For a company celebrating its 150th anniversary, Bulova is very much an if you know, you know watch brand. Founded in 1875 by Joseph Bulova in New York City, it has a rich history full of accomplishments such as innovating quartz technology, being a long-time supplier to the U.S. military and NASA, and pioneering advertisements in radio and television. Citizen acquired the business in 2008, and now in 2025 a number of heritage and new products are launching to commemorate the occasion.
“We have people talking about being a third generation [loyal customer of] Bulova. So, it really does have this multi-generational impact through the timepieces. And some of the things that make it special [include] the movements, the storytelling behind Bulova, and the different partnerships and ambassadors that we work with,” says Zahra Hemraj, director of marketing and data integration at Citizen Watch Canada, during a recent media event held in Squamish.
“We think about the consistency of the brand, the presence of it in terms of space missions. It’s sophisticated, stylish, and premium. It’s also unconventional.”
Here are five models to look out for in the upcoming spring and summer season.
Snorkel
Originally introduced in 1961, the tool watch formerly known as the Oceanographer was given the affectionate nickname “Devil Diver” by enthusiasts thanks to its then waterproof rating of 666 feet. Reimagined utilizing a quartz movement and lightweight hybrid ceramic construction, the modern version features a 41-millimetre case, rotating elapsed-time bezel, wave pattern dial, date window, curved mineral box crystal and 100-metre water resistance.
There are four fun styles — Blue Tang, Sea Turtle, Clownfish and Great White — each sporting a matching perforated rubber strap and unique etched case back specific to the aquatic animal in question. Comes in a giftbox with a custom sea-themed sleeve and storybook. MSRP: $475.
E1 Team Miami Marine Star Series B
The result of a partnership between Bulova and singer-songwriter Marc Anthony’s E1 Team Miami, which is competing in the novel all-electric powerboat racing UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) World Champion series, is this beautiful 43-millimetre quartz chronograph.
True to the team colours the aqua dial houses three orange and sky-blue sub dials measuring timing to 1/20 of a second, and is paired to a matching contrast-stitched leather and silicon strap. The 1, 3 and 5 o’clock indexes are also orange, and the remaining markers, as well as the hands, are silver-framed and luminescent filled. The stainless-steel case back shows the logos of both brands. MSRP: $695.
Rubaiyat
A collection designed specifically for women debuted way back in 1917, the Rubaiyat (named after the translated works of the 12th century Persian poet Omar Khayyám) was first revived in 2017 for the centennial. The line is reborn again in a smaller 30-milllimetre size and full of classy details. For example, the mother of pearl dial, faceted clover-shaped indices and synthetic blue spinel cabochon crown at 12 o’clock.
Coming in two references, the 96L338 has a pink dial and hands while the 97L181’s case and push-button deployant closure bracelet is crafted using gold-tone stainless steel. Each depicts the “Goddess of Time” on the dimensional case back and signature Bulova tuning fork symbols on the front and back. MSRP: $795.
Prestige Dress Sport
An “elegant look of luxury at a great value” is a tagline of the new quartz Prestige Dress Sport, available in 40-millimetre men’s and 32-millimetre women’s variants. Among the latter is a particularly stunning offering showcasing a purple ombré dial with a crosshatch pattern, complemented by a brushed and polished chamfered three-link bracelet, Super-LumiNova-filled silver hands and date display.
The men’s is a chronograph featuring a beveled and chamfered polygon case, geometric bezel and textured dial. One of the sub-dials is a useful 24-hour display perfect for on-the-go wearers. MSRP: $650 to $850.
MIL-SHIPS
Nothing is more appropriate to commemorate the watchmaker’s sesquicentennial than a retro of the 1957 MIL-SHIPS prototype created for the U.S. Navy. This archive series is sold in two colours, including an army green that has a sandblast-finished case made of durable and patina-friendly CuSn8 bronze, the rose-gold hue resembling 19th-century copper diving helmets. The matching aluminum bezel and contrasting indices, vintage-inspired hands and moisture indicator strip are nice touches.
Powering the MIL-SHIPS is the 83S0 21-jewel automatic movement boasting a 60-hour reserve. In addition, there’s an updated 18-millimetre hybrid rubber and Cordura nylon strap; double-domed, five-layer anti-reflective-coated sapphire crystal; and the aforementioned diving helmet embossed on the case back. Water resistant up to 200 metres. MSRP: $1,650.