Bulova Men's Two Tone Rectangle Watch (98A117) Review: a dressy black-and-steel watch that keeps things simple

I’ve been wearing the Bulova Men's Two Tone Rectangle Watch (model 98A117) as my main dress watch for a little while, mostly for work, dinners, and a couple of events where I had to wear a shirt and blazer. I’m not a collector, just a regular guy who likes a watch that looks good and tells the time properly without too much drama. This one sits clearly in the dress category: rectangular case, black dial, two-tone metal bracelet, quartz movement, and not much else.

Out of the box, my first reaction was basically: “Okay, this looks like it should cost more than it did.” It’s got that classic rectangular shape you usually see on more expensive brands, and the black with the two-tone bracelet gives it a more formal vibe. It definitely doesn’t feel like a sporty watch or a daily beater you’d wear to the gym. This is more for office, weddings, and anything with a collar.

What I noticed pretty fast is that the watch is all about simple timekeeping and looks. No crazy complications, no busy dial, no smart features. It’s a quartz analog piece that just shows the time cleanly. For some people that’s boring, for others it’s exactly what they want for a dress watch. Personally, I liked that I didn’t have to think about charging it or dealing with menus. You put it on, it runs, end of story.

It’s not perfect though. The weight, the rectangle shape, and the fact that it’s only rated to 30 meters water resistance mean it’s not the most versatile watch in the world. You can wear it daily if your life is mostly office and casual evenings, but I wouldn’t pick it for travel, sports, or rough use. In short: it’s a solid dress watch with a clean look, but it’s not trying to be your one-and-only do‑everything watch.

In terms of value, I’d put this Bulova in the “pretty solid if you like the look” category. You’re paying for a recognizable brand, a classic rectangular design, and a metal bracelet that feels decent on the wrist. It’s not cheap garbage, but it’s also not a luxury piece. The Amazon rating around 4.6/5 from 500+ reviews lines up with my feeling: most people are happy because it looks good, keeps time, and does what it’s supposed to do.

What you get for the money:

• Stainless steel case and bracelet
• Quartz movement (accurate, low maintenance)
• Black rectangular dial with a dressy vibe
• Deployment clasp and decent packaging
• Brand with a long history in watches

What you don’t get: sapphire crystal, serious water resistance, or any kind of advanced features. No smart functions, no extra complications worth talking about, and not much versatility if you want one watch for everything. So the value really depends on your use case. If you want a dedicated dress watch that looks more expensive than it is and you’re okay with quartz, this is a good deal. If you want a rugged daily watch or something techy, your money is better spent elsewhere.

Personally, I think the price makes sense for what it offers. There are cheaper dress watches out there, but many of them look obviously cheap or feel flimsy. This one doesn’t. On the other hand, if you stretch your budget a bit, you can find options with sapphire crystal or slightly better water resistance from other brands. So, good value if you specifically want this style and brand, average value if you’re just generally shopping for any watch in this price range.

Design-wise, the main thing here is the rectangular case and black dial. If you’re used to round watches, this instantly feels a bit more dressy and old-school. The case is about 39 mm wide and pretty thin at 8.05 mm, so it slides under a shirt cuff without catching. On the wrist it looks neat and tidy rather than bulky. The rectangular shape gives it a more formal vibe, and that’s really the whole point of this thing.

The dial itself is clean and simple. No clutter, no crazy patterns, no giant logo taking half the space. It just shows the time clearly, which is exactly what I want from a dress watch. The black dial works well with the two-tone bracelet, which mixes black and steel tones. It’s not loud or flashy, more like a small contrast that makes it look a bit sharper than a plain silver bracelet. Several people actually commented on it at work, in a “nice watch” kind of way, not “what is that thing on your wrist.”

One thing I liked is that it doesn’t scream for attention from across the room. It’s noticeable but not in-your-face. If you wear shirts, suits, or smart casual outfits, it blends in nicely and just makes your wrist look a bit more put together. With a T‑shirt and jeans it still works, but it definitely feels more at home with a button-up shirt or blazer. If you want something sporty or chunky, this is not it.

On the downside, the rectangular shape and dressy design mean it’s not super versatile style-wise. It doesn’t look right with gym clothes, and it’s not the watch I’d grab for hiking or travel. Also, if you prefer minimal weight or very small watches, the visual footprint of the rectangle might feel a bit large even if the thickness is reasonable. Overall though, as a dress design, it does its job well: simple, black, rectangular, and clearly meant for more formal situations.

