Bulova has been gradually entering the ?new vintage? trend of horology for the last few years. The company’s newest release, the Oceanographer Devil Diver? which comes in the forms of both a limited-edition, more historically accurate 40-mm orange piece, and of a non-limited, more modernly designed 44-mm model ? is its most recent addition to its growing Archive Series. You might recall this series as also including the Chronograph C ?Stars & Stripes? watch and the Moon Watch, both big hits among “new vintage” circles these past few years.

The ?Devil Diver? watches, so nicknamed according to Bulova for the 666-ft depth rating written on their dials, find direct influence from the 1972 Bulova Oceanographer (vintage ad, via Watchsteez, pictured below). This watch was a part of a larger series of Bulova watches, which included the 1960s and ?70s Oceanographer Snorkel series of deep-sea and skin-diver watches, and also some others outside of the diving realm, notably some water-resistant pieces more akin to a Rolex Datejust than the purpose-driven Snorkel.
The first of the two pieces we’ll look at is the 40-mm limited-edition model. This watch uses a vintage-style steel case shape, with a thick crown sans-crown guard, and a black-and-white unidirectional diving bezel to frame to popping orange dial. On the face you?ll find an array of unique attributes recalling the original piece, like its outer black circling and crosshairs; the unique applied ho...