Bulova A-17 'Civilian'

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. Starting 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 the Empire State Building 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 to readings taken in the observatory. The watches that Bulova produced were varied, from handsome three-handers to divers and even chronographs.

This particular piece, a Reference A-17 dates to the 1950s. The A-17 was produced for the US military initially, this piece a 'civilian' example. Measuring in at 32mm and sporting a 10BNCH manually wound movement, this piece has a classic military aesthetic with a beautiful charcoal dial with incredibly legible indexes in excellent condition. 

Whether you're a seasoned collector or just getting started, it's hard to go wrong with a timelessly designed manually-wound watch with a military history.

And lets face it, wearing a nearly 100 year-old watch is just cool.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.