American watchmaker Bulova is a quiet pioneer, responsible for industry innovations such as the first electronic
As revered as Bulova is in the industry, it doesn’t get a lot of attention. Based on the brand’s reputation for being lowkey, this may be by design. However, the respect it garners as an American
After all, it’s the official timekeeper on Air Force 1, accompanied 46 separate NASA space missions, and President Coolidge famously gifted a Bulova to Red Sox and Yankees legend Bucky Harris in 1924.
Is Bulova a Good Watch ?
Bulova is a good
Above all, they’re famous for precision. Bulova offers a range of movements, including proprietary high-frequency and high-accuracy quartz movements.
They manufacture P102 calibres, which are 8-jewel quartz movements that are some of the most accurate in the world.
Their proprietary three-prong quartz crystal NN50 calibre is ultra high frequency, featuring a 262kHz vibrational frequency, eight times more than the average quartz
They also make automatic watches that employ movements from Sellita, a Swiss manufacturer known for building movements comparable to that of Swiss heavy-hitters such as ETA, and from Miyota, a highly-esteemed Japanese manufacturer famous for their reliable workhorse movements.
Bulova offers an unrestricted range of designs without compromising recognizability. For example, they make classic sport watches, but are known to put a dressy spin on them; their Marine Star has leaner and less bubbly features than the Orient Ray II or Submariner.
They also utilize vintage designs from their archives (my favorite thing that they do), and they have experimental designs such as ones that utilize dramatic cut-outs and ones that combine unlike materials and colors.
Bulova is a reliable American heritage brand.
As their
They’re famous for several innovations, not least of which is the Accutron, the world’s first electronic
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Is It a High-end / Luxury Watch Brand?
Overall, Bulova is a highly-respected mid-tier
The Precisionist line is their most high-end, some watches costing as much as $1300. Their limited edition lines, for example their Sinatra Best is Yet to Come, can range from $1350-$3950.
Bulova also offers premium lines that are more design-focused and less materials-focused, and are therefore sold at more reasonable prices. A good example of this are some pieces from the Frank Lloyd Wright line.
Their heritage watches are also considered high-end, even if they aren’t crazy expensive. The Lunar Pilot, Bulova’s Moonwatch, is highly coveted because it’s historically important as well as a high-quality chronograph.
Are Bulova Watches Good Quality?
Yes. As mentioned, their quartz watches are some of the best out there, and they use reliable and well-built automatic movements too.
I love Bulova because you truly get what you pay for in each line. Sure, you won’t find them stretching their budget with a sapphire crystal in the under $150 range. However, even high-end brands that I love loyally (won’t name names), will use their name to up the price of their budget lines.
Bulova is owned by Citizen, which has a famously strict quality assurance protocol.
How Much Are These Watches?
Bulova men’s watches range from affordable $100 timepieces all the way up to the prior mentioned luxury lines that can go as high as $1300 and $4000 for limited editions.
Captain David Scott’s original Apollo 15 Moonwatch went for $1.6million on auction in 2015. This is an outlier in price, but not an outlier when it comes to the testament to Bulova’s importance.
What is the Best Bulova Watch ?
As usual, it depends what you’re looking for. The Lunar Pilot is indeed a historical and pop culture icon. There are few watches as accurate as those in the Precisionist line. Personally, I’m a fan of their vintage-inspired dress watches.
Let’s get to it!
Bulova Watches for Men: Our Picks
Each timepiece on this list is available on Amazon. We hope you find a few that suit your tastes and needs!
Bulova Lunar Pilot
This
It’s an important timepiece that’s also one of the best Omega Speedmaster alternatives out there. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best!
This watch is arguably a Speedy competitor at a much lower price-point and is the closest to the Speedmaster when it comes to historical significance and heritage.
It’s a classic, high-functioning chronograph, with a sapphire crystal and 100m water resistance.
Pair it with a leather strap for an evening-appropriate look.
