Tap the image to enlarge
Bulova 98A224 Stainless Steel Automatic Skeleton Dial Bracelet Watch - W09165
Ref. 98A224
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 75 Bulova watches in stock.The Maquina name — Spanish for machine — signals Bulova's intent clearly enough: this is a watch built to make the movement the display, not an afterthought behind a printed dial. The 8N26 that Miyota puts inside is a solid, proven automatic, and with the dial opened up around it, the balance wheel's oscillation becomes the thing you actually read the time against. At 46mm and 194 grams on a solid steel bracelet, this wears with genuine mass. The black surround to the movement opening frames the gold-tone hands and hour markers clearly against what would otherwise be a busy background — a practical decision that also gives the dial a cleaner hierarchy than most skeletons manage. The red-tipped seconds hand picks out the beat of the movement without competing with the time display. The push-button deployant makes daily use straightforward, and the bracelet takes standard link removal if the fit needs adjusting. Worth noting: the 40-hour power reserve means a weekend off the wrist will not leave it stopped by Monday morning.
- Reference
- 98A224
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Maquina
- Case size
- 46mm
- Case thickness
- 13mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 8N26
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 40 hours
- Origin
- Made in Japan
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 Maquina range (5), Back in Stock (4,585), Stainless Steel Watches (3,014), Automatic Watches (1,758), Watches 44mm and Over (750), Automatic Watches Under £500 (318) and Skeleton Watches (309).
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
- 46mm is a large watch with real presence
- 40-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £419 on 13 September. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
Bulova 98A224 Stainless Steel alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 98A224 | PWVBA0123 | LE1246SET |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £449 | £449 | £399 |
| Case size | 46mm | 44mm | 45mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Silicone strap | Fabric strap |
| Power reserve | 40 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 40 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
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.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £419 and £449, today it's £449.
More Bulova watches like the 98A224 Stainless Steel
In stock, and close on style and price
