A 44mm forged carbon case infused with 97.97% pure gold flake, the world's first curved chronograph movement, and a design that no one else will ever wear exactly like you. The Bulova CURV 98A328 is the boldest expression of Bulova's 150th anniversary, and it is available now at Lexor Miami, an authorized Bulova retailer, for $2,050 with free shipping across the contiguous United States.
Shop the Bulova CURV 98A328 – $2,050
The Bulova CURV 98A328 is a 44mm men's chronograph released for Bulova's 150th anniversary. Its case is made of forged carbon infused with 97.97% pure gold flake, so every piece has a unique pattern. It runs on Bulova's NR20 CURV movement, the world's first curved chronograph caliber, vibrating at 262 kHz for high-precision quartz accuracy. It features a dual curved sapphire crystal, an open black dial with gold accents, an exhibition caseback, a black HNBR rubber strap and 30 meters of splash resistance. Lexor Miami sells it new with full manufacturer warranty for $2,050.
Every few years a watch comes along that makes you look twice. Not because it is loud for the sake of being loud, but because it combines materials, engineering and attitude in a way you have not seen before at its price. The Bulova CURV 98A328 Forged Carbon is that watch for 2025 and 2026.
Bulova created the CURV family in 2016 around a simple but difficult idea: if a chronograph case is going to hug the wrist, the movement inside should curve with it. Until then, nobody had built a curved chronograph movement. Bulova did, and the result was a slimmer, more ergonomic sports watch that felt different the moment you strapped it on. A decade later, for its 150th birthday, Bulova took that curved architecture and wrapped it in one of the most advanced case materials in modern watchmaking: forged carbon, layered with real gold flake.
The effect is hard to describe until you see it in person. The black carbon swirls like marble, and tiny veins of gold catch the light every time you move your wrist. Because forged carbon is made by compressing chopped carbon fibers under heat and pressure, the pattern is random. Bulova confirms that each case is unique in its patterning, which means the watch on your wrist is effectively one of one.
In this guide, we cover everything American buyers want to know before purchasing the Bulova CURV 98A328: its history, specifications, materials, technology, who it is best for, how it compares with other Bulova chronographs, and why so many collectors choose to buy it from Lexor Miami. If you already know you want it, you can view the Bulova CURV 98A328 product page here.
To understand why the CURV 98A328 matters, it helps to understand the company behind it. Bulova is one of the most important names in American horology, and its story is really a story of innovation after innovation.
Joseph Bulova, a young immigrant from Bohemia, opened a small jewelry store in Lower Manhattan in 1875. Within a few decades, his company was producing watches at scale and pioneering standardized, interchangeable watch parts, an approach that made precise timekeeping accessible to far more Americans.
Bulova became a household name in the United States. It is widely credited with airing the first-ever television commercial in 1941, a brief spot that ran before a baseball game in New York. The brand also became closely tied to aviation and to American public life, sponsoring radio time signals and producing watches for service members.
In 1960 Bulova introduced the Accutron, the world's first fully electronic watch, which used a vibrating tuning fork instead of a traditional balance wheel. The tuning fork became Bulova's logo, and you will find it on the dial of the CURV 98A328 today. The Accutron technology was so accurate that it was used in NASA programs throughout the Space Age.
During the Apollo 15 mission, astronaut David Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface. That piece of history inspired the modern Bulova Lunar Pilot, one of the brand's most popular chronographs today.
Bulova launched its high-precision quartz platform, originally under the Precisionist name, with movements vibrating at 262 kHz, eight times faster than a standard 32 kHz quartz watch. The higher frequency delivers significantly better accuracy and a smooth-sweeping seconds hand that looks more like a mechanical watch than a ticking quartz.
Bulova unveiled CURV, the world's first curved chronograph movement. It became one of the brand's signature collections, known for its sculpted, ergonomic cases and modern sport-luxury styling.
For its 150th anniversary, Bulova released a series of special pieces that celebrate its heritage of innovation, including the Lunar Pilot Timascus limited edition and the CURV 98A328 Forged Carbon. Of all the anniversary releases, the 98A328 is the one that looks most firmly toward the future. You can explore the rest of the anniversary lineup in our Bulova Limited Edition Watches collection.
