Bulova & WIRED Uncover the Tardiest City in America

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents of Washington, DC, should reset their watches because they're the tardiest people in America according to a new study released by Bulova Corporation and WIRED magazine.  New York, Boston, Cleveland and Chicago lag behind when it comes to tardiness both personally and professionally.

After conducting research revealing the importance of accuracy in watch selection, Bulova developed its new Precisionist collection, which offers the world's most accurate watch with a continuously sweeping second hand.  Expanding on the research findings, Bulova and WIRED partnered to find out why people are continuously late, and how it affects their lives.  The study determined the degree of tardiness in each city by identifying those in which respondents describe themselves as meeting two or more of the following criteria:  usually late, rarely check the time, unconcerned about being late, and late for work two or more times per week.

"Cutting-edge technology comes in all forms and consumers are increasingly finding value in innovative objects that deliver precision.  In partnering with Bulova, we uncovered the factors that contribute to tardiness and the emphasis on – or lack thereof – punctuality across the U.S.," says Camille Signorelli, Marketing Director at WIRED.

The Bulova Tardiest City Report discovered that:

• The top ten tardiest in order are:  Washington, DC; New York; Boston; Cleveland; Chicago; Philadelphia; Seattle; Tampa; San Francisco and Orlando.

• Washington, DC, may be the home to public policy, but its residents are the nation's tardiest despite their best efforts.  In fact, a whopping 40% of respondents reported setting their watches or clocks 10 minutes earlier than the actual time, but still arriving late.

• "Fashionably Late" and "just on time" is how New Yorkers perceive their punctuality, despite being the second tardiest in the country.  New Yorkers are among the least likely to worry about being on time to professional meetings.

Accuracy is critical when it comes to professional and personal pursuits, whether it's being on time for a job interview or making the flight for a dream vacation.  Bulova Precisionist, the world's most accurate watch with a continuously sweeping second hand, ensures its wearers have the tools they need to be on time.  The average quartz watch is accurate to 15 seconds a month, while the Precisionist is accurate to 10 seconds a year.  Over the course of a year or more, your average watch could be making you unwittingly late to even your most important dates and meetings.

"Bulova strives to provide consumers with premier technology and design," says Dennis Perry, Bulova Corporation president.  "The development of Precisionist was supported by Bulova-led research, which paved the way for a proprietary technology that satisfies consumer demand for world leading standards in accuracy – when being even five minutes late is not an option."

In 1960, Bulova revolutionized timekeeping with the introduction of its signature Accutron tuning fork watch, the world's first fully electronic watch, providing unprecedented accuracy.  Now, 50 years later, Bulova has developed Precisionist, the world's most accurate watch with a continuously sweeping second hand, an achievement reflected in the continuous movement of the second hand – the visual symbol of the landmark technology inside.

The Precisionist technology is available now in new Bulova brand timepieces with dress, sport, sport/casual and diamond styling.  They are targeted to the consumer who is looking for a watch that will be noticed both for its styling and its technology.  The key is Precisionist's unique three-prong quartz crystal, which produces a vibration frequency of 262.144 kilohertz (kHz), eight times greater than the usual two-prong crystal and the highest of any watch available today.  

For further information, please visit www.bulova.com.

About Bulova

Founded in 1875, Bulova remains one of the world's most recognized brands, reaching a wide range of consumers with its Bulova, Bulova Accutron, Caravelle by Bulova, Wittnauer and licensed Harley-Davidson® Timepieces by Bulova watches, Frank Lloyd Wright Collection® watches and clocks, and the award-winning Bulova Clocks.  An independent subsidiary of Citizen Watch Company, Ltd. of Japan, Bulova is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and the Far East.  Continuing to maintain its position at the forefront of the timekeeping industry, Bulova is committed to upholding an extraordinary legacy of excellence in design, style and technology as it expands to meet the needs of a diverse global audience.

About WIRED

WIRED is the first word on how ideas and innovation are changing the world. Each month in the magazine and every day online, its editors deliver a glimpse into the future of business, culture, innovation and science.  WIRED was named to the Advertising Age A-List in 2010, was named "Magazine of the Decade" by Adweek and has received three National Magazine Awards for general excellence in 2005, 2007 and 2009.  Wired.com was named 2009's Best Magazine Website by Adweek, Best News, Business & Finance Website in 2009 by MPA Digital and took home six Webby awards in 2009.  WIRED magazine and wired.com reach more than 14 million readers a month.

About Conde Nast

Conde Nast, a division of Advance Publications, operates in 25 countries.  In the United States, Conde Nast publishes 18 consumer magazines, two trade publications and 27 websites that garner international acclaim and unparalleled consumer engagement.

About the Survey Methodology

The America's Tardiest City survey was conducted by Gfk MRI Mediamark Research & Intelligence, using a sample balanced to mirror that of the total US population based on age, income, gender and education.  Survey respondents were asked questions regarding their tardiness, the tardiness of others and how both affect their day-to-day lives.

SOURCE Bulova Corporation