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Bulova 96L345 Surveyor Blue Dial Bracelet Watch - W83239
Ref. 96L345
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Stepping up in Bulova's range
The Surveyor collection is Bulova's answer to the dress bracelet watch as a piece of considered jewellery — angular case faceting and sculpted edges that catch light differently depending on how the wrist turns, without borrowing the vocabulary of sport or utility. This 23mm version sits at the smaller end of the line, proportioned for finer wrists where a larger case would overwhelm rather than complement. At 7mm thick and 52 grams on the bracelet, it wears with almost no presence in the physical sense — the weight is barely there, and the profile disappears beneath a cuff. The blue sunburst dial shifts between near-navy and pale steel-blue as the light moves across it, and the sapphire crystal keeps it readable without added glare. The GL32 inside is a Japanese quartz calibre from Citizen's supply chain, built to run approximately three years between battery changes and stay accurate without attention. The deployant clasp releases without tools, which makes daily removal straightforward for a watch likely to come on and off frequently.
- Reference
- 96L345
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Surveyor
- Case size
- 23mm
- Case thickness
- 7mm
- Lug width
- 11mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- GL32
- 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.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in the Bulova Surveyor range (7), Stainless Steel Watches (3,546), Back in Stock (3,538), Watches Under 37mm (1,908), Women's Watches (1,786) and Blue Dial Watches (974).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 23mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bulova 96L345 Surveyor Blue Dial alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 96L345 | 17436B49 | 1502794 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £219 | £225 | £249 |
| Case size | 23mm | 22.2mm | 23mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| 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?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
11mm. 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 women'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.
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