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Bulova Marine Star 97P171 Automatic Bracelet Watch - W83231
Ref. 97P171
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Stepping up in Bulova's range
The Marine Star line has always sat at the crossroads of sport and dress — rated for real water exposure while being finished too carefully to consign to dive duty alone. This 35mm piece makes that balance particularly clear: 100 metres of water resistance in a case under 10mm thick, which is shallow enough to disappear under a cuff or sit flush against an evening sleeve. The mother-of-pearl dial is iridescent rather than flat, so it shifts tone under changing light without ever reading as plain. Five individually handset diamonds take the place of some of the Roman numerals, and the open-heart aperture between five and seven o'clock gives a view of the balance wheel — driven by a 24-jewel Miyota movement built under Citizen's ownership of Bulova, with a 42-hour reserve. The exhibition caseback extends that view around the other side. The bracelet releases on quick-change spring bars, so swapping it for a strap requires no tools.
- Reference
- 97P171
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Marine Star
- Case size
- 35mm
- Case thickness
- 9.7mm
- Lug width
- 18mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Mother-of-pearl
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 9029
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
- Strap
- Interchangeable
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 Marine Star range (12), Back in Stock (3,629), Watches Under 37mm (1,939), Automatic Watches (1,904), Women's Watches (1,819), 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
- 35mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Bulova Marine Star 97P171 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 97P171 | SRPL61J1 | T1019101111600 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £399 | £399 | £480 |
| Case size | 35mm | 34mm | 36mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 50m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 41 hours | — |
| This watch |
|
|
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?
18mm. 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 35mm 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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