5 Bulova Watches Worth Buying Right Now (and Why)
If you've ever Googled "best Bulova watch to buy" and ended up more confused than when you started, you're not alone. Bulova makes a lot of watches. And a lot of them look great in photos but feel generic in person.
This list is different. These five models were chosen because they're genuinely worth your money right now — not because they're the cheapest, not because they've been sitting on a shelf forever, but because each one earns its price tag in a way that's hard to find anywhere near this price point.
Whether you're shopping for your first serious watch or adding something specific to a collection, here's what we'd actually recommend picking up — and why.
1. Bulova Lunar Pilot Black Hole 98A335 — $1,650
For the buyer who wants something truly rare.
Let's start with the one that's hardest to find: the Bulova Lunar Pilot Black Hole.
This isn't just a cool name. The Lunar Pilot has a real story behind it. On August 2, 1971, Colonel Dave Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 15 mission — not as official NASA equipment, but as his personal watch. It was the only privately owned timepiece ever worn on the lunar surface. Bulova has been honoring that moment ever since with its Lunar Pilot collection.
The Black Hole edition (ref. 98A335) takes that heritage and goes darker — literally. The dial is finished in Musou black, a paint so light-absorbing it makes the watch face look like a window into deep space. In person, it's striking in a way that photos don't fully capture.
Under the dial, you get Bulova's high-precision quartz movement running at 262 kHz — eight times faster than a standard quartz watch. That means the seconds hand sweeps continuously instead of ticking, which is what mechanical watches do and quartz watches almost never achieve at this price.
This is a limited edition. Once it's gone, it's gone. At $1,650, it's the highest-priced watch on this list, but it's also the only one that tells you it was built to honor a man who wore a watch on the Moon.
Best for: Watch enthusiasts, gift buyers, anyone who wants a limited edition with a real story.
2. Bulova Maquina 98A321 — $925
For the buyer who wants an automatic watch that actually looks automatic.
There's a specific frustration that comes with buying your first automatic watch: you spend $800+ on a mechanical movement, and from the outside, the watch looks exactly like every other watch. You could have spent $100 and nobody would know the difference.
The Bulova Maquina 98A321 solves that problem.
The dial is open — meaning you can see the movement working right through the watch face. The gears, the rotor, the balance wheel — all of it visible, all of it moving. And Bulova didn't just poke a hole in a regular dial to show it off; the entire case is designed around the exposure, with the crown placed at 2 o'clock (instead of the usual 3) to give the dial more visual breathing room.
The result is a watch that reads immediately as mechanical and interesting, even to someone who knows nothing about watchmaking.
The 98A321 has a gunmetal case with rose gold-tone skeleton hands and markers — a combination that works with more outfits than you'd expect, from business casual to a night out. It's 40mm, automatic movement, sapphire crystal, 50m water resistance.
At $925, you're getting a skeleton automatic with genuine visual impact for significantly less than what Swiss brands charge for equivalent specs.
Best for: First-time automatic watch buyers, men who want their watch to start conversations, style-conscious shoppers with a $1,000 budget.
3. Bulova Snorkel 98B474 — $295
For the buyer who wants a real dive watch without spending real dive watch money.
If you've been looking at dive watches lately, you've probably noticed that the good ones are expensive. The Seiko Prospex starts around $400. The Citizen Promaster is similar. Anything Swiss and you're over $1,000 before you've blinked.
The Bulova Snorkel 98B474 at $295 is the answer to that problem.
The Snorkel is inspired by Bulova's original Oceanographer dive watch from the 1970s — a cult favorite that became known for its 666-foot water resistance at a time when most dive watches stopped at 600. The new Snorkel keeps that spirit and updates the execution: 100m water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel, luminous markers and hands, a solid HNBR rubber strap that's comfortable enough to wear all day.
The case is Hybrid Ceramic — a composite material that's lighter than steel, resists scratches better than most metals, and runs slightly cooler against your wrist in warm weather. For a watch you're planning to wear to the beach, on a boat, or just as a daily driver that can handle whatever the day throws at it, that matters.
