Tap the image to enlarge
Bulova 97A206 Prestige Automatic Black Leather Strap Watch - W09414
Ref. 97A206
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 £1,250 across 120 Bulova watches in stock.The Prestige collection is Bulova's showcase for decoration over restraint — watches designed to be looked at rather than merely worn. This model makes that ambition clear immediately: the faceted gold PVD case catches light from every angle, and the open dial removes any barrier between the wearer and the Miyota 8N24's bridgework beneath. That movement is a Citizen-made automatic with 21 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve, chosen here as much for its visual architecture as its reliability. One practical note worth knowing: it does not hack, so setting the time precisely means waiting for the seconds hand to pass twelve. At 42mm the case reads large on the wrist, which suits the design — a skeleton dial at a smaller diameter tends to feel cluttered, and here the geometry has room to resolve itself. The three-piece wire lug system is unusual and sits notably narrow at 7.5mm, which keeps the strap transition clean despite the case's presence. The anti-reflective sapphire helps considerably across an open dial, where internal reflections would otherwise compete with the movement underneath.
- Reference
- 97A206
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Prestige
- Case size
- 42mm
- Lug width
- 7.5mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 8N24
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- 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 Back in Stock (3,629), Automatic Watches (1,904), Leather Strap Watches (1,191), Silver Dial Watches (816), Gold Watches (784) and Automatic Watches Under £500 (401).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Bulova's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- Leather does not suit regular contact with water
Bulova 97A206 Prestige alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 97A206 | 984985 41 85 20 | R8821108053 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £479 | £429 | £419 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 44 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
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?
7.5mm. 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.
More Bulova watches like the 97A206 Prestige
In stock, and close on style and price