BULOVA LUNAR PILOT features:
| Movement | High-frequency, 262 kHZ, quartz movement |
| Case Size | 45mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Band Material | Stainless steel bracelet, leather strap |
Bulova Aerojet Open Heart
This Aerojet Open Heart’s design is based on a popular model from 1966.
Stainless steel case with rose gold-tone crown at two o’clock position, open aperture gray dial with rose gold-tone hands and markers, exhibition case back, automatic heart-beat self-winding movement with 40-hour power reserve
The stainless steel case is silver in color, while the crown and the hour markers, each marked with a pearl-like dot at the edge, are rose gold for a nostalgic look.
The open heart, or the circular window on the dial that reveals the movement’s balance wheel, adds a scientific and masculine quality to its overall dainty design.
It also looks great with a black dial or a rose gold case.
BULOVA AEROJET OPEN HEART features:
| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 39mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Croco-embossed leather strap |
Bulova Marine Star 98B301
The 98B301 from the iconic Marine Star Collection is the perfect example of how Bulova infuses svelte dress
Instead of bubbly indices like most dives have, the hours are marked with lean two-tone bars. The dial, which is mostly blue, has rose gold accents throughout.
Stainless steel bracelet with fold-over, double push-button release. Round face. Three-hand analog display with quartz movement. Blue dial features rose gold-tone hands and hour markers, three subdials, date display window, minute track, and Bulova detailing.
Another unique, and very sophisticated, design feature can be seen on the middle link of the bracelet. Instead of being a different color than the side links as you’d see in traditional two-tones, the rose gold accent peaks out from the middle link’s case-facing edge.
Other features include luminous hour and minute hands and an easy-to-use screw-back case.
BULOVA MARINE STAR 98B301 features:
| Movement | Quartz, Chronograph |
| Case Size | 45mm |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Marine Star 98B104
This Marine Star exudes the experimental spirit of a Hublot Big Bang. Where else will you see ion-plated rose gold paired with black rubber, and applied Roman numerals with a frenetic high-performance chronograph?
Rose gold-tone watch featuring black guilloche dial with three chronograph subdials and rose gold-tone hands/Roman numeral indices
Between the industrial black screws on the bezel and the modern looking multi-edged lugs, this
Other features include black patterns on the dial, luminous hands, a mineral crystal, and a screw-back case.
BULOVA MARINE STAR features:
| Movement | Quartz, Chronograph |
| Finish | Ion-plated |
| Case Size | 44mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Band Material | Rubber strap |
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Bulova Precisionist 98B229
The Precisionist line is one Bulova’s most well regarded, and the one most often associated with their famous high-frequency quartz movement. They’re also some of the most accurate watches out there.
This chronograph is stainless steel and finished with a gunmetal grey ion-plating. The face features a multi-level carbon fiber dial, and luminous hour and minute hands.
Quite the fashion statement, this chronograph is stainless steel and finished with a gunmetal grey ion-plating. The face features a multi-level carbon fiber dial, and luminous hour and minute hands.
This busy tank-like Precisionist has a dark, commanding aesthetic, but is subtly accented with fun blue hands.
BULOVA PRECISIONIST 98B229 features:
| Movement | High-frequency, 262 kHz, quartz |
| Finish | Ion-plated |
| Case Size | 44mm |
| Water Resistance | 300m |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Precisionist 98B31
If you love the design of the 98B229 but it’s just too authoritative for you, the 98B31 is your guy.
With its more traditional silver-colored stainless steel bracelet and case, this
With its more traditional silver-colored stainless steel bracelet and case, this watch has a frostier and shinier look. The face looks more sectioned off with the extra blue accents making for a lot more textures in one place.
