[Stingingfork]

In the past I've purchased the Bulova brand watches and felt like I was getting a made in USA watch but now with so much outsourcing I'm finding out that it's not the case anymore. I recently purchased as a Christamas gift a Bulova Women's 96R151 Solano which sells for just under $300.00 on Amazon and has a retail listing at $699.00. It is a self-winding movement (Japanese I believe) but after much searching online I can't find out where the Bulova watches are manufactured. Does anyone know for sure where their plants are located and in particular where this watch was made? I've read about some of the low quality watches coming out of China but they never mentioned Bulova as being one of them. If Bulova is producing watches out of China should I be concerned about their overall quality? I know $300.00 is not a lot to pay for a watch for some people but it is for me and I just wanted to get the best quality watch for the money. Did I make a mistake going with a Bulova?

 

[skypilot]

Unlike myself, some members of the forum have some modern Bulovas and they will know more than I do but, in the meantime, I'll put in my 2 cents worth.
Very very few watches are made in the USA the ones that are generally have movements made elsewhere and I don't think any of them can be bought for $300.
Bulova is now owned by Citizen so I would suspect that most of them are probably made in Japan.
I doubt if our watch was made in China but I have 3 made in China watches, the cheapest of which cost $15 including shipping from China, and all of them work very well.
I doubt if you made a mistake buying that watch.

 

[oliverb]

I concur with Skypilot. In addition to my Bulova brand watches, I have a number of Russian watches. In the past, these watches were made entirely in the Soviet Union/Russia. Today, you just can't be certain. Even some of the current stock of Russian watches now have cases made in China. The cases can be sourced from China cheaper and of higher quality. Russian movements are also used by some companies around the world in their Boutique Brand watches. You can buy a jeweled auto wind watch made in China and shipped to you for even less than the $15 Skypilot paid! It's incredible. There are some great high quality watches coming out of China today. As for your watch, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Stingingfork]

Thanks skypilot for the response. After I posted I got a reply from Bulova that their movements are "American-designed and Japanese-manufactured" and some of their plants are located in China but they didn't address my original question as to where the wife's new watch was assembled. I guess I'm a little paranoid after reading quite a few reviews on Steinheusen, Stuhrling & Stauer, etc. having quality issues and being made in China. I purchased the Bulova based on it being her first mechanical movement along with front and rear views of the inner workings of the watch but had they actually stated in the descriptive listing that their watches were made in China I would have probably looked elsewhere. I guess time will tell as to the quality of this latest time piece.

 

[Stingingfork]

Oliverb thanks for the feedback. As you and skypilot have both pointed out that just because it's made in China doesn't necessarily spell poor quality for the watch. What does bother me is that reputable companies such as Bulova and others make it very hard to find out as in my case the country of origin for both the watch and the movement.

 

[oliverb]

Oliverb thanks for the feedback. As you and skypilot have both pointed out that just because it's made in China doesn't necessarily spell poor quality for the watch. What does bother me is that reputable companies such as Bulova and others make it very hard to find out as in my case the country of origin for both the watch and the movement.

Unfortunately, that's the way things are today.

 

[SAM2]

Miyota 8n24 automatic movement

I had Mr. Peabody fire up the "WABAC machine" and he found that our friend from Alton, Illinois provided the answer back in 2010.
http://www.watchtalkforums.info/forums/bulova-accutron-forum/42613.htm

 

[Stingingfork]

SAM2, thanks, your link was a big help!

 

[SFwatchGuy]

I own two modern Bulova watches. One automatic with a Miyota movement and a Precisionist. I remember the automatic which I bought roughly 2 years ago came with a sticker on the stainless band that said made in Hong Kong. Nothing I can remember on the Precisionist. Both watches seem to be of very good quality. Country of origin is becoming a difficult call but world wide quality also seems to be on the rise.

 

[alton1]

I have to do a little more research on Bulova. I don't think all Bulova watches are made in any one country or the other now with increased globalization of industry (especially as concerns China). There is a line of Bulova models, for example, that are made & designed expressly for the European market. If you go on some of the European market websites, you will see Bulova models you would never be able to find here in the United States. Most of them are labeled "Swiss Made" that are for sale in European countries. Poland comes to mind because I have visited a website based in Poland many times in the past couple of years to see what Bulovas they have for sale over there. That being said, I have found some information on some Seiko models that say "all parts are made in Japan; assembled in China." Bulova is now a subsidiary of Citizen, Ltd. but is given a great deal of autonomy, nevertheless. Like I said, I will be researching this, and will try to give a definitive answer within the next several hours or days.

 

[alton1]

I had Mr. Peabody fire up the "WABAC machine" and he found that our friend from Alton, Illinois provided the answer back in 2010.
http://www.watchtalkforums.info/forums/bulova-accutron-forum/42613.htm

Thanks SAM2!

He he he....Alton, Illinois -- "The home of Elijah P. Lovejoy; Robert "The Gentle Giant" Wadlow; Birthplace of Miles Davis; site of the Lincoln-Douglass Debates"

 

[Spaceview M2]

The case back on my only (new) Bulova Men's 96G45 Chronograph Bracelet Watch states Japanese movement but the case back shows Bulova Hong Kong. This is also an extremely heavy watch. 5.29ozs. Batteries went dead on it already. Waiting on new batteries now.

 

[raijin]

I own three open heart Bulova watches and let say they look great. had them for over two years never a problem except when I needed a part for one of them. contafcted citizen japan and no help. I can't find any parts online. but other than that I woulod continue to buy bulova watches.