This Affordable, Ultra-Accurate Watch Moves Closer to Its 1970s Roots

Some watches just look better in a smaller case size. And if you’re like me, you think that applies to most watches.

Bulova appears to agree with me, at least when it comes to its flagship daily-wearing watch. The American-turned-Japanese brand has downsized the Super Saville to a retro-faithful, infinitely-wearable 35mm.

Bulova

It’s not like the Super Seville was a wrist-eater to begin with. Bulova debuted the reissue of its 1970s archival design in 2024 with a 37.5mm diameter, but when you’re talking about case sizes, 2.5mm makes a noticeable difference.

The new dimensions of the TV-dial, rounded-square case are delightfully accurate to the original design. It feels like a more natural fit for the fluted bezel, baton hands, faceted stick indices and integrated bracelet.

Bulova

A side effect of the shrunken case size is that the integrated three-link bracelet has a gentler taper. The exact width of the new bracelet isn’t disclosed, but the taper is noticeably less pronounced, creating a more balanced silhouette.

Stone faced

With less room to work with on the dial, Bulova removed the date complication for the new 35mm Super Seville collection. Regardless of where you stand on a “cyclops” date magnifier, its absence, along with the 3:00 date window, creates a sleeker, more balanced dial.

Bulova

Speaking of the dial, that unbroken ring of applied indices can only be found on stone dials for now. The new 35mm case size debuts with three references, each featuring a stone dial.

Bulova chose three new stones from the ones used in the 2024 Complecto collaboration. There is a full brushed stainless steel case and bracelet with a white magnesite dial, and a pair of two-tone stainless steel models with ion-plated gold accents in blue sodalite and green jade.

To be precise

The feature that sets the Super Seville apart in the crowded $1,000 watch market is its rare, ultra-precise movement. The entire collection, including the new 35mm version, is powered by Bulova’s proprietary HPQ Precisionist movement.

Bulova

It is a quartz movement featuring a three-prong crystal grown by Bulova’s parent company, Citizen, to help deliver a 262 kHz frequency. The seconds hand beats eight times per second, delivering a perfectly smooth sweep, and a claimed accuracy of “seconds per year.”

Availability and pricing

There is still a substantial market for watch cases of 42mm and up, but vintage fans like myself have been clamoring for smaller options for years.

It was Timex, of all brands, that started the trend with the 34mm Marlin nearly a decade ago. Plenty of compact cases have come from the luxury market since then, but affordable options have been few and far between.

Considering how fantastic the criminally underrated Precisionist movement is, the new 35mm Super Seville gets my vote for the best affordable compact watch.

All three stone-dial references are available now from Bulova for $895 in steel and $1,025 in two-tone.

Bulova

Bulova Super Seville 35mm

Specs

Case Size	35mm
Movement	Bulova Caliber NM10 high-precision quartz
Water Resistance	30m

• $895 at Bulova (White)
• $1,025 at Bulova (Green)
• $1,025 at Bulova (Blue)

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