Bulova Marine Star Men’s Chronograph Watch (98B278)

Black case, black dial, black strap, with gold-tone drawn in thin lines: around the bezel, on the crown and pushers, on the numerals and around the sub-dial rings. The gold is doing the work of white on an ordinary dial – it is there to be read against. Case and Wrist Presence A round black case with a scalloped, gold-edged bezel and gold screw heads at the quarters. The crown and both chronograph pushers are gold-tone and sit inside a raised guard on the right. Black cases hide their thickness better than steel ones because there is no bright edge to catch light, so this wears a shade smaller than its dimensions suggest. Dial and Legibility Black with a fine radial pattern, gold Roman numerals around the outside, and three sub-dials ringed in gold. The date window sits between four and five with a gold frame. This is a low-contrast dial by design: gold on black is soft rather than sharp, and the watch reads best in strong light or at an angle where the numerals catch it. Movement and Functions Quartz chronograph. Two pushers start, stop and zero the central seconds hand while the upper registers count elapsed minutes and hours, and a small running seconds sits at six. Date set from the crown. As with any chronograph, reset the timing hands to zero before setting the time, or the registers will read as though a timing run is still in progress. Strap and Fit Black rubber on a pin buckle. It sits flush against a black case so the whole watch reads as one piece from the side. Rubber does not stretch, so the hole you choose is the fit you keep; on a case this heavy, one hole too loose lets the watch swing when your arm is down. Who This Watch Suits Someone who wants a blacked-out sports watch with a warm accent rather than a cold one. It is a night-out chronograph more than a daylight tool, and the gold detailing is the reason. Care and Maintenance Black finishes wear at the high points – the bezel scallops and the case edges – so avoid dragging the watch across desks and door frames. Rinse after salt water and dry it. Keep the pushers still while the watch is wet. Have the seals renewed at every battery change rather than only when a problem appears. About the Brand Bulova, founded in 1875, uses the Marine Star name for its water-resistant sports range. The scalloped bezel, guarded crown and screw detailing on this case are the line’s standard vocabulary. Technical Specifications Attribute Specification Brand Bulova Collection Marine Star Reference 98B278 Case shape Round Case Black with gold-tone bezel and pushers Dial Black Markers Gold Roman numerals Functions Chronograph, date Movement Quartz Strap Black rubber Gender Men’s Warranty 24 months Buying With Confidence The watch carries a 24-month international manufacturer warranty on the movement; the battery and normal wear fall outside it. It ships new and unworn in its original box with the manufacturer’s paperwork, travels on a tracked nationwide courier, and the Consumer Protection Act gives you the right to return an unworn watch in its original packaging.