Tap the image to enlarge
Bulova 98C127 Classic Two Tone Bracelet Watch - W09115
Ref. 98C127
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in Bulova's range
The Surveyor sits within Bulova's Classic line as a sports-inflected dress watch — the kind of piece drawn to do one job well: look collected Monday to Friday without demanding a second watch for the weekend. The two-tone treatment is deliberate rather than incidental, with yellow gold-plate running through the polished bezel, the bracelet centre links and the baton hands to hold the palette together across the whole piece. At 39mm and 10.3mm thick, it lies flat without bulk, and the concentric sub-sector finishing on the silver dial shifts usefully with the angle of light — structured in direct sun, quieter indoors. The day display sits at twelve o'clock spelled in full, balanced by the date at three; an arrangement that keeps the dial symmetrical without crowding it. The domed mineral crystal sits proud of the bezel in a way that echoes watches from several decades earlier. The bracelet adjusts by removing solid push-pin links, and the fold-over clasp releases on a double push-button — small details, but ones that indicate a bracelet built to last rather than to impress briefly in the box.
- Reference
- 98C127
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Surveyor
- Case size
- 39mm
- Case thickness
- 10.3mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- 2350
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Two-tone
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Bulova Surveyor range (7), Back in Stock (3,538), Silver Dial Watches (801) and Two-Tone Watches (526).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 39mm suits most wrists
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bulova 98C127 Classic Two Tone alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 98C127 | 1514358 | 5580345 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £219 | £229 | £209 |
| Case size | 39mm | 39mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| 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?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat 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.
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.
More Bulova watches like the 98C127 Classic Two Tone
In stock, and close on style and price
