May 102013
Bulova Men’s 96B128 Precisionist Claremont Brown Leather Watch
- Men’s Precisionist strap watch brown dial
- Curved mineral crystal with silver metalized rim; Polished beveled alpha hands with white luminous fill
- Stainless steel case and brown leather strap
- Calendar
- Water-resistant to 99 feet (30 M)
Bulova, Precisionist, Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel Case, Leather Strap, Japanese Quartz (Battery-Powered), 96B128
List Price: $ 299.00
Price: $ 132.63
Precision Perfected,
This is an absolutely fantastic watch (Black/Brown Leather Watch)
I look at a watch as two things: a mechanical time piece and a piece of art.
As a mechanical time piece, the Bulova Precisionist line claims to be accurate within 10 seconds a year. A normal watch is accurate within 15 seconds a month. I wanted to wait a few months before reviewing the watch, because I wanted to verify Bulova’s claim. So far I detect no differences in its accuracy from month to month. What makes the watch so accurate? The crystal in this watch vibrates 8 times faster than normal, which means the second hand never stops! If you look at a normal watch, the second hand stops after it “ticks” each second. On the Precisionist watch, the seconds hand never stops–it is a continuously sweeping seconds hand. It is fascinating to watch the seconds hand move, or flow, while circling the watch. From this perspective, the Bulova Precisionist is a fantastic mechanical time piece, and I believe it will be accurate for a very long time.
On the other hand, a watch’s physical appeal is subjective. Like all art, some people will like the appearance and others will not. In my opinion, it is the best looking watch I own. Beyond that, when I look at other watches in display cases in the store, I still think this is one of the best looking watches on the market. Everything about it has a modern “machined” looked, which goes with the theme of precision. The numbers look like stainless steel, set in their own divots, but raised within their confines. Light reflects off of each number differently, so as you rotate your wrist, the numbers appear to shine differently.
Even the inner circle is machined for precision. For example, the inner ring has notches on it, which helps tell the hours when the time is getting close to the next hour. The outer circle has marking for seconds (and even lines in between the seconds), but also includes numbers at 10, 20, 30, etc. Take together, this helps define the precision the watch is going for. In other words, I can tell exactly what time it is. This form, therefore, produces both an artistic affect and a functional one.
Despite the watch and it appeals, the band leaves something to be desired. Like other reviewers have noted, it is not the greatest band, and for some, the fake-looking alligator skin is a turn-off. Luckily, it is the easiest thing to change, and I will be getting a new, better, band when this one wears out.
Ultimately, I think a person has to look at a watch and “feel” the connection themselves. I personally love this watch, and I love it both for it mechanical perfection and its artistic appeal. It is both modern and classic at the same time. I highly recommend the Bulova Precisionist watch.
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|It’s not what you’d think from the photo,
This is an instance where the photo of the watch simply does not tell the story.
The 96B128 Claremont is a very good-looking watch when you actually see it. It exudes quality and has just enough heft
that one associates with a quality watch. The sweep second hand sets it apart from other quartz watches.
And it seems to have the same/similar fine movement as the other, mostly more expensive, Precisionist watches in the Bulova line.
The brown color gives the timepiece an unexpected richness. I don’t know where you can find a watch this remarkably accurate,
with these looks, and this comfort, at such a low price. It’s as if someone made a pricing mistake.
One observation: That nice curved mineral glass display “crystal” gives this watch an elegant look,
but for true nit-pickers, makes the watch face more difficult to read if you look at it at a very acute angle.
This one consideration is not nearly enough to take a rating star away.
Well done Bulova.
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|Good watch,
+ high build quality
+ sweeping second hand (the jumps are visible only at close look)
- the leather wristband is sturdy
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