Here is what defines the Bulova CURV Forged Carbon at a glance:
Features are what a watch has. Benefits are what those features do for you. Here is how the specifications of the Bulova CURV 98A328 translate into daily life.
A 44mm chronograph can look intimidating on paper. But because the case and the movement curve with the wrist, and because forged carbon is lighter than solid steel, the CURV 98A328 sits closer to the skin and feels lighter than most chronographs of the same diameter. Published dealer specifications put the case at roughly 10.4mm thick, which is remarkably slim for a multi-register chronograph. It slides under a dress shirt cuff more easily than you might expect.
Most luxury watches are identical from one piece to the next. The 98A328 is not. The forged carbon process produces a different pattern on every case, and the distribution of gold flake varies too. No two collectors will have exactly the same watch, which gives it a personal quality that is rare at this price.
With Bulova's 262 kHz high-precision quartz movement, you get a level of accuracy far beyond ordinary quartz and far beyond what most mechanical watches can achieve. There is no winding, no daily adjustment and no worry if you leave it in a drawer for a week. Pick it up and it is on time.
The black-and-gold combination reads as luxury from across the room, but it does not rely on a famous logo to make its point. People notice the texture of the case first, then ask what it is. That is a very different kind of attention from what a common luxury status watch brings.
The HNBR rubber strap handles heat and humidity well, the sapphire crystal resists scratches, and the case material is resilient. It is a watch you can wear to dinner, to a Miami Heat game, on a boat day in Biscayne Bay or to a business meeting in Manhattan. Just keep in mind that its 30-meter rating is splash resistance, so it is not intended for swimming.
Anniversary releases tend to be the pieces collectors remember. As a 150th Anniversary Special Edition, the 98A328 marks a moment in the history of one of America's most influential watch companies.
These specifications are compiled from Bulova's official product information and cross-checked against authorized dealer data.
| Specification | Bulova CURV 98A328 |
|---|---|
| Brand | Bulova |
| Collection | CURV |
| Model Name | CURV Forged Carbon – 150th Anniversary Special Edition |
| Reference Number | 98A328 |
| UPC | 042429605367 |
| Gender | Men's |
| Case Diameter | 44 mm |
| Case Thickness | Approx. 10.4 mm (dealer-published) |
| Lug Width | 25 mm |
| Case Material | Forged carbon infused with 97.97% pure gold flake; black 316L stainless steel components |
| Bezel | Gold-tone stainless steel, attached with exposed screws |
| Caseback | Exhibition caseback, secured with screws |
| Crystal | Dual curved anti-reflective sapphire |
| Dial | Black open dial with gold-tone accents, tuning fork logo |
| Hands | Gold-tone, luminous |
| Movement | Bulova NR20 CURV high-precision quartz chronograph |
| Frequency | 262 kHz |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph (5-hand) |
| Strap | Black HNBR premium rubber |
| Clasp | Deployant clasp with push buttons, gold-tone |
| Water Resistance | 30 m / 3 ATM – splash resistant (not for swimming) |
| Edition | Bulova 150th Anniversary Special Edition |
| Price at Lexor Miami | $2,050 USD |
| Condition | Brand new, 100% authentic, original Bulova box and papers |
| Warranty | Full Bulova manufacturer's warranty |
Forged carbon is a composite material made by taking short, chopped carbon fibers, mixing them with resin and compressing them under high heat and pressure. Unlike traditional woven carbon fiber, which shows a regular checkerboard pattern, forged carbon produces an organic, marble-like texture. The material was popularized in supercar manufacturing, and it has become a signature of modern high-end watchmaking because it is extremely light, very strong and visually unforgettable.
Because the fibers settle randomly during forging, no two pieces look alike. That is why Bulova states that each 98A328 case is unique in its patterning.
Bulova took forged carbon a step further by infusing the case with gold foil of 97.97% purity. The gold flakes are suspended within the carbon matrix, creating veins and specks of warm metallic light across the black surface. The result is a case that looks dramatically different depending on lighting: understated indoors, and alive with gold under Florida sunshine.
