Bulova MIL-SHIPS: a timepiece that never went into production
Bulova presented the Mil-Ship watch, a model that never went into mass production dedicated to the special unit of divers created in collaboration with the United States army.
The history of this watch began in the 1950s, when Omar Bradley, leader of Bulova research and development, was called upon to create a durable and reliable watch for the critical missions assigned to these divers. After 64 years from the birth of the first prototype, Bulova is proud to present its latest re-edition of the Mil-Ships Archive Series inspired by the original submarine MIL-SHIPS-W-2181.
THE FIRST WATCH
The first prototype presented by Bulova was in May 1957; the watch featured an exclusive two-piece waterproof caseback, a thick brass antimagnetic case support and a manual winding movement (10-BPCHN) with 17 jewels and an exclusive clutch mechanism that prevented the watch from becoming excessively charged. Some prototypes were delivered in 1958 for field tests of Navy UDT-21 divers (up to 392 feet) and underwent rigorous testing to verify that the ferrule was secure and watertight. At the end of these tests there was a lot of enthusiasm for the watch tested because it showed performances never seen before and although the US Navy expected the prototype for final approval, Bulova made the decision not to proceed and moved its research efforts elsewhere. (Accutron).
THE WATCH TODAY
The 2021 version of the Bulova Mil-Ships features a 41 mm sandblasted stainless steel case and is distinguished by its tapered lugs that give the watch a refined and unique look. The design, faithful to the original, has a black dial accented with luminous Super-Liuminova hands and indexes and boasts an exclusive humidity meter that indicates the level inside. Should the watch lose its resistance in water (up to 20m), the humidity indicator will show a blue color. This watch also features a push-lock rotating bezel that rotates only when pressed, as well as a double-domed AR-coated sapphire crystal. The caseback, with the words "Master Diver Helmet" engraved in relief, gives the watch uniqueness together with its Nato strap (woven nyon) made to withstand continuous contact with water.
Archive Series, MIL-SHIPS-W-2181:
• Sandblasted finish steel case with rotating bezel in matt black aluminum.
• 41 mm diameter and 15.1 mm thickness
• Black dial with gold indexes and hands and internal humidity indicator positioned at 6 o'clock
• Curved sapphire crystal
• Automatic mechanical movement, 21 jewels
• Screw-down caseback with engraving depicting the diver's helmet
• Blue nylon strap with pin closure
• 20 ATM waterproof
