Tap the image to enlarge
Bulova Crystal 98A293 Octava Automatic Grey IP Bracelet Watch - W09251
Ref. 98A293
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 Octava sits within Bulova's Crystal line, which takes automatic watchmaking and wraps it in something closer to jewellery architecture than conventional watch design. The 251 crystals set across the case, bezel and bracelet are not an afterthought — the whole watch is conceived around them, the grey ion-plating tying every surface into a single chromatic argument. At 41.7mm the case is assertive, and at 180 grams it will be felt on the wrist, but the skeleton dial earns that presence: the Miyota 8N26 — a 21-jewel movement from Citizen's own production arm — is visible both through the cut dial from the front and through the exhibition caseback. The 42-hour power reserve means a watch worn daily will not need winding, though one left on a nightstand over a long weekend will need a restart. The crystal embellishment continues onto the bracelet, which closes with a double-press deployant, keeping the integrated look consistent all the way to the wrist. This is a watch that has committed fully to one idea, and there is a coherence to that commitment.
- Reference
- 98A293
- Brand
- Bulova
- Case size
- 41.7mm
- Case thickness
- 12.5mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Grey PVD
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Grey
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 8N26
- Functions
- Small seconds, Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Grey
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 50mm
- 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), Stainless Steel Watches (3,600), Automatic Watches (1,904), Automatic Watches Under £500 (401), Skeleton Watches (356) and Grey Dial Watches (283).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Bulova's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bulova Crystal 98A293 Octava alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 98A293 | SSA465J1 | PWRAA0323 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £500 | £469 |
| Case size | 41.7mm | 41.8mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 41 hours | 40 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
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?
22mm. 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.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 50mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs 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 Crystal 98A293 Octava
In stock, and close on style and price
