With Bulova, function follows form. Bulova has released a quartz-powered chronograph wristwatch that is designed to follow the curve of the wrist. The Bulova Curv is the world’s first curved chronograph wristwatch movement.
It’s a first for Bulova, and indeed a first for anyone. But Bulova has had a few firsts in its history already. In 1960 the brand developed the Bulova Accutron, what they called the world’s first completely electronic watch. This timepiece was so accurate that it was chosen by NASA to guide their Apollo missions to the Moon and back. That’s a fair piece of history right there, but there are more recent achievements as well. In this past decade, Bulova invented the Precisionist, which utilized a three-prong quartz movement with a vibrational frequency of 262kHz. This gave it a vibration rate eight times greater than standard watches, which made it accurate to within about ten seconds per year.
Now, in 2016, they give us the Curv. The Curv has a slim case for a chronograph, and there is that elegant ergonomic shape, so distinctive and so fit to form. The freedom of design that Bulova is working with has allowed them to pursue a shape that is more defined by its human end-user requirements than by its functional restrictions. The Curv is a wristwatch that will perform all the functions that a chronograph user might desire of it, but with the slimness of case and comfort of fit that a human wrist can truly appreciate. Weight is always a consideration when selecting your accessories, and the form-fittedness of the Bulova Curv grants an additional level of integration. The Curv owes its design aesthetic to nothing more than the extension of the human form.
That being said, what is impressive is that the Bulova designers have actually made a curved chronograph movement. They have made the function of the watch conform to the ergonomic design. It is not just that they have made a curved case; they have made a curved movement. A close look at the watch shows that the curve is incorporated even up to the crystal of the dial.
It is this kind of thinking that has allowed the watch brand Bulova to not only keep its traditions alive since its origins in 1875, but to push forward the boundaries of what the field can allow… and what a watch can be. “Bulova understands that staying in the game means staying ahead of the curve… with an innovative mindset that leads from one success to the next,” says Bulova President, Jeffrey Cohen. Bulova knows that to stop moving forward is to stagnate, to risk being left behind. At the same time, it has a strong commitment to its heritage and its traditions, that allows it to have roots in a field where business histories are measured in centuries. Time moves forward for all of us, but in horology it is never anything less than grounded in the past.
There are twelve models in the introduction of the Curv line, ranging from sport watches to dress pieces. Some of the high-end models feature not only beautiful detailing but a clear case back. It may seem strange to have a case back window on a quartz movement, but the Bulova team has really designed something special here, and they want you to be able to see it. Also, you can see the battery cover through the back crystal, and it features the Accutron logo, which is a nice little nod to their history.
The two watches with case backs in crystal come in titanium or stainless steel. Those are the flagship pieces (and they do look it) but the other ten watches still feature that arc of a case against your wrist, and that is going to be the appeal for a lot of buyers. The Bulova Curv watches are attractive and attractively priced, and the unusual look – and feel – of the piece will turn heads even on casual observers. So maybe it’s time to start grading on a Curv.