It’s still tough and tank-like, but has just a bit more fun. The Precisionist 98B31 is undeniably a maximalist
This
BULOVA PRECISIONIST 98B31 features:
| Movement | High-frequency, 262 kHz, quartz |
| Case Size | 44mm |
| Water Resistane | 300m |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Exhibition, Frank Lloyd Wright Collection
Bulova partnered with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to create watches inspired by the late architect’s groundbreak work. The Exhibition is a fun, casual
The font of the numbers on the face reflect the same one that was used in Wright’s 1930s exhibition drawings. Water-resistant to 99 feet (30 M): withstands rain and splashes of water.
The font of the numbers on the face reflect the same one that was used in Wright’s 1930s exhibition drawings. In addition to the multi-colored numerals, the hour and minute hands are lined like a ruler and the second hand is shaped like a t-square.
To temper the youthful face, the case is black stainless steel and the strap is a smooth black calfskin.
BULOVA EXHIBITION features:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Case Size | 35mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Leather strap |
Bulova December Gifts, Frank Lloyd Wright Collection
Another offering from the Wright collection, December Gifts is a stylish architectural
The design is based on a drawing Wright made in 1927 of holiday gifts, ribbons, and bows, abstracted into geometric shapes. The watch further abstracts that image with the stark black background and red lines.
The design is based on a drawing Wright made in 1927 of holiday gifts, ribbons, and bows, abstracted into geometric shapes. The
I love that the square case is equally as polygonic as the design on the face. As with all of the Bulova-Wright pieces, this
BULOVA DECEMBER GIFTS features:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Case Size | 35mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Leather strap |
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Bulova Oceanographer, Devil Diver 96B322
Again, Bulova takes a classic sport design and cleans it up with some dressy features. The Devil Diver’s oval case makes the circular bezel look more contained, while sleek lines and jewel-like indices give it a high-end aesthetic.
This automatic watch features a stainless steel screw-back 44mm stainless steel case with a screw-down crown, black and green unidirectional bezel, green three-hand dial with luminescent markers.
The Oceanographer is one of Bulova’s most popular lines because the design is a tribute to one of their legendary dive watches of the 1970s.
It also features a 42-hour power reserve, screw-back case with screw-down crown, luminescent markers, and a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
BULOVA OCEANOGRAPHER 96B322 features:
| Movement | Self-winding, mechanical |
| Case Size | 45mm |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Certified | ISO-certified |
| Bezel Function | Unidirectional |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Oceanographer, 98B320 “Pepsi” Bezel
This Oceanographer is functionally identical to the 96B322. However, I consider it one of the best Pepsi bezel watches out there.
First, the red strip on the bezel is contained to just a quarter of the circle. Compare this to the Seiko Sea Urchin Pepsi, in which the red strip takes up a third of the right side, which looks arbitrary (I always say it looks like a low battery signal).
A design tribute to Bulova’s acclaimed ‘70’s Oceanographer "Devil Diver" watch powered by a self-winding mechanical movement. Stainless steel screw-back case with screw-down crown, black/red unidirectional bezel, black three-hand dial with luminescent markers.
On the other hand, to go for a half-red bezel would be too much like the original Pepsi bezel
Second, the rest of the bezel is black instead of blue. However, the Pepsi aesthetic isn’t lost thanks to the bright blue dial face.
The asymmetric coloring and dressy Oceanographer qualities make this dive a most unique Pepsi bezel
BULOVA OCEANOGRAPHER 98B320 FEATURES:
| Movement | Self-winding, mechanical |
| Case Size | 44mm |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Certified | ISO-certified |
| Bezel Function | Unidirectional |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Futuro 98C124
This Bulova Futuro combines the chic boldness of a stark black and the celebratory shine of gold. The design truly stands out, and the color palette reminds me of New Year’s Eve.
Black IP stainless steel case and black dial with day/date/24-hour feature, domed mineral glass, metalized edge-to-edge crystal, screw-back case, black and gold-tone bracelet with deployant closure, and water resistance to 30 meters.
The black ion-plated finish gives the metal an almost matte look, as well as extra durability. The day function is super unique and modern, in the form of a meter pointing at abbreviated days printed vertically.
