Bulova Hack A-11: Too Much Change From The Watch That Won World War 2?

Anyone with an interest in watches and military history is likely familiar with the A-11 watch aka “The Watch That Won The War” due to its role as the standard issue timepiece for the American military during World War II. Elgin, Waltham, and Bulova were the three American watchmakers tapped to produce these watches which came in a few variants with some differentiation in case style with some having coin edge bezels while others didn’t, some with lume and others without, some waterproof and some dustproof. It was the durability, reliability, and the ever-useful hacking seconds function that gave these watches their reputation and we’ve seen our fair share of tributes and rereleases. One that caught my eye when it was released a couple of years ago is likely the least “faithful” to the traditional design but succeeds in presenting something a little different and done a red, white, and blue dial color scheme. The watch, of course, is the Bulova Hack A-11.

Bulova A-11 Watch Case:

Done in a 37mm wide and 14.5mm thick steel case with a 44.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, the Bulova Hack A-11 is quite conservative in its sizing (even though the original was a now-diminutive 32mm) and works as a versatile unisex field watch. Still, those nice long curved lugs do add some wrist presence that make the watch wear a little bigger than its specs would lead you to think. The case thickness and the added heft of a NATO strap also adds to the substantial feeling of the watch. There is polishing throughout the case and the finishing on the coin-edge bezel really adds a high-end touch that doesn’t get too fluffy.

Turning the case over shows the rear coin-edge while the enclosed steel case back is stamped with some military-style specs starting with that TYPE A-11 designation followed by specification number, serial number, order number, etc… Finally, the big downside here it’s the use of a push/pull rather than a screw-down crown which explains the meh 30m of water resistance. That said, the 7mm crown is nice and large which is a thoughtful touch.

Bulova A-11 Watch Dial:

Here’s the point where some real divided opinions might arise. While Bulova stayed true to the original when it comes to dial layout, hour numerals, and sword-style hands there is, obviously, quite a change in dial color. Where the original had a muted black dial with white indices, this contemporary A-11 watch has a blue dial with lumed hands and hour markers as well as a vibrant red seconds hand. So, yeah, Bulova obviously intended for the dial to evoke the red, white, and blue (literally) without making it feel too much like cosplay. Honestly, I think that it’s fine to show some color and personality on the dial and the blue is a fairly muted hue so it doesn’t come off totally antithetical to the original.

Field watch purists may be another group that doesn’t love this blue dial but I think at this price point there is enough room for some creativity and fun. Plus, I’ll get into the other Bulova Hack watches later in this article which should please the purists. Beyond the design, the dial is highly legible through the domed mineral crystal (sadly not sapphire). Sadly the lume is not really that great and tends to fade out fairly quickly, so that’s definitely a negative.

Miyota Movement:

The original A-11 watch was a manual wind watch that had the all-important hacking seconds function which was crucial for the soldiers. This is because having the seconds hand stop completely when the crown was pulled allowed for multiple watches to be synchronized to allow for precise timing before an operation. Here, the Bulova A-11 Hack does, as its name denotes, have a hacking seconds function. Beyond that, the movements are as different as they could be.

Bulova is owned by the Citizen Group which also owns the movement-maker Miyota, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this watch is outfitted with one. Here we see the automatic Miyota 82SO used which is a version of the ubiquitous 8215 modified to have no date and include hacking seconds. I know the phrase “workhorse movement” is a trope but it’s certainly apt here as these are some durable and popular movements that are known to be reliable. The 82SO does allow for hand-winding, operates at 3 Hz and has a 42-hour power reserve.

NATO Strap:

The Bulova Hack A-11 comes on a brown textile NATO strap that really does punch above its weight class considering the price. The polished steel buckles and rings around the adjustment holes are nice and neat while the white stitching contrasts with that deep brown really well. Also, while you can obviously switch out this strap for another (especially if you want to keep that thickness down) but the pairing of brown and blue looks particularly handsome here.

The Other Bulova “Hack” Field Watches

While this watch leans into the specific military history of the A-11, there are several other Bulova “Hack” field watches that might actually appeal more to those looking for a more classic field watch. First is a pair of Bulova Hack watches in either an ivory or black dial that should appeal to those looking for that more traditional look or just something a little bigger in size. The Ivory dial model which comes in a brushed steel case measuring 38mm wide and 13.5 mm thick with a 47mm lug-to-lug height. The ivory dial works as an attractive and mellow background for the black hour and 24-hour numerals and the black-framed lumed Cathedral-style hands. The movement here is the same 82SO that we see in the Hack A-11 and it comes on a black leather NATO strap.

There is also a black dial version of this watch that shares the same specs but comes in a black dial with lighter hour numerals that are lumed and a vibrant red 24-hour track. This one comes on a green leather NATO strap.

And then there is the Bulova Hack VWI edition associated with the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative which helps veterans learn to become watchmakers at no cost (10% of the proceeds go to the VWI as well). We’ve got the same specs as the previous two watches but the dial here is a little different as its done in black with matching lumed hour markers and white 24-hour markers. The solid case back here has an insignia done for the VWI showing soldiers standing around a large watch observing another soldier working on it. Finally, this model comes on green fabric strap. These three models are also just slightly cheaper than the Hack A-11 at $425.

Final Thoughts

The Bulova Hack A-11 is a tricky watch to pin down. Is it a faithful reinterpretation of “The Watch That Won The War”? No, not exactly. Is it a traditional field watch? No, not exactly. It is, however, a contemporary interpretation of one of the most important mil-spec field watches of all time from one of the brands responsible for building them. Personally, I think the blue dial, white numerals, and red seconds hand make for a very good looking and actually somewhat subtle patriotic statement. And at $450, these are a lot of fun for the money. You can learn more at bulova.com