Bulova Devil Diver: The Reissued Dive Watch Icon Four Years Later

The Bulova Devil Diver (formally known as the Bulova Oceanographer) first debuted back in the 1960s, when it went on to become something of a cult classic. It wasn’t a record-breaking dive watch worn by the world’s most accomplished that-and-that, it just had a striking design, and there was something edgy and subversive about that “666ft” on the dial. Of course, that number has to do with its water resistance and nothing sinister, but the Devil Diver moniker is really catchy and has stuck. Back in 2018, Bulova reissued the Oceanographer, but at 44mm wide it was just not what a lot of people were clamoring for. A few years later, in 2021, came this 41mm wide version that is much truer to the original. Four years later, the affordable dive watch market has gotten more competitive but the Bulova Devil Diver still holds its own, so let’s take a look at what makes this orange-dial diver feel like a slice of heaven for well under $1,000.

Bulova Devil Diver Case:

When the Bulova Devil Diver was first reintroduced back in 2018, there were quite a few gripes we all heard about the 44mm case being just way too big and not true to the original. Fortunately, the 2021 iteration brought the case back to the 41mm size of the original, a decision that won over the hearts of some jilted purists. To be fair, you do not have to be a vintage purist to see why a 41mm case will always be preferable to 44mm to a vast majority of contemporary buyers. Of course, the ~202 meters of water resistance works out to 666 feet, which is where that “Devil” in the name comes from and which will always be very cool.

This smaller, 41mm wide and 14.55mm thick case still wears nice and big due to that almost-tonneau “C-case" shape. So, while that 14.55mm thickness is fairly substantial, the case slopes down in a way that wraps around one’s wrist and really does keep the entire thing pretty wearable. And finally, you’ll notice those short curving lugs, which are thankfully nice and stout, which in turn helps achieve a lug-to-lug measurement of 45mm. A lot of people say that this ends up wearing closer to 39mm (or even 38mm) and I do recall the watch wearing significantly smaller than the on-paper 41mm when I first tried this on at release.

Beyond the wearability factor, the Bulova Devil Diver case has your expected screw-down crown, which is done in a polished finishing that matches the lion’s share of the case (with the exception of the brushing by the bezel’s coined edges). The unidirectional rotating bezel is 120-click, which is exactly what one would expect from a dive watch with such a storied history. I also like how the bezel’s deep black color blends into the vibrant 15-minute section. That contrast of black and orange is what this whole watch is about and it just looks excellent on the bezel. The lume on the triangle at 12 o’clock is nice and strong, too.

Oh, and the lugs are 19mm wide and the strap is easy enough to change out, but I think the black textured silicone strap matches the watch perfectly. However, I know how a lot of collectors are when it comes to being able to switch out their straps.

Bulova Devil Diver Dial:

Beneath that double-domed sapphire crystal (which is thankfully treated with a double AR coating) is that highly legible and splashy orange dial that anyone who has worn a Doxa will be familiar with. The orange is as bright and lively as you can imagine and it just makes for such a fun and practical (orange is the color most visible underwater) dial. The hands are stout and pretty short but the white framing and beige-ish area where the lume is applied allows for really good contrast that allows you to easily read the time. There is also a lollipop seconds hand with a lumed tip. Speaking of lume, this is easily one of the highlights of the Bulova Devil Diver, with the warm green giving off a strong glow in low light conditions.

As for dial treatments, the applied cylindrical hour markers are a visual treat as they rise from the dial and are held in place with prongs from a steel base. The date window at 3 o’clock is done in a white that contrasts with the orange of the dial and is nice and legible, even if the rectangular cyclops lens applied to the underside of the dial isn’t too potent of a magnifier. Another nice touch is the applied Bulova logo at 12 o’clock and I am a big fan of the black sector-esque cross-hairs on the dial. Finally, there is that block of text at 6 o’clock denoting the 666ft.

The Miyota Movement

Everyone knows I love an enclosed steel caseback, which is exactly what we get with this watch. As for the movement, Bulova is owned by the Citizen Group, which also happens to own the movement maker Miyota, so no surprise that is what the Devil Diver is outfitted with. Specifically, this is the 821D Caliber, which operates at 3 Hz with a just-shy of full weekend-length 42-hour power reserve. Sadly, there is no hacking seconds feature here.

I usually don’t get too much into the accuracy part of these mass-produced movements but the Teddy team happened to run some tests a while ago when this watch was released. According to Miyota, accuracy is rated to -20 to +40 seconds/day while the sample model the team tested came out to +20 to +5 seconds/day. Make of that what you will but, again, with these kinds of mass produced movements. Miyota makes about 1 million mechanical movements per year (a drop in the ocean of its 100-million-movement annual production, the lion’s share of which are quartz) so you’re bound to see some variance from one batch to the next.

The Bulova Devil Diver GMT

I’d be remiss to not mention the Devil Diver GMT (technically known as the Oceanographer GMT) that was released in late 2023. This rather attractive Diver GMT also comes in a 41mm wide case that is a little thicker at 14.6mm and with a lug-to-lug height of 45.2mm. With the same design language as the the classic Devil Diver, the GMT iterations use the Miyota 9075 movement which is notable for having an independently adjustable hour hand making it a true GMT. There were three iterations of the Devil Diver GMT released: a “Pepsi” bezel model, a “Root Beer” model, and my favorite, a black-and-white model with a fully lumed dial. Sadly, it looks like the black-and-white model is no longer in production, though the other two are still around, for a price of $1,350.

Final Thoughts:

The Bulova Devil Diver is one of those iconic watches that is always going to have a place in dive watch history. Sure, the first few reissues in 44mm were a little too big and didn’t quite capture where enthusiast tastes were at the time, but this reissue that debuted in 2021 seems to have nailed the recipe and has aged very well. And the $750 price tag is really appealing, considering what you can get from a lot of the alternatives.Sure, the recently introduced Snorkel collection is significantly cheaper, but I think you'll agree it doesn't have the same attitude. Personally, I think this is one of the coolest vintage dive-watch reissues of the last decade.