At $295, the Snorkel is the easiest recommendation on this list. It doesn't require justification. It's a well-built, great-looking dive watch that you don't have to baby.
Best for: First dive watch, summer daily driver, anyone who wants Seiko SKX quality at a lower price.
4. Bulova Curv 96K117 — $1,450
For the buyer who wants a chronograph that no other brand makes.
Here's something most people don't know: Bulova makes the only curved chronograph in the world.
Not "one of the few." The only one. No other watch brand has successfully bent a chronograph movement to follow the curve of your wrist. Bulova did it in 2016, called it the Curv, and it remains exclusively theirs.
Why does that matter? Because a curved movement means the watch sits flatter against your wrist instead of sitting up like a dome. On paper that sounds like a small thing. In person, especially with a chronograph — which tends to be thick because of all the extra mechanical parts — the difference in comfort is significant.
The 96K117 is the stainless steel version of the Curv, running the same 262 kHz high-precision movement as the Lunar Pilot. That movement is so fast that the chronograph's seconds hand sweeps continuously, giving you a level of precision and smoothness you wouldn't expect from a quartz watch at any price.
The caseback is transparent, which is unusual for a quartz watch and lets you see the curved movement inside — one of the more genuinely interesting things to show someone who doesn't follow watches.
At $1,450, the Curv competes with TAG Heuer's Aquaracer chronograph and Tissot's T-Race MotoGP on price — and wins on technical differentiation.
Best for: Chronograph collectors, buyers who want something technically unique, anyone who's tried on chunky chronographs and found them uncomfortable.
5. Bulova Marine Star 98B465 — $495
For the buyer who wants an automatic dive watch that's actually wearable every day.
The Bulova Marine Star has been one of Bulova's best-selling lines for years, and the 98B465 is the model that makes the most sense to actually own.
It's automatic — meaning no battery, no charging, the movement winds itself from the motion of your wrist. It's 200m water resistant, which is more than enough for swimming, snorkeling, or just not thinking about whether you can get it wet. The black rubber strap is chunky in the right way: substantial enough to feel like a serious dive watch, comfortable enough to wear to the office on a casual Friday.
The black dial with luminous markers gives it a clean, high-contrast look that works in daylight and reads clearly at night. Crystal is mineral — not sapphire, which keeps the price reasonable — and the case is stainless steel at 43mm, which is solid without being oversized.
What makes the Marine Star 98B465 worth $495 is the automatic movement. At this price point, most dive watches are quartz. Bulova gives you a self-winding mechanical movement, a clean design, and the backing of an authorized dealer warranty — all for under $500.
Best for: Automatic watch buyers on a budget, daily wear dive watch, buyers comparing against Seiko and Orient in the $400–$600 range.
Quick Comparison: Which Bulova Is Right for You?
| Watch | Price | Movement | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunar Pilot Black Hole 98A335 | $1,650 | High-precision quartz (262 kHz) | Collectors, limited edition buyers |
| Maquina 98A321 | $925 | Automatic skeleton | First automatic, visual impact |
| Snorkel 98B474 | $295 | Quartz | Best value dive watch under $300 |
| Curv 96K117 | $1,450 | Curved HPQ (262 kHz) | Unique chronograph, comfort fit |
| Marine Star 98B465 | $495 | Automatic | Best automatic dive watch under $500 |
Why Buy From Lexor Miami?
All five watches on this list are available right now at Lexor Miami — an authorized Bulova dealer with over 20 years in the industry. Every watch comes with:
- 100% authenticity guaranteed — we source directly from authorized distributors
- Official Bulova manufacturer warranty included with every purchase
- Free shipping across the USA
- Expert support if you have questions before or after your purchase
We're not a marketplace or a third-party seller. We're an authorized dealer, which means when you buy a Bulova from us, your warranty is valid, your watch is real, and someone is here if you need help.
Have a question about any of these models? Contact us or reach us on WhatsApp at +1 786-515-7669.
Shop all Bulova watches at Lexor Miami → lexormiami.com/collections/bulova-watches