It is important to be clear about what this means. The watch is not a solid gold watch. The gold is a decorative element inside the carbon composite. But it is real, high-purity gold, and it is what gives the 98A328 its distinctive luxury character.
Bulova's official specifications describe the case as black 316L stainless steel combined with forged carbon. The 316L steel provides structural strength where it matters, while the gold-tone stainless steel bezel is attached with visible screws. Those screws are not only decorative; they give the watch an engineered, technical look that pairs perfectly with the carbon.
Sapphire crystal is one of the hardest materials used in watchmaking and is highly resistant to scratches. On the CURV 98A328, the sapphire is curved on both sides to match the curved case, and it has an anti-reflective treatment that improves legibility in bright light.
HNBR (hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber) is a premium synthetic rubber used in demanding industrial applications. For a watch strap, it means excellent resistance to heat, sweat, UV exposure and wear, along with a soft, comfortable feel. It is a smart choice for a watch built to be worn often, especially in warm climates.
The design language of the Bulova CURV 98A328 is built on contrast: matte black against bright gold, organic carbon texture against precise machined screws, and a technical open dial against a warm luxury palette.
CURV cases are shaped to follow the natural curve of the wrist. From the side, you can see how the case and lugs bend downward, which improves comfort and keeps the watch from sitting high like many 44mm chronographs. The pushers and crown are integrated cleanly into the case flank.
The dial is black, multilayered and partly open, allowing a glimpse into the watch's architecture. Three chronograph subdials are finished with gold-tone accents, and the applied markers and hands are gold-tone with luminous fill. Bulova's tuning fork logo sits on the dial, a direct link back to the 1960 Accutron.
The gold-tone stainless steel bezel with exposed screws is the design element that makes the 98A328 instantly recognizable. It creates a strong frame around the dial and draws out the gold flake inside the case.
The black HNBR strap is textured and sculpted for comfort, finished with a gold-tone deployant clasp that echoes the bezel. The overall look is cohesive from every angle.
Most watch movements are flat. That is fine for a simple three-hand watch, but a chronograph needs more components, which usually means a thicker, taller case. Bulova solved this by designing a movement that curves. The NR20 CURV caliber bends to follow the shape of the case, so the whole watch can curve around the wrist while staying slim.
A standard quartz watch uses a crystal oscillating at 32,768 Hz. Bulova's high-precision quartz uses a crystal vibrating at 262 kHz, eight times faster. The higher frequency makes the movement much less sensitive to temperature changes and other variables, resulting in far greater accuracy over time than ordinary quartz.
Because of that high frequency, the chronograph seconds hand moves with a smooth sweep rather than a one-step-per-second tick. It is one of the details that makes Bulova's high-precision quartz watches feel more premium on the wrist than typical quartz chronographs.
The 98A328 is a 5-hand chronograph: hours, minutes, running seconds and chronograph functions distributed across the main dial and subdials. Start, stop and reset are operated by the pushers on the right side of the case. Whether you are timing laps, a cooking recipe or a parking meter, it is practical and satisfying to use.
As a quartz movement, the CURV needs only a battery change every few years, which should be done by a qualified watch professional to protect the case seals. There is no need for the regular mechanical servicing that automatic chronographs require, which keeps long-term ownership costs low.
This watch is not for everyone, and that is part of its appeal. Here is who it suits best.
Who might prefer something else? If you need a dive watch for swimming or snorkeling, the 98A328's splash resistance is not enough. Consider a dedicated water sports model instead, such as the Bulova E1 Team Miami 98B476. If you want a classic, understated dress watch, a slimmer three-hand watch may suit you better.
Where you buy a watch matters as much as which watch you buy. With a special edition like the CURV Forged Carbon, gray-market listings and questionable sellers are common. Here is what Lexor Miami offers instead.
Lexor Miami is an authorized Bulova dealer. Every watch is brand new, 100% authentic, and comes in its original Bulova packaging with manufacturer documentation. That means your full Bulova manufacturer's warranty is valid, something that is not guaranteed when you buy from unauthorized sellers or marketplaces.
