Most people who wear dive watches don’t get them salty, which is fine, as most watches sold under that title could never compete with the minicomputers most serious divers wear today. Dive watches you can buy at the mall, from the Rolex Sea-Dweller to the Citizen Promaster were, however, cutting-edge tools for diving in the time when men wore white tees under their collared shirts, drank black coffee with every meal, and opened car doors for women.
The Bulova MIL-SHIPS-W-2181 is a dive watch that harkens back to the years between Cary Grant’s Hitchcock period and the first Bond films. It’s exactly what your grandfather would have put on his wrist if he wanted to look cool and needed a watch both for sport and the office.
60 years ago, Bulova was a leader in timekeeping innovation with famous watches like the Accutron Spaceview 214 (1960), and the Oceanographer Snorkel (1972).
This reputation for cutting-edge technology might have been one of the reasons the U.S. Navy approached Bulova in 1955 to develop something that could be issued to members of two elite dive teams—EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and UDT (Underwater Demolition Teams). The requirements for the watch were simple but difficult to execute, given the complications of depth and light.
In 1957, Bulova delivered the first series of prototypes for testing by U.S. Navy operators. The process of development is not public knowledge, but things must have gone well, because in December of 1959, the Bureau of Ships (who had extended the original commission) requested one last round of prototypes for final approval. For reasons unknown, those watches were never delivered, and the MIL-SHIPS never went into production.
That is, until about 60 years later when Bulova decided to revive the concept, with the idea that it would look almost identical to the final prototype. The result is a retro sports watch with a 41 mm matt black dial, press-to-turn bezel, stainless steel case, 16 mm NATO strap, water resistance to 200 meters, anti-reflective double-domed sapphire, and paper warning strip that will change color if moisture enters the watch and renders it compromised. There are two automatic iterations of the MIL-SHIPS. While they look the same, the first is a limited-edition piece with a Swiss movement (Sellita SW200) and the second is powered by a Japanese movement (Miyota 82S0). The Swiss version ($1,990) is limited to 1000 pieces (each one is numbered), while the Japanese version is a standard production model and significantly less expensive ($895). The original prototypes used manual movements.
Before I talk about what it’s been like wearing this watch for the past week (in tropical and cold water), you probably already know if you’re going to buy it, as the appeal of the MIL-SHIPS is not in the choice of its movement or its capabilities as a tool watch—but in how it looks. I mean, a 41 mm case with 16 mm NATO? On paper, those proportions seem preposterous, but on the wrist, it works and adds to the truly vintage look of the watch. The bronze Arabic numbers on the bezel, and orange (radium-style) SuperLuminova lume on the dial markers, both add to the vintage appeal, while the delicate Cathedral-style hands balance the robust, brushed stainless steel case.
The watch wears slightly smaller than you’d think (more like 39 mm watch), perhaps due to the 16 mm NATO and large bezel. The double-domed sapphire (the original prototypes used acrylic) is extraordinary, both to look at and to touch. It’s more a like a bubble, or a blister, and adds to the tactile appeal—contrasting nicely with the woven strap. The caseback is also impressive, with a diver helmet relief (engraved on the Swiss version and stamped on the Japanese version).
The Mil-Ships is not perfect of course—sand and dirt can get trapped in the space where the bezel is depressed for turning. This can be remedied with a toothpick and running water. The lume is not particularly bright, at least on the standard model, and there could be more strap options for the money.
That said, Bulova’s commitment to issuing a prototype (this is not a reissue, remember) almost identical to the design specs of the original, was an inspired move, as again, it’s really the look of this watch that will get it on wrists.
I’m not sure it’s worth paying almost double for the Swiss version (even though it comes in a dramatic diving helmet box). I’d be more inclined to get the standard model, then just wear it every day, as this is one of those few watches that will look even better with a few chips and scratches.
