The 1950s were a hotspot for experimentation and development in the diving watch industry. Throughout the decade, divers transitioned from largely experimental, sometimes situational designs to the popular, universally accepted diving watch formula we know today. While many diver models created in the '50s by companies like Rolex, Blancpain, and Zodiac continue to thrive in the watch industry even today, many other diver concepts from this period of rapid evolution never made it beyond the decade. One of the most powerful drivers of innovation in dive watches at the time was the military: post-World War II, naval forces globally significantly expanded the role of diving personnel both in and out of combat.
Bulova was among several companies contracted by the U.S. Navy to develop dive watches for the needs of new explosive ordnance disposal divers and underwater mine clearance teams. In May 1957, the company provided six prototypes of its new concept for naval testing. Although the Bulova MIL-SHIPS-W-2181 dive watch prototypes performed well during testing, sparking interest among experimental divers and showing test results at depths up to 392 feet, the Navy ultimately abandoned the project, and the Bulova prototypes remained obscure for decades.
The new Bulova Mil-Ships dive watches make this unique piece of dive watch history available to the public for the first time, offering a charismatically unconventional take on classic military dive watches with a pair of movement options.
Bulova has retained the stainless steel case of the Mil-Ships, staying extremely true to the 1957 original. Nearly all elements, from the massive-for-1957 diameter of 41mm to the straightforward utilitarian bead-blasted finish and the unguarded crown, are carried over from the '50s prototype, along with some non-standard design choices. The tapering, un-beveled lugs have a lug-to-lug width of just 16mm, giving the Mil-Ships case a distinctively squinted appearance when viewed from above.
While many dive watches feature domed crystals, the extreme curve of the double-bubble reminiscent sapphire crystal lends a unique appearance and creates a sense of curvature in an otherwise tall and slab-like design. Another original Bulova Mil-Ships design element is subtler. Like the 1950s naval prototype, the knurled dive bezel uses a push-lock system, rotating only when pressed.
Both Bulova Mil-Ships movement options feature a hefty caseback engraved with a diving helmet. Despite the similarity in overall design, the limited edition model with a Sellita movement features more detailed engraving, adding a sense of intricacy, depth, and texture to the images, not limited to the simple surface engraving of the Miyota movement model. Both versions are water-resistant to 200 meters.
The Bulova Mil-Ships dial, like the case, remarkably replicates the original model. The no-date design is elementarily simple, with no text on the dial apart from the vintage-style printed Bulova logo at the 12 o'clock position and clean printed diver-style indices. The pointed semi-cathedral handset and khaki fauxtina lume add vintage charm to the design, but the most unique element is the moisture indicator at the 6 o'clock position. This bi-color mark was commonly found on military dive watches of the era, using a small strip of litmus paper that changed color instantly if moisture entered the case.
This simple paper solution is both provocative and effective, visually tying this Bulova design to many of its more famous contemporaries and providing an immediate warning if the case is compromised. Apart from the small “Swiss Made” emblem on the 6 o'clock seconds hand on the Sellita movement model, both movement options have identical dials.
Bulova offers the Mil-Ships watches with a pair of automatic movement options. For the higher-end limited edition model, the brand uses the tried and true Sellita SW200 automatic movement, providing a modest 38-hour power reserve at a frequency of 28,800 beats per second. The standard variant uses the Miyota 82S0 automatic movement, produced by Bulova's parent company, Citizen Group. The 82S0 offers a slower, more authentic vintage frequency of 21,600 beats per second than its Swiss counterpart, but provides a more robust 42-hour power reserve.
Both versions of the Bulova Mil-Ships come with a unique braided nylon NATO strap to complete the vintage military look. The Sellita movement version's strap is a pure black, while the Miyota model's strap comes in a deep midnight blue.
By maintaining the unique and unorthodox character of its 1950s prototype, the Bulova Mil-Ships model offers one of the most distinctive and intriguing options in the current trend of vintage military divers, while opening up a more accessible price segment.
The Bulova Mil-Ships version equipped with a Sellita movement is limited to 1,000 pieces and includes a gold-tone styled watch case in the shape of a diving helmet, a commemorative book, and a memorial plaque. Both versions of the Bulova Mil-Ships watches are now available at authorized dealers. The standard Miyota-based model costs $895, while the limited edition Sellita-based version is priced at $1,990. For more information, visit the brand's website.