We are not a drop-shipper. Lexor Miami operates a physical showroom at 2371 NW 20th St, Miami, FL, where you can see the CURV 98A328 in person, compare it with other Bulova models, and get advice from our team. Visit our Bulova Watches Miami page to learn more about our Bulova selection.
We offer free shipping on this watch to all 48 contiguous United States, with orders packed and shipped directly from Miami. Expedited options are available at checkout if you need it quickly for a gift.
Lexor Miami has built its reputation on thousands of five-star Google reviews from watch and eyewear customers across the United States. We care about what happens after the sale as much as before it.
Have a question about sizing, the strap or battery service? You can reach our team by phone or WhatsApp at +1 786 333 1331, Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM Eastern.
If you are shopping for a premium Bulova chronograph, these are the models most buyers compare with the CURV Forged Carbon. All are available at Lexor Miami.
| Model | Case | Size | Dial / Strap | Movement | Edition | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CURV Forged Carbon 98A328 | Forged carbon with 97.97% gold flake, gold-tone steel bezel | 44 mm | Black open dial, gold accents / HNBR rubber | NR20 curved chronograph, 262 kHz | 150th Anniversary Special Edition | $2,050 |
| CURV Chronograph 98A185 | Rose gold-tone stainless steel | 44 mm | Black dial, rose gold-tone accents / rubber | Curved chronograph, 262 kHz | Core collection | $1,050 |
| CURV Chronograph 96K117 | Stainless steel | 41.5 mm | Brown dial / steel bracelet | Curved chronograph, 262 kHz | CURV 10th Anniversary Edition | $1,450 |
| Lunar Pilot Timascus 98A329 | Stainless steel, Timascus dial | 43.5 mm | Timascus dial / steel bracelet | High-precision quartz, 262 kHz | Limited to 5,500 pieces | $1,650 |
| Shelby Daytona Coupe 96K118 | Polished stainless steel | — | Silver-tone dial / integrated bracelet | Quartz chronograph | Limited Edition | $1,425 |
The Bulova CURV 98A185 shares the same 44mm size, black dial and curved chronograph technology, and it costs about half as much. The difference is the case: the 98A185 uses rose gold-tone stainless steel, while the 98A328 uses forged carbon with real gold flake, a gold-tone screwed bezel and an exhibition caseback. If you want the CURV experience at an entry price, the 98A185 is excellent. If you want the most exclusive and visually unique CURV, the 98A328 is the one.
The CURV 96K117 celebrates ten years of the CURV collection with a 41.5mm steel case, brown dial and steel bracelet. It is more versatile and slightly more conservative, making it an easy everyday watch for smaller wrists. The 98A328 is the bolder statement piece, with more exotic materials and a sportier rubber strap.
Both are 150th anniversary releases. The Lunar Pilot Timascus is a numbered limited edition of 5,500 pieces with a one-of-a-kind folded titanium dial and a space-history story. The CURV 98A328 puts its uniqueness in the case instead, and adds the curved movement. Choose the Lunar Pilot for heritage storytelling and a classic pilot chronograph shape; choose the CURV for modern materials and ergonomic comfort.
The Bulova Shelby Daytona Coupe 96K118 is the pick for fans of American racing history, with a polished steel case and integrated bracelet. The CURV Forged Carbon borrows its material from the modern supercar world, so both appeal to car lovers in different ways: one looks back at the 1960s, the other forward.
Want something automatic instead of quartz? Take a look at the Bulova Series X Automatic 98A342 and Series X Automatic 98A343, or browse the full Bulova watches collection.
The best watches fit into a life, not just a collection. Here is how the Bulova CURV 98A328 fits into the kind of days many of our customers live.
Picture dinner in Brickell or a rooftop in South Beach. A black shirt, dark trousers and the CURV on your wrist. Under warm restaurant lighting, the gold flake in the carbon glows. It is the kind of detail people notice when you reach for a glass, and it starts conversations naturally.