The watch runs on a quartz movement powered by a lithium battery (included). This is not a mechanical or automatic piece, so you don’t get the whole winding experience or the sweeping second hand of higher-end automatics. What you do get is low-maintenance reliability. You set the time once, and then basically forget about it until the battery eventually dies a couple of years down the line.

Quartz has one big advantage: accuracy. In normal use, quartz watches usually gain or lose just a few seconds per month, and this Bulova behaved exactly like that. No random time jumps, no weird lag, nothing. I checked it against my phone a few times over a couple of weeks, and it was always close enough that I didn’t even think about it. For a dress watch you just want to grab and go, this is perfect.

Battery changes will obviously be needed at some point, but that’s standard. You’ll need to either take it to a watch shop or know how to open the case back yourself (I recommend a shop unless you’re used to doing this). The good point is that you don’t have to worry about power reserves, movement from your wrist, or leaving it in a drawer for a few days. Quartz doesn’t care; it just keeps running until the battery is drained.

If you’re into watch collecting and love mechanical movements, this one might feel a bit too basic. But if you just want a trustworthy dress watch that you don’t have to wind or charge, the battery and movement setup here are perfectly fine. It’s simple, it works, and it doesn’t demand any attention from you apart from a battery swap every couple of years.

Comfort-wise, this watch is good but not feather-light. The rectangular case is fairly thin at about 8 mm, which is nice because it doesn’t dig into the wrist or get stuck under cuffs. The bracelet is 24 mm wide, so it feels substantial. Combined with the listed weight of about 388 g, it’s definitely on the heavier side compared to some slimmer dress watches or leather-strap options. You feel it on your wrist, especially at the beginning.

Out of the box, the bracelet was too loose for me, which is normal. I had to remove a couple of links to get it to fit properly. Once sized, it sat comfortably and didn’t slide around too much. The deployment clasp is easy to use and doesn’t pinch the skin, which is one of my usual worries with metal bracelets. After a day or two, my wrist got used to the weight and I stopped noticing it most of the time, apart from the occasional reminder when I moved my arm quickly.

If you’re used to very light watches or leather straps, this might feel a bit heavy at first and slightly top-heavy because of the rectangular case shape. It’s not uncomfortable, just more present. If you like to actually feel that you’re wearing a watch, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you hate any kind of wrist weight, this won’t be your favorite. The thin case helps a lot though; even with the weight, it doesn’t feel bulky or clumsy.

In daily use — typing at a desk, walking around, driving — I didn’t have any real comfort issues. No rubbing, no weird hotspots, no hair pulling from the bracelet links. So overall, once sized properly, it’s comfortable enough for a full day, but don’t expect that barely-there feeling you get from ultra-thin or plastic watches. This is a metal dress watch and it wears like one.

On the materials side, this Bulova sticks to the basics: stainless steel case and stainless steel bracelet, with a mineral crystal on the front. The case and bracelet both feel solid in the hand, not hollow or flimsy. The whole thing weighs around 388 grams according to the listing, which is on the heavier side. On the wrist, you definitely feel you’re wearing a metal watch, especially if you’re used to lighter pieces or leather straps.

The stainless steel is what you’d expect in this price range: it looks clean, it doesn’t feel cheap, and it should hold up fine to normal office and daily use. The two-tone effect on the bracelet gives it a bit of personality without going into flashy territory. The clasp is a deployment clasp, which is pretty standard and works fine. It locks securely and doesn’t feel like it’s going to pop open by accident. No sharp edges or weird rattles on my unit.

The mineral crystal is where you’re reminded this is not a high-end watch. Mineral is okay for everyday use, but it can scratch more easily than sapphire. After wearing it regularly, I didn’t see any scratches, but I also wasn’t banging it against walls or tossing it in a bag with keys. If you’re the type who is rough with watches, you’ll want to be a bit careful or just accept that small marks might show up over time. For a dress watch you usually treat a bit better anyway, it’s acceptable, just not premium.

Overall, the materials feel pretty solid for the price. You get real stainless steel, a proper metal bracelet, and a case that doesn’t feel like tin. But it’s not a tank: it’s a dress piece, and the combination of mineral crystal and polished surfaces means you should treat it with a bit of care if you want it to stay nice-looking for years.

