The Bulova Racer Chronograph watches hands-on

Intro

When you think of Bulova, your mind goes to space exploration, high frequency, or one of the most iconic diving watches, like the Devil Diver. That said, there’s an area where Bulova has led the field, too, and that is Motorsport. Such a sports category keeps becoming increasingly strategic to watch brands, especially in premium luxury, and that is why the American-founded brand has approached the business.

Bulova’s pedigree in Motorsport is long-established and has had momentum with American car racing in the last century; the new Bulova Racer Chronograph collection builds on such expertise.

Bulova’s link to Motorsport

In 1957, Bulova became NASCAR’s official sponsor and timekeeper, one of the most attractive motorsport categories, along with Formula Indy in the US. Bulova also sponsored the Benetton Formula One Team in the modern era.

It looks interesting from this perspective that Liberty Media, an American media corporation, owns Formula One. As we cherish the brand’s official return to Motorsport, we couldn’t avoid mentioning its roots date back to the forties when the amateur race “The Soap Box Derby” began, involving young petrolheads and their tiny wood-made cars. Back then, Bulova created a unique commemorative watch to celebrate each edition’s winner, i.e. a three-hands mechanical timepiece and a collector’s piece nowadays.

The competition debuted across rural North America in 1934; Bulova and Chevrolet noticed the category’s success and became the official sponsors. The competition is still highly sought-after and very popular among younger generations of car enthusiasts. It takes place in July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio, where its story began.

The Bulova Racer Chronograph

Bulova unveiled a collection of two-counter chronographs reminiscent of Grand Prix racing. The American brand did not replicate the “official” celebration watch but went a new direction, crafting a tonneau-shaped case so popular across the sixties and seventies, the golden of car racing.

Three options

The outcome includes three timepieces in steel, one being IP (Ion Plating) black treated and two bracelet options like a “Rally strap” one with a tang buckle and a contemporary three-link bracelet with a polished mid link one and a butterfly clasp with two safety buttons.

The case of a Bulova Racer Chronograph measures 42.0 mm across and 12.95 mm in thickness. It is not a small watch by any means, and the case shape won’t help to slim it down, but the quartz movement makes it lighter than you’d expect compared to a similar mechanical model. The colour combination reveals that Bulova has gone with popular colour combinations to highlight the sporty attitude, which works.

The light blue one with an orange and black matching tachymetric scale and contrasting chrono start button is the most attractive. Here is a direct reference to the legendary Gulf-themed badge. It is bolder than ever, but the wearer can tone it down by quickly replacing the bracelet with a black leather strap.

The Racer Chronograph has a black dial and steel case as an option. The IP black-treated model has a matching black strap. Some details stand out up close, such as the arrow-shaped chrono hands, with the thirty-minute hand being orange. The chrono hand is white or rhodium-plated on the “Gulf” variant.

Details matter

Another distinctive hallmark is the tiny tuning fork logo etched on the case. Despite plenty of vintage references, the case design reveals a more contemporary approach as you flip the watch on the sides. Turn it on the crown side, and you’ll see a double Allen screw protector plate, while a shiny plate engraved with the brand name stands on the opposite side.

Common to all models is luminescence on all five hands, making it easy to check the watch in low or no light. The Bulova Racer Chronograph is powered by a +/- 20 seconds per month accuracy quartz chrono movement.

Final thoughts

Bulova returned with a pleasant sports chronograph built from a proven design trend and an authentic story. The Bulova Racer Chronograph offers a nice style, is well built, and is waterproof up to 100 meters, but it deserves 262 kHz technology. I assume the brand began exploring uncharted territory with an entry-level model before going all in. Nonetheless, Bulova builds on proven American DNA.

A Racer Chronograph retails for €429 in all steel and €389 on a strap, with the IP black option placed slightly above at €399. I would go for the light blue dial, no doubt; it is far more attractive and offers a livery any motor enthusiast loves, despite the option with a black dial being the best choice in the long term, priced under the €400 threshold.

(Photo credit: Horbiter®)

Giovanni Maria Di Biase @Horbiter®