Forged carbon was born in motorsport, so the 98A328 feels right at home behind the wheel. Whether you are driving down the Overseas Highway to the Keys or taking a coastal road in California, the curved case sits comfortably on the wrist, and the chronograph is always ready to time the drive.
With a navy or charcoal suit, the 98A328 makes a confident, modern statement. It tells people you appreciate engineering and design without relying on a traditional status symbol. And thanks to its slim curved profile, it slides under a cuff better than most 44mm chronographs.
The rubber strap and lightweight case make it a great choice for sporting events, airport days and long flights. Quartz accuracy means you can set it once and forget it, even through time zones, adjusting just the hour when you land.
The Bulova CURV 98A328 Forged Carbon is priced at $2,050 at Lexor Miami, with free shipping to the 48 contiguous United States.
Bulova presents the 98A328 as a 150th Anniversary Special Edition. It is a special anniversary release rather than an individually numbered limited edition, but each forged carbon case has a unique pattern, so no two watches look exactly alike.
Yes. The forged carbon case is infused with gold flake that is 97.97% pure gold. It is a decorative inlay within the carbon composite, not a solid gold case.
The case measures 44mm in diameter, with a 25mm lug width. Dealer-published specifications put its thickness at about 10.4mm, which is slim for a chronograph thanks to the curved movement.
It uses Bulova's NR20 CURV high-precision quartz chronograph movement, vibrating at 262 kHz. CURV was the world's first curved chronograph movement.
No. It is rated to 30 meters (3 ATM), which Bulova classifies as splash resistant. It can handle rain and handwashing, but it should not be worn for swimming, showering or diving.
The CURV 98A328 is quartz. It uses Bulova's high-precision quartz technology, which is significantly more accurate than standard quartz and features a smooth-sweeping chronograph seconds hand.
For buyers who value modern design, unique materials and precise, low-maintenance timekeeping, yes. At $2,050, the 98A328 offers forged carbon with real gold flake, a sapphire crystal and a patented curved chronograph movement, a combination that is very rare at this price point.
Yes. When purchased from an authorized dealer like Lexor Miami, the watch includes the full Bulova manufacturer's warranty along with original box and documentation.
Typically every few years, depending on how often the chronograph is used. We recommend having the battery replaced by a qualified watch professional so the case is properly resealed.
The curved case helps it wear comfortably on many medium wrists, but 44mm is still a large watch. If you prefer something smaller, the 41.5mm CURV 96K117 is a good alternative.
Yes. Visit the Lexor Miami showroom at 2371 NW 20th St, Miami, FL, Monday to Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM. We recommend calling ahead at +1 786 333 1331 to confirm the watch is on display.
Yes. Lexor Miami ships to all 48 contiguous US states, and this watch ships free. Faster shipping options are available at checkout.
It is an excellent gift for milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions and Father's Day. It arrives in a premium Bulova presentation box, and its unique case pattern makes it a truly personal present.
Special editions do not stay on the shelf forever, and a 150th anniversary piece with a unique forged carbon case is one of the most distinctive Bulovas you can own. Order today from Lexor Miami and get:
For 150 years, Bulova has built its identity on doing things first: the first television commercial, the first electronic watch, a chronograph on the Moon, and the first curved chronograph movement. The CURV 98A328 Forged Carbon continues that story in the most modern way possible.
It combines a supercar-grade forged carbon case with 97.97% pure gold flake, a gold-tone bezel with exposed screws, a dual curved sapphire crystal and Bulova's 262 kHz high-precision curved chronograph movement. It wears slimmer and more comfortably than its 44mm diameter suggests. And because every case is patterned differently, it is a watch that is truly yours.
If you are looking for a luxury chronograph under $2,500 that stands apart from the crowd, the Bulova CURV 98A328 deserves a place at the top of your list. Buy it with confidence from Lexor Miami, your authorized Bulova retailer in Miami, and enjoy free shipping anywhere in the contiguous United States.
Want to keep exploring first? Read our guide to Bulova's CURV and Racer timepieces, browse Bulova limited editions, or explore all luxury watches at Lexor Miami.