worth mentioning. In the 1960s one of their most important models was released, the Bulova Accutron, which was the first completely electronic watch ever developed with an accuracy of 1 minute per month. Bulova also partnered with NASA, where it provided timepieces for 46 missions, from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Throughout the years watch complications have been a focus of development by the majority of the brands. Some of the best known complications include chronographs, calendars, world timers and GMTs, which are very trendy nowadays. But one type of complication that is forgotten by many is the mechanical alarm. Perhaps the best known timepiece with an alarm is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, both in vintage as in present-day watches. But in this field Bulova was also a big contestant.

The timepiece presented dates from the 60’s and is a vintage Bulova Wrist Alarm N2 with a beautifully aged blue dial, applied hour markers, date window at 3 o’clock, hour and minute hands with aged luminescence and a white central seconds hand. If you look closely you can distinguish a separate blue alarm hand that allows its wearer to set the alarm time according to an inner blue minute track, operated by a secondary manually wound upper crown. The alarm is particularly interesting as it not only makes its noise but it is also felt by the wearer through its vibration on the wrist, also known as a “cricket alarm”. You can also hear it and its vibration when placed somewhere like on a table or nightstand. This watch is powered by a 11AURCD movement with 17 jewels and provides up to 50 hours of power reserve. Also, at 37mm in diameter it presents a great size for a vintage piece, ready to accommodate to most wrist sizes, and comes with a black leather rally strap and steel buckle.

This timepiece has been evaluated by a professional watchmaker and as it is a vintage watch we advise you to take special attention not to submit it to any water or humidity. Also, although it is working completely fine you have to remember it was built many years ago, so you should not expect time keeping accuracy similar to todays more rigorous standards.

This is not only a beautiful but also practical timepiece that vintage watch collectors will love. From a well known brand with a horological reputation, this can be your everyday vintage watch, with a size and dial colour adaptable to most of your life events, with the possibility of turning it into your bedside alarm clock.