Anyone know anything about Bulova watches? Saw a nice looking watch I'm thinking about getting as a gift....but know little about them, Anyone have experience with these?

I know the Accutron is supposed to be a great watch, but not sure if that reputation is for currently made ones.

Quoted: They're ***OK***, but nothing too special.  You're mostly paying for flash and name, but not too much for workmanship or quality.  I think you can get a similarly produced watch from a lesser advertised brand for considerably less money.

What would you suggest as a good, solid watch, just under, say, a Tag Heuer?

Current Bulova is not authentic accutron.

Authentic accutron is nearly impossible to get fixed.  I know from very painful experience.

I would look elsewhere.  Fossil, Citizen, Casio, Seiko, at that pricepoint.  Maybe even a Luminox or a Sieko automatic for a little more.

Better than some, alot worse than others.  Depends on what you want to do with it.

Quoted: Quoted: They're ***OK***, but nothing too special.  You're mostly paying for flash and name, but not too much for workmanship or quality.  I think you can get a similarly produced watch from a lesser advertised brand for considerably less money. What would you suggest as a good, solid watch, just under, say, a Tag Heuer?

You can't go wrong with a TAG, they are definately worth the money.

Quoted: Tagged-even though I'm a cheapskate Timex wearer.

A big time lawyer like you, with a timex?  You got to be shittin me.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Tagged-even though I'm a cheapskate Timex wearer. A big time lawyer like you, with a timex?  You got to be shittin me. Well I have a $ 50 Swiss Army watch somewhere. Too many of the guys I know in my town sporting multi thousand dollar watches are "big hat no cattle" guys. High end watches are kind of interesting in the abstract, like super expensive 1911s, but nothing I feel any burning desire to own personally, besides I misplace almost everything, a $ 3000+ watch would be just one more thing to worry about and keep track of.

My watch is the first thing I put on in the morning and the last thing I take off.  You must not be one of those lawyers who charge by the minute then, if time is not important to you.

ANd, as to my hat size, I have a big head, so I need an equally big hat to cover it.

Expensive watches are nothing more than jewelry.

At least with a $30 digital, you get the correct  month and day.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: They're ***OK***, but nothing too special.  You're mostly paying for flash and name, but not too much for workmanship or quality.  I think you can get a similarly produced watch from a lesser advertised brand for considerably less money. What would you suggest as a good, solid watch, just under, say, a Tag Heuer? You can't go wrong with a TAG, they are definately worth the money.

Tag automatics are really nice.  However, some of the pricepoint Tag watches (less than $1200 or so) are problematic.  Their quarts movements are nothing special.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: They're ***OK***, but nothing too special.  You're mostly paying for flash and name, but not too much for workmanship or quality.  I think you can get a similarly produced watch from a lesser advertised brand for considerably less money. What would you suggest as a good, solid watch, just under, say, a Tag Heuer? You can't go wrong with a TAG, they are definately worth the money. Tag automatics are really nice.  However, some of the pricepoint Tag watches (less than $1200 or so) are problematic.  Their quarts movements are nothing special.

I have had a Tag since about '86, it is nice looking and all but it has never really kept time very well.  It has been in for repair several times, I finally gave up.  It was a gift, so I don't know how much it cost but looking at the ones at Costco when they used to carry them I would say it was around $800.  Frankly, the only difference between it and the more expensive Tags seems to me to be the materials or finish.
When I started doing triathlons I bought a Timex Ironman and have not bought anything else since.  It breaks about every year (usually from surfing or swimming) and I send it in and they send me a brand new one for $5 to cover shipping.  I think I have done this three or four times since 2000.  I'm a lawyer, no one ever asks about my watch.  They just want to know I can kick the other guy's butt in court.

I only wear a beater watch, myself.

But,  I bought my father an  Accutron many many years ago.  It's  still running. FWIW  

No Clue about the current ones.

Quoted: What is the purpose of the watch?

It's for a woman. Something that can be worn daily, but still nice enough to wear out. Something of this style...

Is it dress, casual, work, field?

See above....

What features are important to you? Mechanical, automatic, chronometer, chronograph, day/date, GMT, rotating bezel, case size, strap/bracelet?

Date is a nice feature. Automatic would be even better, but price takes a quantum leap for that, I believe. Stainless bracelet is definately prefered. Something very similar to the watch style pictured above. She's definately active, so it would be a daily worn watch, but also needs to be nice looking enough to be worn out. I wear a Rolex Submariner, for identical reasons, but a Rolex is definately not in the price range I'm looking for.

How much money do you want to spend?

A couple hundred bucks....not really sure, but that's the ballpark. I'd spend more or less, depending on the selling points of the watch.

Is a quartz movement acceptable to you?

Not really sure...is that a drawback?

Any of the better grade Seiko, Citizen, or Bulova stainless quartz ladies watches will do just fine.

A quartz watch will keep FAR more accurate time than any mechanical watch, and doesn't need as much routine service as mechanicals.

Many of the better of the three brands offer some water resistance, and are stylish, good looking, and feeling watches.  No junk here.

You can find any number of online sources for these, and most any jewelery store or larger, better type department store carries them.

Prices are usually below $500.00 even for the top of the line models, and you can get deep discounts online.
One good online source with good reputations, are the Ebay Stores section of Ebay.
These are "Buy Now" sites that are straight sales, no bidding, with excellent reps.

My wife has several Seiko and Bulova quartz watches, and she loves them.

Finally, as a retired master watchmaker, I can personally recommend them.

Bottom line is, if you just want a high-quality, good looking, accurate watch, but don't want to buy a high-end brand like Tag Heuer, Rolex, or Omega, you can't go wrong with these.

May I suggest an Omega Ladies watch?

Omega Ladies Constellation

I love my Bulova, but I tend to wear it only when I'm dressing up. Generally I either go with one of my pocket watches or a really cheap watch that I don't mind beating the crap out of on a regular basis.

I wear a 21 jewel Seiko Automatic that I bought new in 1999. It runs great, and has been pretty tough for a daily-wear watch. For dress I wear a Tissot Automatic, paid $325 for it and I love it...I highly recommend Tissot watches.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: They're ***OK***, but nothing too special.  You're mostly paying for flash and name, but not too much for workmanship or quality.  I think you can get a similarly produced watch from a lesser advertised brand for considerably less money. What would you suggest as a good, solid watch, just under, say, a Tag Heuer? You can't go wrong with a TAG, they are definately worth the money.

Yes, you can.  The TAG quartz watches are completely overpriced and you're paying for nothing more than the name for them.

For a good quality Swiss made watch, Invicta makes some great watches that are hard to beat.  Specifically their automatic 25 Jewel ETA 2824 movement derived models.  The ETA 2824 movement and it's variations are ubiquitous in the watch industry, and can easily be worked on and repaired by any watch repairman.  You can find the base 2824 caliber in watches as cheap as $100 or as expensive as $3,000, though in modified form.

Tissot, owned by The Swatch Group (they also own Omega, Bancpain, Rado, Longines, cK, Certina, Mido, Balmain, and Hamilton as well as the afformentioend ETA) also makes excellent watches.

The modern Bulova watches are ok, but they're not worth paying retail for.  You can get deals on them at www.ashford.com and www.overstock.com.  They just introduced the 2005 models, so you can find last year's at a significant discount at the previously mentioned sites.  Just be aware that the Bulova stuff is almost exclusively quartz movement.  With quartz movements you tend to pay more for brand recognition than actual mechanical excellence.

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