Bulova Military VWI Special Edition | HANDS ON

Bulova Military VWI Special Edition | HANDS ON

21.07.26 Zach Blass The Bulova Military VWI Special Edition presents a win-win offering for watch lovers. When it comes to studying for a career, the safest bet is to learn a skill set that is, one, in demand, and, two, never going to go away. Against all odds, the obsolete craft of watchmaking persists, and as the demand for wristwatches continues to increase, so does the need for watchmakers trained to craft, assemble, and repair them. One watchmaking organisation that deserves more time in the spotlight and support is the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative , where US military veterans can apply to join the VWI’s watch technician and watchmaker programs – exclusively offered to veterans, and 100% free of charge for them. The VWI is a revival of the “Bulova School” concept, in which watchmaking was taught to veterans post World War II as a means of rehabilitation, renewed purpose, and the ability to walk away from the school and military service with a highly in-demand skill. The VWI, a non-profit, runs on donations and through the sponsorship of major organisations like Bulova. But if you want to support the VWI and get something even further out of it, the Bulova Military VWI Special Edition may need to be your next pick-up – with 10% of the sales proceeds from the Special Edition donated to the VWI. The case The Bulova Military VWI Special Edition finds itself in a 30-metre water-resistant, 42.5mm cushion-shaped stainless steel case. Its design is meant to evoke military field chronographs of the 1940s . Befitting of a military-inspired watch, the cushion case is predominantly brushed with accents, like the coined bezel, crown, and chronograph pushers, mirror-polished. The large nature of the dial may make the watch feel larger in presence, but the lugs are not too long, nor too flat, ensuring that the watch will wear well on average to large-sized wrists. The dial Beneath a domed mineral crystal that furthers a vintage sensibility, the olive green dial naturally evokes a military feel, not only bringing colour to the dial but also ensuring easy legibility. At the outermost perimeter of the dial is a scaled railroad-style minutes track that frames a near-complete set of Arabic hour numerals and a balanced, tri-compax chronograph register layout. At the 9 o’clock position is a 60-minute elapsed minutes scale for the chronograph, and, at 3 o’clock, you might mistake an elapsed hours scale opposite it. What the 3 o’clock counter actually offers is a 1/20th of a counter that, once the chronograph is stopped, races to indicate the fraction of a second you stopped the chronograph at. Very cool. The 6 o’clock position is where you will find not only the small seconds counter, but also a date complication neatly tucked within. The disc has been executed in a white-on-black format, which some might think is not better suited for the dial than the typical black-on-white disc. However, the black backdrop feels more discreet and allows the numerals of the date disc, in white, to better match the overall white printing on the dial. Of the six hands on the dial, the hours and minutes hands, along with the chronograph’s elapsed seconds hand, are filled with luminous material for visibility in darkness that is desirable for a military field watch. The Arabic hour numerals are also luminous as well. The strap With my typical black-driven wardrobe, I personally skew more towards black, blue, or grey leather straps. However, the brown leather strap, its subtle padding, and white stitching have a classic American feel, with a hue and texture reminiscent of a baseball glove , that really suits the nature of this design. That being said, the strap does have quick-release tabs should you wish to take it off with ease and explore other straps that accommodate its 22mm lug width. The movement As advertised on the dial, the Bulova Military VWI Special Edition is driven by a proprietary high-precision quartz calibre that runs at a frequency of 262 kHz – eight times greater than the frequency of a standard quartz movement. This does not mean that you have the seemingly perfectly fluid sweeping running seconds you would have on a watch like the Bulova Super Seville. The small seconds counter ticks each second, while the elapsed chronograph seconds hand does have a mechanical-like sweep. But what the 262 kHz movement does still offer in this instance is very reliable timekeeping, accurate within just seconds per year. The movement is hidden beneath a solid, screwed caseback, but you are instead treated to a special custom engraving that honours the partnership between Bulova and the VWI. The verdict It would be easy to dismiss the Bulova Military VWI Special Edition as a somewhat plain watch. However, the brand’s high-precision quartz technology is nothing to scoff at and very impressive in terms of its timekeeping. And once the watch is flipped over and its special edition backstory and VWI support are communicated, the watch really resonates even further. A very solid watch, with desirable design elements and hassle-free timekeeping, the Bulova Military VWI Special Edition stands to deliver a very enjoyable wear experience with the added benefit of supporting military veterans and the world of watchmaking in the process. Normally I would not shift focus away from the watch that is the subject of our hands-on review, but for those of you out there who would prefer a smaller three-handed automatic over a larger HPQ chronograph, or are more in the market for something under US$500 rather than the US$695 price of the Bulova Military VWI Special Edition, it is worth mentioning that Bulova has a 38mm Hack Watch VWI Special Edition launched three years before the Bulova Military VWI Special Edition as well for US$475 (10% of which also is donated to the VWI). Bulova Military VWI Special Edition pricing and availability The Bulova Military VWI Special Edition is available now for purchase . Price: US$695 Brand Bulova Model Military VWI Special Edition Case Dimensions 42.5mm (D) Case Material Stainless steel Water Resistance 30 metres Crystal(s) Domed mineral crystal front, impact and shatter resistant Dial Matte green Strap Brown leather strap, pin buckle Movement NP20, in-house, high-precision quartz Autonomy Up to 24 months Functions Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph Availability Now Price US$695