To kick issues off in 2025, Bulova has launched the Snorkel assortment as a brand new lineup of budget-friendly divers. Becoming a member of the model’s Oceanographer assortment, the Bulova Snorkel collection spans 4 vibrant colorways, and every one is impressed by a unique marine animal. Whereas the core look of the Snorkel assortment is impressed by classic Bulova dive watches from the Seventies, the quartet of fashions are totally fashionable timepieces, and so they characteristic quartz actions, sapphire crystals, and instances crafted from a brand new composite materials referred to as Hybrid Ceramic.
Regardless of that includes a unique fashion for its dial and palms, the general look of the Bulova Snorkel assortment is similar to the model’s Oceanographer Devil Diver, with a domed crystal, cushion-shaped profile, and a signed crown on the 3 o’clock location. The crown and screw-down caseback are each crafted from chrome steel; nevertheless, the 41mm center case is constructed from Hybrid Ceramic, a brand new composite materials making its debut look inside Bulova’s catalog. Though formal details about Bulova’s Hybrid Ceramic is comparatively minimal, hybrid ceramics are usually composites that mix polymer with ceramic, and Swatch’s Bioceramic materials used all through its standard MoonSwatch collection is only one instance of a hybrid ceramic.
Bulova describes the Hybrid Ceramic used for its Snorkel assortment as being “ luxuriously easy with enhanced sturdiness,” and it additionally mentions that the fabric is each proof against scratches and in a position to adapt to the physique’s temperature. That stated, “hybrid ceramic” is considerably of an umbrella time period inside a number of industries for a wide range of totally different ceramic-infused composites, and it is going to be fascinating to see how Bulova’s Hybrid Ceramic differs from what Swatch makes use of, as soon as we get an opportunity to go hands-on with the brand new Snorkel fashions and expertise them within the steel (or relatively, Hybrid Ceramic).
The highest of the Bulova Snorkel’s case is furnished by a double-domed sapphire crystal, and surrounding the crystal is a unidirectional bezel that consists of a totally demarcated insert set inside a Hybrid Ceramic outer ring. Whereas there is no such thing as a official phrase about whether or not or not the crown screws right down to the center case, the Bulova Snorkel assortment nonetheless presents 100 meters of water resistance, which ought to be greater than sufficient to take care of most aquatic encounters. As a result of their sapphire crystals and chrome steel case parts, Bulova’s Snorkel fashions will possible provide a extra substantial wrist presence in comparison with one thing like a MoonSwatch, and their stable screw-down casebacks all characteristic engravings of the marine animals that encourage them.
On the time of launch, the Bulova Oceanographer Snorkel assortment spans 4 totally different colorways. The “Blue Tang” (ref. 98B445) is impressed by the tropical fish of the identical title (suppose Dory from Discovering Nemo), and it incorporates a blue Hybrid Ceramic case paired with an identical blue dial and yellow accents. In the meantime, the “Sea Turtle” mannequin (ref. 98B446) receives a inexperienced case with a brown dial, and the “Nice White Shark” model (ref. 98B449) receives a grey case with a white dial punctuated by small blue and purple particulars. Lastly rounding out the Bulova Snorkel quartet (and finishing the unintentional Discovering Nemo theme) is the “Clown Fish” mannequin (ref. 98B448), which incorporates a white dial and a white Hybrid Ceramic case set towards vibrant orange accents.
Fitted to the 19mm lugs of the Bulova Snorkel fashions are tropic-style perforated rubber straps that embody built-in quick-release springbars and signed chrome steel buckles. Whereas all 4 fashions characteristic the identical fashion of strap, every one seems in a unique coloration to additional lean into its marine animal inspiration. The Blue Tang receives a blue strap, the Sea Turtle mannequin is paired with a inexperienced strap, the Nice White Shark model will get a grey strap, and the Clown Fish is of course fitted with an orange strap. Moreover, powering the Bulova Snorkel collection is the Miyota Cal. 2115 quartz motion, which runs on a single SR626SW energy cell that gives it with a battery life of roughly three years and an accuracy ranking of 15 seconds per 30 days.
The dials fitted to the Bulova Snorkel collection all seem in the identical general fashion, with utilized hour markers, a date window at 3 o’clock, and a stylized wave sample embossed into their surfaces, which barely resembles the looks of a topographical map. The 2 time-telling palms and baton-style indexes all obtain an software of luminous materials; nevertheless, the seconds palms on Bulova’s Snorkel watches are painted to enrich the colorway of every mannequin. The Blue Fin and Sea Turtle watches each obtain vibrant yellow seconds palms, whereas the Nice White Shark model has a purple seconds hand, and the Clown Fish mannequin is fitted with an orange-colored seconds hand to additional lean into its tropical fish-inspired coloration palette.
As a result of their Hybrid Ceramic instances and quartz actions, Bulova’s Snorkel fashions are positioned as entry-level choices inside its larger Oceanographer assortment, and with an official retail value of $350 USD for any of the 4 colorways, the Bulova Snorkel prices lower than half of what the model expenses for certainly one of its chrome steel Oceanographer fashions. Following the MoonSwatch’s success, various manufacturers have launched reasonably priced timepieces with colourful composite instances, and the Snorkel assortment is Bulova’s entry into this house. With that in thoughts, relatively than aiming to be a bottom-dollar rendition of an costly luxurious timepiece, the Snorkel seems to be a barely extra elevated expression of this idea, and it presents a vibrant and playful tackle certainly one of Bulova’s hottest fashions. For extra data on the Bulova Snorkel assortment, please go to the brand’s website.
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