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Bulova 97B223 Super Seville Gold Tone Bracelet Watch - W09343
Ref. 97B223
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 Super Seville name traces back to a Bulova Day-Date from the 1970s, and this revival keeps the original's cushion case profile — that slightly squared silhouette sometimes called a TV shape — while replacing the period movement with the NM10 Precisionist, Bulova's own high-frequency quartz calibre running at 262kHz. That frequency is what produces the smooth sweep of the seconds hand rather than a step, and it also delivers accuracy measured in seconds per year rather than per month. At 38mm in the cushion format, the case wears slightly smaller than a round watch of the same diameter, and at under 11mm thick it sits flat against the wrist without lifting at the edges. The integrated bracelet flows directly from the case rather than connecting through separate lugs, which reinforces the period look and explains why the 11mm lug width is not really a swappable dimension — the watch is designed as one object. The vertically brushed silver dial with polished gold indices and a Cyclops lens over the date reads clearly in the hand without demanding attention, which is appropriate given how much the case and bracelet are already doing.
- Reference
- 97B223
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Super Seville
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 11mm
- Lug width
- 11mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Cushion
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- NM10 Precisionist
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- 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 5 collections
This watch appears in the Bulova Super Seville range (6), Back in Stock (3,629), Silver Dial Watches (816), Gold Watches (784) and Tonneau & Cushion Watches (146).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 38mm suits most wrists
- 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 97B223 Super Seville Gold alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 97B223 | YA1264106 | H69401140 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £499 | £425 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
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 men's, though at 38mm 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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