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Bulova 96A170 Stainless Steel Automatic Skeleton Bracelet Watch - W09156
Ref. 96A170
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Stepping up in Bulova's range
Skeleton dials are common enough, but most keep the movement tucked behind a partial bridge, visible only at an angle. This one cuts the dial away at the centre entirely, so the balance wheel is directly in the sightline — the watch reads as machinery before it reads as a timepiece, and the exhibition caseback means that from either side there is nothing concealed. The movement is a Miyota automatic, made within the Citizen group that owns Bulova, and it earns its keep: robust, self-sufficient, and easier to service than many boutique alternatives. At 43mm across and 12mm deep, the proportions sit on the assertive side, and 177 grams on the wrist makes that presence felt. The bracelet alternates brushed and polished links, which keeps the surface from reading as flat, and the deployant clasp adjusts through push-pin link removal — straightforward, with no proprietary tool required. The 30m rating covers splashes and rain without pretending to anything more, which is honest for a watch this open to the eye.
- Reference
- 96A170
- Brand
- Bulova
- Case size
- 43mm
- Case thickness
- 12mm
- Lug width
- 23mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Automatic
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Learn more about Bulova
Joseph Bulova, a Bohemian immigrant, opened a jewellery shop on Maiden Lane in New York in 1875 and moved into watch manufacturing in the early twentieth century, building a plant in Sag Harbor and later a substantial operation in Queens.
Bulova's instinct for firsts was commercial as much as technical. It ran the first national advertisement for a watch brand in 1926, broadcast the first radio commercial in American history — a time announcement — in 1926, and aired the first television commercial ever broadcast in 1941, paying nine dollars for the slot.
The engineering came too. The Accutron of 1960 replaced the balance wheel with a tuning fork vibrating at 360 Hz, driven electronically. It was accurate to within a minute a month, far beyond mechanical watches, and it hummed rather than ticked. NASA used Accutron timing mechanisms in spacecraft, and one was left on the Moon in the equipment package of Apollo 11.
Bulova also made an enormous contribution to American war production, supplying military timing devices, and founded a school of watchmaking for disabled veterans.
The company was acquired by Citizen in 2008. Modern collections include the Precisionist, with a high-frequency quartz movement producing a smooth sweeping seconds hand, and reissues of the Accutron and the 1970s Computron.
- 1875
- Joseph Bulova opens his New York shop.
- 1941
- Airs the first television commercial in history.
- 1960
- The Accutron tuning fork movement is released.
- 1969
- An Accutron timer is left on the Moon by Apollo 11.
- 2008
- Acquired by Citizen.
This watch appears in Stainless Steel (2,298), Automatic Watches (1,127), Automatic Under £500 (198) and Skeleton Watches (184).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Will the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
What size strap does it take?
23mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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