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Bulova Classic Sutton 97L172 Automatic Bracelet Watch - W83230
Ref. 97L172
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Stepping up in Bulova's range
The Sutton sits in a long line of Bulova dress watches made for women who want mechanical movement without a masculinised case — 34.5mm keeps it unambiguously feminine while leaving enough room for the mandala engraving to read across the mother-of-pearl dial. That engraving is worth pausing on: it is not embossed but cut into the surface, so it catches the light differently at different angles rather than simply sitting on top of the dial. The aperture at seven o'clock opens onto the balance wheel — a detail Bulova calls a heartbeat window — which gives the watch its skeleton credentials without dismantling the dial entirely. The movement behind it is Miyota's 82S0, a Japanese automatic with a hacking seconds hand, meaning the wheel stops when the crown is pulled, and time-setting is as precise as on a more expensive mechanism. At 106 grams on the bracelet it has noticeable presence on the wrist, more than the case diameter alone would suggest.
- Reference
- 97L172
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Sutton
- Case size
- 34.5mm
- Case thickness
- 11mm
- Lug width
- 16mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 82S0
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- 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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Bulova Sutton range (14), Back in Stock (4,585), Automatic Watches (1,758), Watches Under 37mm (1,602), Women's Watches (1,516), Gold Watches (630) and Automatic Watches Under £500 (318).
Temporarily out of stock
F.Hinds is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 25 October 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 34.5mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Bulova's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bulova Classic Sutton 97L172 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 97L172 | AR60023 | SRP839J1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £299 | £299 | £360 |
| Case size | 34.5mm | 34mm | 33.8mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | — | 41 hours |
| This watch |
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|
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?
16mm. 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, though at 34.5mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
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