Inspired by Bulova’s storied military heritage, the Gents Hack Watch combines vintage elements and updated technology for a contemporary lifestyle, as well as merging high precision with an emphasis on quick readability.

The updated style features a three-hand 21-jewel automatic movement with a 42 hour power reserve. The grey stainless steel case with a black dial and luminescent hands and markers also features a red centre track on the dial displaying 24H time. Green leather NATO strap. Domed mineral crystal. Water resistance to 30 meters.

The new Bulova Military Collection consists of two watches, both with genuine historical ties. At John Fitzgerald Jewellers, we stock the Hack watch. This, as you can see, is a simple field watch. These small, unobtrusive watches were meant to be worn by soldiers during battle. It was thought that a highly legible, yet discreet watch would be essential in a number of possible war scenarios. The 38mm case is easy to wear, and the dial includes a standard 12-hour track, as well as an inner 24-hour track, to make calculating military time designations a breeze.

So, why is it called a Hack watch? As you may have guessed, it’s due to the hacking second’s function. If you pull the crown, the second’s hand stops, allowing the user to set the time exactly. This is a feature that we often take for granted in modern mechanical watches, as it’s incredibly common in even the most affordable, value-driven timepieces. But during WWII, when Bulova first made watches in this vein for the US military, it was a novel feature, and Bulova had a hand in making it much more common. The benefit of a hacking feature in a military capacity is clear: it lets a group of soldiers synchronize their watches exactly to ensure the timely completion of missions.