# Why doesn't Bulova put sapphire crystals on their watches?



## bluecamowhite

I just bought a Bulova Sea King 96B228 only because it has a sapphire crystal. I already have two divers, so I didn't really want another diver, but I could not resist buying one of their 262 kHz watches any longer. I really wanted the 96B232 but it doesn't have a sapphire crystal, so I got the Sea King. Despite the Sea King being the size of Texas, I really love it. I can't believe it's possible to buy such an awesome watch for what I paid (roughly $150).

So why would Bulova put a sapphire crystal on the Sea King and not their other watches. I'm certain their sales would be much higher if they put sapphire crystals on their 262 kHz watches. I know it costs more, but I think the increase in cost (compared to their cost as is) is negligible compared to the value it would add.

Thoughts?


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## Pato_Lucas

My bet it's purely about cost, looks like Citizen wants to position Bulova as a mass market brand and price is one of the biggest factors. 
In my opinion they aren't selling to us, they're targeting the mall crowd who would buy a Michael Kors or Armani. Those people typically won't care less about the crystal, but will make a huge deal if the watch is $20 more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## karesz501

Pato_Lucas said:


> My bet it's purely about cost, looks like Citizen wants to position Bulova as a mass market brand and price is one of the biggest factors.
> In my opinion they aren't selling to us, they're targeting the mall crowd who would buy a Michael Kors or Armani. Those people typically won't care less about the crystal, but will make a huge deal if the watch is $20 more.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This would be unbelievably and SAD.... 

Sent with tapatalk, using my bare hands and fingers


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## Itubij

I have a few Bulova pieces none of which has a sapphire crystal - a minor disappointment for me. However, when you look at Bulova's outlets (mall stores, Macy's etc etc) and where they are positioned (next to the fashion brands), I think you can see who they are targeting. As was mentioned, it's not watch lovers. They seem to be positioned as a fashion brand and impulse buy. They do work to win some watch lovers' heart (with the UHF) though, but those who are into watches, know what it's missing. Those who are not into watches don't know what's missing.

I seriously considered getting a sapphire crystal for my Surveyor.


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## branford

I really wish Citizen would release some eco-drive's solar watches under their own brand using the UHF technology.

An actual mid or high-end designed and marketed Citizen with a solar-rechargeable UHF quartz (and possibly even with atomic sync or GPS) would be truly fantastic.

It's disappointing how Citizen has not really embraced or adopted the UHF technology on their watches targeted to non-mass market / fashion watch enthusiasts.


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## captainmorbid

Bulova is a volume producer, it only makes sense that they would target as large a consumer group as possible. Citizen is their owner, but the tech and marketing of Bulova is Bulova's responsibility. They are operated as a separate entity, Citizen would be foolish to remove Bulova's exclusivity of it's product. The same logic is why there are no Eco-driven Bulovas. As far as sapphire, neither Citizen nor Seiko use it on their mass produced models within the lower and mid tiers of watches(with some specific outliers). The top tier versions mostly have sapphire, accuswiss etc.

Like it or not, most watches produced are fashion watches, because they make money. As well as enable watches for the WIS crowd. But mostly money. 


Sent from my iPhone accidentally, due to the gate being left ajar


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## Pigeon

Realistically its the biggest reason I haven't purchased one of the military watches yet. I quite like the design but wear my watches hard enough that anything without sapphire tends to get scratched fairly quick.

Are aftermarket replacement sapphire available for most mass produced watches?


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## Wolfsatz

doesn't depend on the 'tier' of the watch? Most of the top tier Bulova's have Sapphire. 
All the Gemini line has Sapphire. All the AccuSwiss has sapphire. The moon watch has sapphire. 
Why doesn't Seiko put Sapphire on its Seiko 5 line instead of hardlex?

BTW. 
I have a 5 year old Marine Star with mineral crystal and it is still flawles as all my other entry level Bulovas.

I just browsed and compare the current line up at Bulova.com I guess I see your point now. The Moonwatch retails at $650 per their page. Yet, the Precisionist line which some retail higher than the moon watch has mineral glass. Odd. I guess they are banking on the accuracy of their pieces as an offset.

20160803_104603 by Wolfsatz, on Flickr


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## simpletreasures

Bulova is *NOT the same company that old Joe wanted it to be!
*
The family saw to that when they sold out.


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## bluecamowhite

I understand that if they are competing against the fashion brands they want to be as competitive as possible on price, but the precisionist movement is so superior to other movements (just my opinion) that I can't see how they would not recoup their investment (and move the brand up) by having different lines for different markets. If the person considering a fashion brand is not interested in a sapphire crystal, they probably aren't interested in the precisionist movement. On the other hand, I think it's a safe bet that most people who are interested in the precisionist movement would prefer the negligible increase in price for a sapphire crystal. Many (myself included) will not buy a watch without a sapphire crystal. Are there any Bulova reps reading this thread?


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## simpletreasures

> Are there any Bulova reps reading this thread?


I seriously doubt it, but thanks for the laugh.


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## Thunder1

Wolfsatz said:


> doesn't depend on the 'tier' of the watch? Most of the top tier Bulova's have Sapphire.
> All the Gemini line has Sapphire. All the AccuSwiss has sapphire. The moon watch has sapphire.
> Why doesn't Seiko put Sapphire on its Seiko 5 line instead of hardlex?
> 
> BTW.
> I have a 5 year old Marine Star with mineral crystal and it is still flawles as all my other entry level Bulovas.
> 
> I just browsed and compare the current line up at Bulova.com I guess I see your point now. The Moonwatch retails at $650 per their page. Yet, the Precisionist line which some retail higher than the moon watch has mineral glass. Odd. I guess they are banking on the accuracy of their pieces as an offset.
> 
> 20160803_104603 by Wolfsatz, on Flickr


Agreed...my Gemini & AccuSwiss Bulovas all have sapphire crystals...


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## wbird

Since the entire Curv line has sapphire, I think they addressed this problem with their new high end line. 

I would like to see sapphire on at least their limited edition precisionist models, but it didn't stop me from buying one.


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## mythless

captainmorbid said:


> Bulova is a volume producer, it only makes sense that they would target as large a consumer group as possible. Citizen is their owner, but the tech and marketing of Bulova is Bulova's responsibility. They are operated as a separate entity, Citizen would be foolish to remove Bulova's exclusivity of it's product. The same logic is why there are no Eco-driven Bulovas. As far as sapphire, neither Citizen nor Seiko use it on their mass produced models within the lower and mid tiers of watches(with some specific outliers). The top tier versions mostly have sapphire, accuswiss etc.
> 
> Like it or not, most watches produced are fashion watches, because they make money. As well as enable watches for the WIS crowd. But mostly money.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone accidentally, due to the gate being left ajar


Not to derail the topic but, in the early 2000s Bulova did make solar powered titanium watches, but, I have no idea if the two technologies were related, probably not.


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## Wolfsatz

This babby has sapphire all over!










WIS Interwebs Communicator Tool


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## journeyforce

I think the reasons that Bulova is not putting sapphire crystals in most of their watches is because most of their clientele is not interested in them. As has been said Bulova is going up against Kors and Armani.


However there a lot of watch people (myself included) that really don't care that the watch does not have a sapphire crystal. I have never cared about them and a watch not having one is not a deterrence to buying a watch


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