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Bulova Hack Long Term Review

The perfect gift for a budding new watch enthusiast

This year at the Watch Clicker, I will bring you a series of in-depth gift guides for the mechanically inclined. Given that inflation in the United States was recently at its worst in over forty years, we will focus on your long-term return on your hard-earned money. This means the gifts will not be the cheapest options, but they will bridge the gap between being attainable and leaving a lasting impact on the receiver.

We shall start from the beginning as to what gift you would want to give someone over these holidays if they have expressed an interest in mechanical watches. This season, I propose the excellent Bulova Hack for its history, charitable cause, versatility, and the fact that it can be found at heavy discounts far below the asking price of $425 USD/$575 CDN.

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This Bulova gets its name due to its movement’s feature to halt its seconds hand, thereby coming to a complete stop. This is known as “hacking” the movement, allowing the watch to be calibrated to a trusted time source. The military frequently relied upon this feature during the Great Wars, and those historical pieces are where the Hack gets its traditional Field Watch design from.

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This watch’s connection to the armed forces does not stop there. The unit in this article is the Special Edition, which proceeds from its profits to support the Veteran’s Watchmaking Initiative (VMI). This institution has its roots going back to 1945 when Bulova’s original founder, Joseph Bulova’s son, Arde, opened a school for veterans to train as watchmakers. There was an emphasis put on helping disabled veterans as Arde Bulova said, “… (he) wished to repay, in some small measure, the sacrifice and service of returning disabled veterans after the Second World War.” This non-profit school closed in 1993, but the VMI continues this work in Delaware with Bulova’s active participation today. Furthermore, the VMI is an authorized Bulova Service Centre. If you feel inclined to do so, feel free to donate to the Veteran’s Watchmaking Initiative here.

Narratives often tie us to these mechanical tools with beating hearts, and such a valid story would be a great gateway into a life of appreciation for horology.

On the Wrist

Even though its design roots are thoroughly entrenched in military history, this classic field watch design has become ubiquitous over the years for being a “simple watch.” This makes the Hack the perfect first “serious” watch for your loved one or friend, as its versatility means that they will wear it as much as possible—that is the point of this holiday gift series.

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Throughout the day, the Hack’s classical design shines through in all ways except thickness. Bulova opted to use the automatic Miyota 8S20-43A for the hack, and the automatic rotor’s module extra height accounts for this. It is indisputable that the Hack would have been a lot more attractive and fitting to its historical roots if it utilized a hand-wound movement. However, this quickly recedes into the background once it is on your wrist, as your eyes will gravitate towards the gorgeous acrylic crystal.

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This crystal warps the dial’s numerals with the warmth and charm of a vintage watch. I recommend adding a tube of Polywatch polish to the gift bag. These acrylic crystals do scratch, but they are easily buffeted out with Polywatch and a microfiber cloth. This, along with a watch that can be hand-wound, adds another layer of interaction with the timepiece. It is in these interactions and rituals that a bond is formed.

Bulova Hack Specs

Case Width

37.9mm

Lug-to-Lug

47mm

Case Thickness

13.9mm

Lug Width

18mm

Water Resistance

30m

Strap

Two Piece Nylon

Crystal

Acrylic

Lume

Yes

Movement

Miyota 8S20-43A

Price

$425

The Dial

The Bulova Hack is available in several variants. A stunning white dial is the most legible due to the greater contrast with the hands. This VMI edition and the standard black timepiece (with its inner 24-hour scale in red) use metal-plated hands, which can make it challenging to discern the time in rare circumstances and lighting conditions. The traditional handset is handsome and brings home the vintage aesthetic. The various typefaces used throughout are perfectly proportioned and well within the character of the timepiece.

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The texture and color of the dials are all simple, and the black dial of this VMI edition radiates a warm grey glow through the acrylic crystal. Bulova did not skimp on the luminescent paint on the dial and the hands, either.

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The Case, Strap and Movement

The watch’s strap (not pictured here) is an 18mm two-piece green nylon strap, which features leather-like reinforcement for the adjustment holes. I have had this watch for over two years, and through heavy wear, its original strap is no longer with us. Given the price point of this watch and the mileage the strap underwent, I can say with full confidence that this strap will serve you well.

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The only blemish on the entire watch is the bottom third of the case, which is noticeably thicker than it should be due to accommodating the automatic rotor. However, the thickness quickly becomes an afterthought due to the even and superb brushing of the entire case. The brushing on the case never calls attention to itself, and in my eyes, the example I purchased is perfect. The signed crown is a joy to operate and will call its wearer to be wound manually.

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The caseback of this VMI edition includes the VMI’s logo. This logo is a drawing of a soldier adjusting a watch while three other soldiers look on. This heartfelt drawing alone is worth finding one of these examples, for it is one of the most charming casebacks I have ever encountered.

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Behind that caseback is the beating heart of the 21-jewel Miyota 8S20-43A. With a beat rate of 21,600 beats per hour, this movement will give you 42 hours of power, and my example continues to run fast by a total of nine seconds a day. Miyota rates this movement as accurate to -20~+40 sec/day, so the veteran watchmaker who regulated my watch did an exemplary job!

Final Thoughts

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All this and more are why this watch would make the perfect first mechanical timepiece for someone in your life. It was assembled and regulated by veterans, its price is more than fair, its performance is as good as a mechanical watch has any right to be at this price range, and it will look good for multiple lifetimes. Over the last two years, I had been told by many people in passing that the Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch that was on their wrist was a gift. With Amazon’s Prime Days just around the corner, this Bulova Hack can be had well below the price of that MoonSwatch, and it is worth every cent.

Check out more Bulova reviews at The Watch Clicker here

Check out the Bulova website here

Buy the Bulova Hack on Amazon and help support the site by clicking here

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