Bulova and the Rectangle: An American Art Deco Story

Bulova is one of America's defining watch brands, and its story is inseparable from the country's own sense of style. Founded in New York in 1875 by Joseph Bulova, a Bohemian immigrant with an instinct for quality and an eye for the emerging American market, the brand grew from a small jewellery shop on Maiden Lane into one of the most recognized watchmaking names in the world. Bulova was the first company to produce a complete line of jewellery and watches, the first to air a radio advertisement in 1926, and the first to broadcast a television commercial in 1941. It made the Accutron, the world's first electronic watch. It sent a chronograph to the Moon on the wrist of Apollo 15 commander David Scott. It is, in every sense, a brand built on firsts.

Bulova Rectangular Watches: Key References

The Art Deco Era - Bulova's Rectangular Golden Age

During the 1920s and 1930s, Bulova was not just making rectangular watches, it was leading the category. The Art Deco movement, with its geometric precision, bold lines, and celebration of modernity, found a natural home in the angular watch case, and Bulova produced hundreds of models in this format. From 1922 through 1930 alone, the brand marketed 350 different Art Deco ladies' watches, with at least as many for men. Models like the Breton, the Banker, and the Commodore defined the era, combining clean rectangular cases with the applied ornament and rich materials that Art Deco demanded. These were watches for a confident, forward-looking America, watches that dressed a wrist the way architecture dressed a skyline.

The Best is Yet to Come - Bulova's Mechanical Rectangle

The closest thing Bulova has to a mechanical rectangular flagship today is The Best is Yet to Come, reference 96B345, part of the Frank Sinatra Collection. It pairs a Swiss Sellita SW215 manual wind movement with a 42-hour power reserve, a grey guilloche dial carrying Sinatra's signature, a domed sapphire crystal and a stainless steel case, at around $1,225 at list. It is the reference that shows Bulova still takes the rectangular shape seriously at the top of its range.

The Frank Sinatra "My Way" - Music, Nostalgia, and the Right Angle

Bulova's relationship with Frank Sinatra is one of the most enduring partnerships in the history of American pop culture. In the mid-1950s, Bulova sponsored Sinatra's television show and gifted the singer watches that he, in turn, engraved and gave to friends. Sinatra became one of Bulova's most visible ambassadors, and the brand honoured that bond in the 21st century with the Frank Sinatra Collection, a series of watches named after Sinatra songs. Among them, "My Way" stands as the definitive rectangular tribute. Housed in a gold-toned stainless steel tonneau case with a white dial, Art Deco-influenced railroad minute track, applied diagonal indices, and a rectangular small seconds sub-dial, the "My Way" is a thoroughly period-appropriate piece. Powered by a Japanese quartz movement, among the most accurate quartz technologies available, it offers a collector-level connection to mid-century style at an entry-level price. The watch does not pretend to be something it isn't. It is, simply, a beautifully resolved rectangular dress watch that pays honest tribute to an era when the right angle was the height of style.

The Angular American

Bulova's rectangular legacy is not the story of a brand chasing a trend. It is the story of a brand that helped create one, that understood, a full century ago, that the rectangle was not an alternative to the round watch but a fundamentally different design language, capable of its own beauty, its own history, its own meaning. In that story, Bulova was always near the beginning.

For the full story of how rectangular watches evolved across the major houses, see the complete history of rectangular watches. For the best rectangular watches at every price point, see the best rectangular watches in 2026. For the definitive category reference, see The Definitive Guide to Rectangular Watches.

Frequently Asked Questions

What rectangular watches does Bulova make?

Bulova's rectangular offerings today centre on the Frank Sinatra Collection: the quartz My Way, reference 98A261 in steel and 97A158 in gold tone, and the mechanical The Best is Yet to Come, reference 96B345, with a Swiss Sellita SW215 manual wind movement. Rectangular quartz models also appear in Bulova's Classic line. All sit at accessible price points and carry genuine American design heritage. For a spec-by-spec look at how the My Way compares with a dedicated rectangular brand, see Bulova Frank Sinatra My Way vs SÖNER Nostalgia.

Does Bulova make the Boulton?

No. The Boulton is a Hamilton model, first introduced in the early 1940s and still in production with Hamilton's H-50 hand-wound calibre. The two names are sometimes confused because both brands built their reputations on American watchmaking in the Art Deco era, but the Boulton belongs to Hamilton. Bulova's rectangular icons are its 1920s Art Deco catalogue and today's Frank Sinatra Collection. Hamilton is Swiss-made under the Swatch Group today, while Bulova has been owned by the Citizen Group since 2007.

What is the Bulova Frank Sinatra "My Way" watch?

The Bulova Frank Sinatra "My Way" is part of Bulova's Frank Sinatra Collection, a series of watches named after Sinatra songs. It features a gold-toned stainless steel tonneau rectangular case, white dial with Art Deco railroad minute track, applied diagonal indices, and a small seconds sub-dial. Powered by a Japanese quartz movement, which delivers accuracy to within ten seconds per year. It is one of the most period-appropriate and affordable rectangular Art Deco watches on the market.

How many rectangular watches did Bulova make in the Art Deco era?

From 1922 through 1930 alone, Bulova marketed 350 different Art Deco ladies' watch models in rectangular and angular cases, with at least as many for men. Named models including the Breton, the Banker, and the Commodore defined American rectangular watchmaking of the era. No American brand produced a broader or more commercially successful range of rectangular Art Deco watches during this period.

Where does Bulova sit in the rectangular watch category?

Bulova occupies the entry-accessible tier of the rectangular watch market - American heritage, accessible pricing, and design credibility rooted in the Art Deco era. The Frank Sinatra "My Way" at around $550 at list, and often less in practice, represents strong value for buyers who want genuine rectangular watch heritage without a significant investment. For the full category ranked by price, see the best rectangular watches in 2026.

Who owns Bulova?

Bulova has been owned by Citizen Watch Co. of Japan since 2007. Despite the acquisition, the brand retains its American identity, New York headquarters, and design heritage. The Citizen Group also owns Frederique Constant and Alpina, making it one of the broader watch group owners in the mid-range segment.