Bulova WWII 'ORD DEPT USA' Military Watch

Before dive watches, pilots' watches, and chronographs became the icons of military timekeeping, there were simple field watches like this. Built not for luxury but for reliability, they were essential tools issued to the men who depended on accurate time in some of history's most demanding circumstances.

During the Second World War, Bulova was among the American manufacturers contracted to produce wristwatches for the U.S. military. These watches accompanied soldiers, sailors, and airmen across every theater of the conflict, where precise timekeeping played a critical role in coordinating troop movements, navigation, communications, and combat operations. Designed to be easily serviced and exceptionally legible, they remain some of the purest expressions of functional watchmaking ever produced.

This original Ordnance Department-issued Bulova dates to the mid-1940s and retains all of the characteristics collectors prize. Its compact 32mm stainless steel case houses a manually wound movement built for dependable everyday performance. The matte black dial features bold Arabic numerals, luminous-style sword hands, a railroad minute track, and a subsidiary seconds register at six o'clock, creating a display that can be read at a glance under virtually any conditions.

Turning the watch over reveals perhaps its most important detail. The caseback is crisply engraved "ORD DEPT U.S.A. OF # BULOVA WATCH CO.", denoting its manufacture for the United States Army Ordnance Department. More than a simple military marking, it is a direct connection to one of the defining periods of the twentieth century and a reminder that this watch was built to serve, not simply to be worn.

Completing the package is a green canvas strap with a stainless steel pin buckle, an appropriately rugged companion that reinforces the watch's authentic field-watch character.

Unpretentious, historically significant, and endlessly wearable, this WWII Bulova embodies military watchmaking at its purest. More than eighty years after it first answered the call to duty, it remains a compelling reminder that the finest tool watches are often the simplest.

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.

However, perhaps the brand’s single most important innovation was 1960’s Accutron, a timepiece that used an electric tuning fork in place of a traditional balance wheel. Following on the heels of the Hamilton Electric of 1957, the Accutron featured a guaranteed accuracy of two seconds per day — much better accuracy than that of a contemporary mechanical watch. (The Accutron line was later spun off and relaunched as its own brand in 2020.)

In 1971 a Bulova chronograph accompanied the crew of Apollo 15 into space. When the crystal on astronaut David Scott’s Speedmaster popped off, he strapped on his Bulova, making it the only privately worn watch to ever have been worn on the Moon. (It was subsequently auctioned off for more than $1.625M.)

Currently owned by Citizen Group and headquartered in New York City, Bulova continues to make watches inspired by its long American heritage.

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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.