Many watch enthusiasts will agree that Bulova sounds like a great name. The brand is known for producing pocket-friendly and flashy collections of watches. Most people believe expensive, discontinued, and rare watches are superior.
Bulova produces iconic timepieces you would find in a retail shop of any mall. People tend to overlook such watches as regular, but is that right or wrong? Are Bulova watches good? Some watch enthusiasts believe Bulova watches are superior, while others think the brand may be too basic.
This article is for you if you’re interested in purchasing a Bulova watch and need clarity on the brand. You can also check for more awesome automatic watches here. Here is a deep dive into Bulova’s amazing history, its distinguishing features, and some of its top models.
What Is a Bulova Watch?
Bulova is one of the oldest watch brands on Earth. The brand was established in 1875 in New York. Since its inception, Bulova has prided itself in production of quality watches through the years till now.
The company has been run under Citizen Holdings since its acquisition in 2008. Since then, the brand has evolved and is known for its high-end timepieces and budget-friendly watches. The company is still based in the United States even though timepieces are manufactured in Japan, Hong Kong, and Switzerland.
Are Bulova Watches Good? Distinguishing Features
Quality
Bulova produces quality automatic and mechanical watches even though they may be ranked mostly as average. Since its acquisition by Citizen, Bulova has made watches powered by Miyota quartz. This means their watches are great timekeepers.
Luxury Bulova timepieces are made of alligator leather straps that enhance the brand’s aesthetic. Most of Bulova’s pieces have a sapphire face that is glare resistant. The premium materials used to manufacture Bulova pieces are quality in themselves.
Bulova watch faces are also designed to endure scratches and last for over ten years. The brand includes stainless steel, which explains its durability.
Movement
Bulova has made great watches over the years. The brand boasts unique innovations like the precisionist movement, a high-accuracy quartz movement similar to automatic movements.
The brand’s innovation has been top-notch and dates back to pre-World War I when the first wristwatches were produced. Bulova also has a history in television broadcasting and space.
The brand went back to designing and producing precisionists in 2010. The movement is accurate to approximately 10 seconds annually. Bulova’s advancement in accuracy has always benefitted the watch industry.
Function
Bulova technology makes these watches highly reliable timekeepers. Bulova timepieces have a time deviation of 10 seconds/year, which means they don’t lose more than ten seconds a year.
Additionally, Bulova watches don’t require batteries to run. All Bulova watches, mechanical or automatic, are very reliable and accurate.
Style
Bulova watches are available in a wide range of flashy designs, from dress watches to sporty to graceful pieces. Styles also differ depending on the price of the specific models, with high-end pieces sporting a more stylish and flashy look, unlike casual fits.
Bulova certainly has every style for every watch enthusiast. It produces high-end and straightforward, affordable watches, which can also be casual or elegant.
Top Models
Precisionist 98B267
Bulova Men’s Precisionist 98B267 is one of the high-end Bulova timepieces. The Bulova Precisionist is enormous, with a case diameter of 43mm. The case includes a rose gold-coated top ring allegedly coated with real gold to add to the beauty of the watch. However, accuracy makes the piece more admirable.
The Precisionist 98B267 runs on Japanese quartz movement eight times higher than the standard quartz watches: it’s the most accurate timepiece in the watch market.
The watch includes a mineral crystal that suits its profile as a fashion watch. Field watches are more likely to feature a sapphire crystal for shatter resistance. This watch offers a water resistance depth of 100 meters but the strap is genuine alligator leather, which gives the watch a luxurious look.
You can depend on this piece for an accurate time even in murky situations, as its markers and hands are luminous. The timepiece features a calendar as well.
Marine Star 98B104
The Marine Star is one of the most gigantic automatic watches produced by Bulova. With a case diameter of 44mm, this is perfect for snorkeling: it offers a water resistance rating of 100 meters. What’s more, its bracelet is made of waterproof, rubber material, so you don’t have to worry about soaking and ruining the leather.
The Marine Star 98B104 has a luminous dial, but it’s limited to hands: the markers are inscribed in Roman numerals. Alongside the hour markers are the 60 seconds, 60 minutes, and 24-hour clocks that come in handy in timekeeping. It also includes a calendar embedded at the corner of the dial, in line with the four o’clock marker.
This excellent piece, like the rest of Bulova watches, operates on Japanese quartz movement, so you can enjoy incredible accuracy.
Fly Me to the Moon
Bulova has an entire Frank Sinatra collection, but Fly Me to the Moon is a gorgeous piece. It is a fashionable watch made in honor of Frank Sinatra and his relationship with the brand.
The Fly Me to the Moon operates on Miyota quartz movement enclosed in a 39mm stainless steel casing. Its dial is textured and features numerals at the mark of two, four, six, eight, ten, and twelve o’clock. It also features a calendar positioned at the three o’clock mark.
This timepiece has a domed sapphire crystal face and various color dials. It offers a water resistance depth of 30 meters and a fine leather strap.
A-15 Pilot
The Bulova A-15 Pilot is a perfectly proportional aviation-inspired watch that comes with great features and an affordable price tag. Its diameter is 42mm, but its short and curvy straps make it suitable for smaller wrists.
The A-15 Pilot features a sapphire crystal and is enclosed in a case made of stainless steel. The inner dial consists of two crowns, one at two o’clock and the other at four o’clock marks, to adjust the outer and inner bezels, respectively.
The A-15 Pilot runs on automatic movement and tracks three time zones.
Rubaiyat
The Rubaiyat is the most expensive watch manufactured by Bulova. The luxurious women’s watch features 386 diamonds, embedded by hand.
The sapphire crystal dome complements the beauty of all the diamonds on the piece. The watch is enclosed in a stainless steel case with a diameter of 35mm, and the bracelet is also made of stainless steel.
Besides beauty, the Rubaiyat operates on the brand’s quartz movement to offer incredible accuracy. It also offers a water resistance depth of 30 meters.
Is Bulova a Luxury Brand?
Bulova isn’t necessarily a luxury watch brand. It produces high-quality watches, but the pieces are not all luxury. The low-end Bulova models don’t hold or appreciate value and thus cannot be categorized as luxury watches.
Bulova watches are also readily available and have affordable price ranges. This isn’t a feature associated with high-end products. The timepieces are budget-friendly and casual, and cannot be viewed from an investment angle.
So, are Bulova watches good? Besides the rich history, Bulova produces flashy, high-quality, and accurate watches you’re certain to love. The watches would be great for your casual and fashionable watch collection, and are certainly worth checking out.
