INTRODUCING: The Bulova American Girl “K” shows why more brands should look to their women’s range for vintage reissues
Fergus NashEvery brand with even the most remote link to a vintage catalogue has jumped on the opportunity to reissue their old watches, but there has been a glaring hole in that strategy for years. While it feels like we’ve seen almost every kind of men’s watch a hundred times over, the world of women’s wristwatches has remained vastly untapped. Bulova have leveraged the success of Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit to re-release their 1957 American Girl “K” watch and to finally include some ladies’ watches in their Archive Series.
Bulova have always been somewhat of a trailblazer when it comes to women’s watches, having supposedly released their first complete feminine range in 1924. But while many of those watches fed into the now-antiquated method of covering tiny bracelets in diamonds, the American Girl “K” watch found an identity of its own that was certainly dazzling and glamorous, but without being pandering. In The Queen’s Gambit, the spirit of the American Girl range is summed up perfectly as a gift given from mother to daughter, celebrating their success and honouring their relationship. You can read more about that scene and its significance here.
The design of the watch itself is resplendent in ways that we rarely get to see these days, especially in affordable categories such as this. The case and bracelet work harmoniously as one, with a heavily faceted surface that shouts geometric complexity, almost as if the watch is itself a skilfully cut jewel. The tone of the yellow gold PVD is spot-on, simultaneously capturing real gold’s spectrum of brightness from sandy beige to olive brown across its light-scattering texture. While the case of the American Girl “K” is quite small measuring only 17mm by 29mm, this delicacy only serves to heighten the sense that this is more jewellery than timepiece.
The bangle-style bracelet has a smooth underside to increase comfort, as well as spring closure so that it can stay secure on all wrist types and self-adjust with temperature changes. Between the groove clasps is a 60mm chain extender that gives even more flexibility for larger wrist sizes.
There are a variety of modern upgrades for the Bulova American Girl “K” too, as you’d expect from any good vintage reissue. The crystal that would have once been glass or acrylic is now double-domed sapphire for fantastic scratch resistance, which is even more essential on a small watch as one scratch could cover a significant portion of the dial. The original movement would have been mechanical, but those tiny movements are often considered unserviceable by watchmakers and have largely not stood the test of time. Now using a Miyota quartz movement, the American Girl “K” is much more reliable and affordable.
The Bulova American Girl “K” pricing and availability:
The Bulova American Girl “K” is limited to 2000 pieces globally and comes in a gorgeous vintage-style red box, complete with satin white lining and gold lettering. Price: $595 USD / $899 AUD
| Case Material | PVD-Coated Stainless Steel |
| Case Dimensions | 17mm x 29mm x 8mm |
| Water-Resistance | 30m |
| Dial | White / Gilt |
| Straps | PVD-Coated Bangle Bracelet |
| Movement | Miyota 5R21 2H |
| Power Reserve | 4 years |
| Complications | Hours, minutes |
| Price | $595 USD / $899 AUD |