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Bulova 98A338 Surveyor Automatic Two Tone Bracelet Watch - W09413
Ref. 98A338
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The Surveyor line sits in an interesting position within Bulova's catalogue — dress-leaning without being stiff, mechanical without demanding serious horological investment. This reference pairs that brief with a sunburst green dial that shifts between deep and luminous depending on the angle, gold-tone baton hands and indices providing clean contrast against it, and an open-heart aperture at the lower portion of the dial that reveals the balance wheel rocking beneath. The movement behind it is the Miyota 82S0, built by Citizen — Bulova's parent company — in Japan. It hacks, which means the seconds hand stops when you pull the crown, and setting the time is precise rather than approximate. At 39mm with a 12mm profile, the case sits flat enough for a shirt cuff, and at 158g the bracelet has presence on the wrist without becoming a chore. The two-tone execution mixes brushed steel outer links with gold PVD centres, a combination that works with both a lounge suit and an open collar in a way that a fully gold or fully steel bracelet would not. The open-heart carries through to an exhibition caseback, so the view you get from the dial is continued when the watch comes off. Quick-release spring bars mean swapping to a leather strap — if the two-tone reads as too much for a particular occasion — takes seconds and no tools.
- Reference
- 98A338
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Surveyor
- Case size
- 39mm
- Case thickness
- 12mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Green
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Miyota 82S0
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Two-tone
- Clasp
- Butterfly clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
- Weight
- 158g
- 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 Surveyor range (13), Back in Stock (4,862), Automatic Watches (1,749), Two-Tone Watches (469), Green Dial Watches (445), Automatic Watches Under £500 (335) and Skeleton Watches (315).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 39mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bulova 98A338 Surveyor alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 98A338 | RA-AP0106S30B | NJ0152-51X |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £349 | £330 | £329 |
| Case size | 39mm | 38.4mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 40 hours | 42 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?
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?
20mm. 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 39mm 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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