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Bulova 96A345 Surveyor Automatic Watch - W09411
Ref. 96A345
Sits in Bulova’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Bulova watches we list, which start at £100.
Price range £100 to £995 across 53 Bulova watches in stock.The Surveyor line has existed in larger, mineral-crystal form for some time; this 39mm reference is a deliberate step back toward classical proportion, and the switch to sapphire over the older versions' mineral crystal is the most practical gain the change brings. At 11.45mm thick, it sits quietly under a shirt cuff, which is worth noting for a watch that opens the dial at six o'clock to show the balance wheel and backs that with a display caseback — mechanical theatre that usually asks for a bulkier case. The movement inside is a Miyota-sourced Bulova 82S0: 21 jewels, hacking seconds, 42-hour reserve, and a long track record of straightforward servicing. It is not a manufacture calibre, but it is honest and dependable, and at 39mm the open-heart aperture reads as a considered detail rather than a distraction. At 160 grams on the bracelet, the watch has some presence on the wrist without feeling heavy-handed, and the push-button deployant keeps it secure without the daily fumble of a standard folding clasp.
- Reference
- 96A345
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Surveyor
- Case size
- 39mm
- Case thickness
- 11.45mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 82S0
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 46mm
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
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.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in the Bulova Surveyor range (9), Stainless Steel Watches (3,555), Back in Stock (3,547), Automatic Watches (1,871), Automatic Watches Under £500 (376) and Skeleton Watches (331).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 39mm suits most wrists
- 46mm lug-to-lug keeps the 39mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Bulova's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bulova 96A345 Surveyor alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 96A345 | RA-AP0106S30B | NJ0152-51X |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £329 | £330 | £329 |
| Case size | 39mm | 38.4mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 40 hours | 42 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 42 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. 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.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 46mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16cm (6¼ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 39mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
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.
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