It also features a domed mineral glass, metalized edge-to-edge crystal, a screw-back case, and a bracelet with a deployment closure.
BULOVA FUTURO 98C124 features:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Finish | Ion-plated |
| Case Size | 45mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Sutton 96A187, Skeleton
More than just being another shiny look-at-me device on your wrist, this
This watch comes in a stainless steel case, silver and blue skeleton dial and exhibition caseback, self-winding movement, flat mineral glass, stainless steel bracelet with double-press deployant closure, and water resistance to 100 meters.
The cutout face makes it so that you can see the entire movement mechanism on the front and back. This Sutton runs on an 8N24 Miyota movement which has 21 jewels. This means the mechanism has a lot going on, which makes it more fun to observe. It also means this
The case and bracelet are monochromatic, and the glass is a flat mineral. These simpler features allow the movement to be the statement feature of the
BULOVA SUTTON 96A187 features:
| Movement | Self-winding, mechanical |
| Case Size | 43mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova American Clipper 97B184
The Clipper is a popular
It’s a smooth round case with a simple face and small date window, the entire design of course inspired by vintage Bulova.
Rose gold-tone stainless steel case and brown leather bracelet with three-piece buckle closure. White dial featuring roman numeral markers and date window. The watch features a flat mineral crystal, quartz movement, and water resistance to 30 meters
Every hour index is a stately Roman numeral in rose gold, except for the 12-hour marker which is the tuning fork Bulova icon. This makes the
Other features include a rose gold tone stainless steel case which is remarkably thin at 6.5mm, a brown leather bracelet, and a flat mineral glass.
BULOVA AMERICAN CLIPPER features:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Case Size | 40mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Croco-embossed leather strap |
Bulova Wilton 96C141
Just as the Oceanographer is a sport
Stainless steel screw-back case, silver white six-hand dial with Roman numerals/markers and 40-hour power reserve indicator at the 12 o’clock position, domed sapphire crystal with blue anti-reflective coating
It features a black leather strap with alligator grain texture, a round stainless steel screw-back case and Roman numeral markers for a high-end aesthetic.
However, the Wilton also features a domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and a self-winding 26-jewel movement with 40 hours of power and a chronograph. You can also
It’s a lot of
BULOVA WILTON 96C141 features:
| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 43mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Croc-embossed leather strap |
Bulova CURV 96A205
This
This watch is the world’s first curved chronograph movement. The 10mm thick case, all five hands, and the anti-reflective sapphire crystal are all curved to accommodate the movement -this watch is a technical marvel.
The curve also gives it a fun, sleek, and unique look. The overall aesthetic, featuring a dark blue dial and silver-tone hands and markers, is a mix of industrial and modern.
The Bulova CURV is an unusual and polished timepiece that‘s exceedingly comfortable to wear, and an undeniable conversation piece.
BULOVA CURV 96A205 features:
| Movement | High-frequency, 262 kHz, quartz, curved chronograph |
| Case Size | 44mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Stainless Steel |
Bulova Classic 97B162
We’re finishing this roundup with one of my favorites from the Classic Collection.
The small size, rectangular shape, and yellow gold finishing on the case give this Classic a nostalgic and charming look. Design-wise, the case is perfectly balanced out with a silver-white dial.
The small size, rectangular shape, and yellow gold finishing on the case give this Classic a nostalgic and charming look. Design-wise, the case is perfectly balanced out with a silver-white dial. Basically, the whole
Other features include a curved mineral crystal, and a brown embossed crocodile grain leather strap to round out the vintage dress look.
BULOVA CLASSIC 97B162 features:
| Movement | Quartz |
| Case Size | 31mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Band Material | Croco-embossed leather strap |
The Right Bulova Watch for You
I love spreading the word about how great Bulova watches for men are, so I hope you had fun learning about the brand. It’s actually one of my go-to watchmakers for dress watches.
Bulova is so reliable and you always know what you’re getting.
Now that you know a thing or two, which Bulova