Fun fact: the Oceanographer “Devil Diver” collection earned the moniker “Devil Diver” when Bulova printed “666 feet” onto the original dial which refer to the depth that the watch could endure underwater while it distanced itself from the traditional 200 metres used by Swiss watchmakers.
Riding the wave of the successful collection, Bulova is introducing two new colour variants – namely green and black with a green dial (aka the 96B322 Oceanographer) and, orange and blue with a blue dial – to its vintage-inspired dive watch family. Aside from the hues, the watches look very much like last year’s Oceanographer “Devil Diver” watch. Though not exactly what you’d label as brand-new per se, the watches are still aesthetically exhilarating and demonstrate Bulova’s (and perhaps that of the whole horology industry) inclination towards reissues.
As a tribute to the first Oceanographer diver watch from the 1970s, the overall design of 96B322 Oceanographer carries over similar elements from the previous version. Powered by a self-winding mechanical movement with a 42-hour power reserve, the green three-hand dial features luminescent markers and a date aperture at 3 o’clock with a square cyclops. The dial font remains old-school, with an applied Bulova brand at 12 o’clock, followed by “Oceanographer”, “Automatic”, “Snorkel” and then the depth rating that reads “666 feet” at 6 o’clock.
The 44mm stainless steel case features a retro cushion style with polished sides and sloping top that holds the black and green unidirectional bezel. Yes, it may be a bit on the large side but it sits comfortably even on small wrists. Like its predecessors, the watch is completed with an eccentric stainless steel bracelet with different types of links as well as brushing and polishing.
Discover more about the Bulova 96B322 Oceanographer here.
