Tap the image to enlarge
Bulova 98A342 Series X Automatic Blue Suede Strap Watch - W09418
Ref. 98A342
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.Series X makes no pretence at tradition. The square case, the lugless architecture where the strap grows directly from the case width, and the exposed decorative screws around the bezel all point toward a deliberately industrial design language — this is Bulova working in a different register from its dress and sport lines, and the result reads accordingly. The skeleton dial is the mechanism through which that language is delivered. Slate blue bridges run across the open movement, with baton indices floating at the periphery and matched silver hands keeping the whole thing legible. The Miyota 8N26 underneath is from Citizen's own movement manufacturing arm, which means parts availability and service intervals are uncomplicated long-term — a practical consideration for a watch that invites you to watch the movement work. The navy suede strap is a considered material choice against the industrial case, and the three-piece wire tang buckle is neater at the wrist than a standard folded tang tends to be at this weight.
- Reference
- 98A342
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Series X
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Square
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 8N26
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 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 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,629), Stainless Steel Watches (3,600), Automatic Watches (1,904), Leather Strap Watches (1,191), Blue Dial Watches (991) and Rectangular & Square Watches (532).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Bulova's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Bulova 98A342 Series X alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 98A342 | T1224071605100 | H64455523 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £599 | £620 | £640 |
| Case size | 41mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | — | 80 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
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.
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.
More Bulova watches like the 98A342 Series X
In stock, and close on style and price
