My Bulova Precisionist Review

[DJW]

Bulova 96B155 Champlain Precisionist Diver Review

 

Well, the watch arrived today and I couldn’t be more Happy! It is a very impressive watch for the money that I paid…$169! I would be happy with it if I paid twice that amount!

Anyway, I took some detailed pictures of the watch to share with you guys (and gals)!

The Construction is first rate I must say. It’s about 46mm in diameter, so it’s a big fella! I like big watches anyway. The watch is pretty heavy, even with just a rubber strap @ 122 grams. The case is a nice mix of polished and brushed surfaces.

The lugs are kind of cool in that they have an inlay of Carbon Fiber with a deep coating of a clear protectant of some kind.

The crown has a really attractive “Twisted” knurl that really helps when screwing down the crown. It also has the same carbon fiber treatment just like the lugs.

The unidirectional bezel is very precise and has 60 clicks. Although, I could do without the fake Allen head screws around the bezel.  

The dial is So Much better in person! There is an extreme level of detail with the markers. There are also 7 polished screws around the dial, 4 on the second’s chapter and 3 in the center. I’m not sure if they actually hold anything together, but it’s a nice mechanical touch.  As with the lugs, there is a Carbon Fiber Treatment on the dial too. The Black Date fits the look as well.  It’s a smart looking design if you ask me!

The hands are pretty impressive as well. They are reminiscent of the Omega Sea-master diver’s watches and have a Brushed Steel look. I also like the contrast of the Red Sweep second hand.

The rubber strap is pretty nice as well, although it does feel a little stiff and thin. The Tang buckle has the same finishing treatment as the case.

All in All, it’s a well-made watch! And, I think it is actually a decent deal even at the retail price of $525.

So, I’m ecstatic at paying only what I did!

 

Here's a short Video of the sweep second hand on this watch...Make sure you set it to 1080p and go Full Screen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hglODFTFBM

 

DJW

[autowind]

A nice looking watch,  sort of rugged looking.  Presumably it does not use the old Bulova tuning fork system but a modern quartz type?

[DJW]

A nice looking watch,  sort of rugged looking.  Presumably it does not use the old Bulova tuning fork system but a modern quartz type?

Yes indeed, it's quartz movement, but with 3 prongs and vibrates 16 times faster than a regular quartz. So, instead of one tic per second, it tics 16 times per second. It also uses a very large lithium battery that should last about 2-3 years. I've read elsewhere that this battery lasts 8-10 years in other quartz movements.