Bulova
Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
New York watch brand owned by Citizen, selling quartz and automatic watches.
We couldn't find where Bulova makes most of its American-heritage quartz and automatic watches, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most jewellery and watches are made in countries such as India and China, where pay is usually below a living wage and unions are heavily restricted.
Better-graded watches
Graded higher than Bulova, selling the same kinds of things.
No watches brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Bulova? Send a right of reply.
Compare Bulova with another brand
Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, unaudited production, probably in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsWhere jewellery and watches are usually made, such as India and China, unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Probably made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
We couldn't confirm where Bulova makes most of its products, so this shows where jewellery and watches are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| China | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Thailand | 20% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Italy | 10% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Switzerland | 10% | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Relies on gold and gemstones from artisanal mines where workers face mercury poisoning, silica dust and deadly collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Bulova does not make watches in the US; most models are made in Japan or Hong Kong with Citizen's Miyota or Bulova's own quartz movements, and a few higher-end lines are Swiss-made. Its parent Citizen audits some Chinese watch suppliers on working conditions with its own checklist (6 in FY2025) and its US arm joined the Responsible Jewellery Council in 2019, but there is no Bulova supplier list, independent audit results or living wage commitment. No shares by country are given.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse allegations involving Bulova's factories or suppliers were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- The Complete Buying Guide to Bulova Watches (Gear Patrol, 2023) · search the archive · Not made in the US; models made in Japan or Hong Kong, higher-end Swiss-made; Miyota, Sellita and own quartz movements.
- Citizen Group - Sustainable procurement · search the archive · Group sites in Japan, China, Thailand; 6 Chinese watch supplier audits in FY2025; US arm RJC member since 2019.
- Best Bulova watches Australia 2026 - Watch Direct · search the archive · Authorised Australian Bulova dealer selling online in AUD.
- Bulova - Wikipedia · search the archive · New York HQ; founded 1875; bought by Citizen from Loews in January 2008.
Company details
- Owned by
- Citizen Watch Co.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Bulova ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/bulova, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Bulova.