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Bulova Icon 98D149 Diamond Bracelet Watch - W09135
Ref. 98D149
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 Icon line is where Bulova houses its Precisionist movement, a proprietary quartz calibre running at 262 kHz — eight times the frequency of standard quartz — which produces a genuinely smooth sweep of the seconds hand rather than the familiar tick, and annual accuracy that embarrasses most mechanical alternatives. The NM50 inside this piece earns that name honestly. At 46.5mm across and 14.3mm thick, this is a deliberate presence on the wrist: grey ion-plated steel for the case, rose gold-tone PVD on the bezel and through the bracelet links, the contrast sharp enough to read as intentional at a glance. The black dial is textured rather than flat, and the 11 hour markers are individually hand-set diamonds rather than printed substitutes — a detail that only becomes apparent close up, which is precisely when it matters. The deployant clasp includes a built-in diver's extension and a safety lock, which on a bracelet this substantial makes daily handling noticeably more secure. The 300m rating goes well beyond what the aesthetic suggests, and the extension means the bracelet fits over a wetsuit without changing the fit on dry land.
- Reference
- 98D149
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Icon
- Case size
- 46.5mm
- Case thickness
- 14mm
- Lug width
- 23mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- NM50
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 300m
- 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 5 collections
This watch appears in Watches 44mm and Over (977), Sports Watches (882), Dive Watches (634), Two-Tone Watches (540) and Diamond Watches (123).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 300m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Bulova's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 46.5mm is a large watch with real presence
- 14mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Bulova Icon 98D149 Diamond Bracelet alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 98D149 | T1204171109101 | YA136204B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £649 | £565 | £599 |
| Case size | 46.5mm | 45.5mm | 45mm |
| Water resistance | 300m | 300m | 200m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 300m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
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?
23mm. 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.
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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