On durability, I’d say this Bulova is good enough for normal daily and office use, but it’s not something I’d abuse. The stainless steel case and bracelet hold up well to normal bumps against a desk or door frame. After wearing it regularly, I didn’t see any major marks apart from the usual tiny hairline scratches you get on polished metal. That’s normal for any metal bracelet watch and nothing shocking.

The mineral crystal is the main weak point if you’re thinking long term. Mineral is more scratch-prone than sapphire, so if you tend to scrape your watch on walls, tables, or throw it face-down on rough surfaces, you’ll probably pick up scratches over time. I tried to be reasonably careful — taking it off when doing anything rough, not tossing it into a bag with keys — and it stayed clean. But I’ve had enough mineral-crystal watches in the past to know that one bad hit on a rough surface can leave a visible mark.

The water resistance of 30 meters is also a limiting factor. That rating basically means it can handle splashes and maybe light rain, but it’s not meant for swimming or showering. I washed my hands with it on and got a bit of water on the case with no issue, but I always made sure not to dunk it. If you want a watch you never have to take off, including in the pool, this is not built for that. Think of it as a dress watch that you treat with at least a bit of respect.

Overall, as long as you use it in the environment it’s designed for — office, meetings, dinners, formal events — it should last a good while and still look decent. If you’re very hard on your watches or want something that can handle sports, sand, and water, I’d look at something more robust. This one is more about looking good than surviving a beating.

In terms of performance, this Bulova is basically a straightforward quartz watch. It tells the time, and it does it accurately. During my use, I didn’t notice any visible drift — quartz movements are usually within a few seconds a month, and this one behaved like you’d expect. You don’t have to wind it, you don’t have to baby it. The battery is a standard lithium cell (included) and should last a couple of years before you need to swap it out.

The dial is easy to read. The black background with the markers and hands is clear enough in normal indoor lighting and outside. There’s no fancy lume or backlight mentioned, so in very low light you might struggle a bit, but that’s pretty common for dress watches. For office, commuting, dinners, and general city life, I had no issue checking the time quickly. The second hand runs smoothly enough for a quartz, and there’s no weird ticking sound beyond the usual faint tick if you put it near your ear.

The watch is rated water resistant to 30 meters (99 feet). In real-world terms, that means it’s fine for splashes, washing your hands, maybe a bit of rain, but I wouldn’t swim or shower with it on. It’s not a dive watch or a sports watch. I got it slightly wet a couple of times while washing my hands and had zero issues, but I treated it as a dress watch and took it off for anything more than that. If you want something you can wear in the pool, this is not the right pick.

Day to day, the performance is reliable and boring in a good way. It just runs, keeps time, and stays out of your way. No smart features, no syncing, no notifications. If you like techy watches, you’ll probably find this too basic. If you just want a classic piece that works every time you look at it, this does the job nicely.

In terms of presentation, Bulova did a pretty solid job for this price range. The watch comes in a sturdy branded box that doesn’t feel cheap. It’s not luxury-level, but it’s the kind of box you actually keep instead of throwing away. Mine had the watch on a small cushion, some basic paperwork, and the usual tags. No fancy extras, just the essentials. For a dress watch like this, that’s honestly enough.

The model number is 98A117, and it’s a quartz analog watch with a rectangular stainless steel case and a matching stainless steel bracelet. The dial is black, and the bracelet is described as two-tone black, though in practice it looks more like a mix of polished and darker metal accents than a loud contrast. The watch is listed as unisex, but realistically the 39 mm case width and 24 mm band width make it look more like a men’s dress watch or something for anyone who likes a larger rectangular style.

Inside, you’ve got a quartz movement, battery powered, with a second hand and chronograph noted in the specs, though the real-world design is very clean and simple time display. There’s no smartwatch stuff here: no Bluetooth, no notifications, no fitness tracking. The crystal is mineral, not sapphire, which is pretty standard at this level but means you should be a bit careful to avoid scratches if you’re rough with your watches.

Overall, the presentation matches the idea: this is a classic dress watch that looks more formal than its price tag suggests. If you like opening a box and feeling like you bought a “real” watch and not a toy, this does the job. If you’re expecting luxury-level packaging or a bunch of accessories, that’s not what this is. It’s straightforward: one watch, one bracelet, basic docs, and that’s it.