Bulova Marine Star 96B256 Review & Complete Guide
Bulova is a popular and well-respected brand that is known for making high-quality timepieces that offer great value for money.
Bulova is not as famous as some of the other affordable brands such as Seiko and Casio but has increased in popularity and gotten more recognition over the years as an alternative for high-quality, affordable, and stylish timepieces.
Bulova was founded in New York city in 1875 by Bohemian immigrant Joseph Bulova. With that said, it is by no means a new brand. Instead, it is a brand with a long and rich history and with lots of innovations and inventions under its name.
In this article, we are reviewing and looking closer at one of Bulova’s most popular timepieces, the Bulova Marine Star 96B256.
The Bulova Marine star is, as the name suggests, a dive-inspired timepiece. We say that because it is not a full-on dive watch because of several different aspects. But primarily, it does not have a water resistance of at least 200m, which is the minimum required for a watch to be classified as a dive watch.
Due to the great popularity of the Marine Star watches, Bulova has expanded its collection over the years to include ladies’ watches and a number of additional models so everyone is able to find a watch they enjoy.
The 96B256 however, is one of the most popular of the bunch. So without further ado, let’s dig in!
Case
Starting off, the watch is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 43mm. It has a thickness of 12.2mm. With that said, it is relatively large, but not huge. The case design is classic and doesn’t really stand out from the usual. It has a nice contrast between the polished sides and brushed upper sides on the lugs. At 3 o’clock, it has a screw-down crown that sits protected between crown guards. Since this is a chronograph, it features two pushbuttons with a flat top on each side of the crown guard.
The case size is a bit on the larger side for some, but for its purpose, it’s very reasonable. For many men with medium to large wrists, it will however be a perfect size, and essentially a classic size for a chronograph.
The bezel has a unique design with large teeth around it, brushed on the upper part and polished on the sides.
At 10 o’clock, it has an additional crown on the side of its case. What does this do, you may ask? Well, since you have noticed this watch does not have a classic dive watch unidirectional rotating bezel, this has instead been incorporated as an inner bezel ring which you operate with the 10 o’clock crown. This is a unique and quite interesting take on the traditional rotating bezel that also allows for a more seamless design.
On top of the case, Bulova has opted for a mineral crystal.
The water resistance of this watch is 100m/330 feet. This means it is suitable for swimming and handling water splashes, but not suitable for diving or scuba diving. This is the main factor that means it is not possible to call it a dive watch.
Dial
The dial is certainly one of the highlights of this watch. Not only does it have a beautifully executed dial with great attention to detail, but it also incorporates lovely colors that make it very vibrant, fresh, and appealing as a dive-inspired watch. The colors that Bulova has incorporated into this timepiece complement each other very well and do not in any way steal the show from each other, so Bulova has done an excellent job here.
The watch is presented with a beautiful blue dial with a sunburst finish which reflects the light beautifully and changes its appearance depending on how the light hits it. Around the outer edge of the dial, as mentioned, we have the inner rotating bezel with large markers for optimum legibility.
The dial has large applied hour markers with thin metal frames and a generous amount of luminescent material applied to them. The hands are sword-shaped and large, creating a great contrast against the dial. The chronograph sub-dials are slightly recessed which provides this dial with lots of interesting details that make it stand out.
Bulova has also added subtle orange accents to the dial which create a nice contrast against the blue, with elements such as orange-tipped chronograph hands and orange print for the date which is discreetly tucked in between 4 and 5 o’clock.
In one way, it is a busy dial that has a lot going on, but at the same time, every single part about the dial is so well-throughout-out and well-balanced that it isn’t perceived as cluttered in any way.
All of the details of the dial also provide depth to the dial, making it more interesting and vibrant. From the inner bezel ring to the recessed chronograph sub-dials.
All in all, it’s just a really beautiful and sporty dial.
Movement & functions
The watch is powered by a quartz movement. The benefit of a quartz movement is that it has great accuracy and is affordable to maintain. But watch enthusiasts who favor mechanical movements may find this as a downside.
The movement incorporates a chronograph function and a date function apart from the standard timekeeping.
The good news is that the Japanese quartz movement is accurate and keeps time very well. In addition, the use of quartz also keeps the price down and makes the Marine Star 96B256 more accessible. So whilst it would be nice to have a robust automatic movement in this watch, we’re not quite sure it would be the best route to go as it would increase its price.
Bracelet
Attached to the 22mm lug width, it has a stainless steel bracelet that combines sportiness with elegance.
Like many bracelets for watches in this price range, however, there is some room for improvement. The bracelet is not terrible in any way, but it isn’t 100% solid and robust. But at the same time, that is what we expect from watches in this price range.
Apart from that, it has a nice design that blends nicely together with the watch by using polished center links and brushed side links.
Specifications
- Movement: Quartz
- Crystal: Mineral
- Diameter: 43 mm
- Thickness: 12.2 mm
- Water Resistance: 100M/330 feet
- Lug width: 22mm
Conclusion
The Bulova Marine Star 96B256 is a watch where it is very evident that Bulova has thought about every single aspect of this timepiece. The dial is beautifully executed with lots of details that add to its appeal without making it feel cluttered, the colors silver, blue, and orange, blend together perfectly, and the case is well-finished for its price.
We can only say that the 96B256 is a really great sport/marine-inspired timepiece that offers exceptional value for money, and it’s easy to see why it is so popular. This watch is not meant to be a sports watch or a dive watch, and looking at it from this mindset doesn’t make justice. This is simply a sporty and good-looking timepiece that works exceptionally well for everyday wear, and in particular on more casual occasions.
The marine-inspired elements are evident, and this adds character and charm to the watch. With this watch, there is a lot going on, but at the same time, we feel that there’s really not anything that we would want to omit.
The Bulova Marine Star 96B256 is available to order on Amazon.
