The 15 Best Bulova Watches for Men

American watchmaker Bulova is a quiet pioneer, responsible for industry innovations such as the first electronic watch and the standardization of watch parts. Today, we’re going to round up our choices for the 15 best Bulova watches for men.

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 watch brand in an industry dominated by the Swiss is nothing to sleep on.

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?

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Bulova is a good watch brand for three reasons:

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 watch.

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 watch faces indicate, Bulova has been around since 1875. It was founded by Joseph Bulova in New York and to this day, the main office is in the Empire State Building.

They’re famous for several innovations, not least of which is the Accutron, the world’s first electronic watch. Other iconic Bulova lines include the Precisionist, the Marine Star, and the Oceanographer.

Is It a High-end / Luxury Watch Brand?

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Overall, Bulova is a highly-respected mid-tier watch maker that offers a handful of luxury lines.

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?

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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?

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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

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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 watch is inspired by the Bulova that Commander David Scott used during the 1971 Apollo 15 mission after his Omega broke. 

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!

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.

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 watch features to a classic sport watch.

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.

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?

Between the industrial black screws on the bezel and the modern looking multi-edged lugs, this watch is one of the most eclectic and widely recognized timepieces in Bulova’s catalogue.

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

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. 

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 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 watch.

This watch features all of the functionalities of the 98B229, including its super accurate proprietary quartz movement.

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 watch and the only adult watch I’ve seen successfully implement rainbow colors.

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 watch defined by its clean, straight lines throughout its face.

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.

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 watch is a literal work of art.

BULOVA DECEMBER GIFTS features:

Movement	Quartz
Case Size	35mm
Water Resistance	30m
Band Material	Leather strap

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.

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).

On the other hand, to go for a half-red bezel would be too much like the original Pepsi bezel watch, the Rolex GMT. 

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 watch. 

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. 

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 watch has a lot of fascinating engineering that’s plain to see.

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 watch has a 42-hour power reserve. 

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 watch.

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 watch for the brand because it’s so quintessentially Bulova. 

It’s a smooth round case with a simple face and small date window, the entire design of course inspired by vintage Bulova.

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 watch look more aristocratic and fancy.

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 watch infused with dress qualities, this Bulova Wilton is a dress watch infused with sport qualities.

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 watch the movement through the exhibition caseback.

It’s a lot of watch for the money!

BULOVA WILTON 96C141 features:

Movement	Automatic
Case Size	43mm
Water Resistance	30m
Band Material	Croc-embossed leather strap

Bulova CURV 96A205

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. Basically, the whole watch just shines in the light.

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

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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 watch are you going to get?