I recently spent just under £100 for a Bulova Aerojet (96B242) quartz watch and am still conflicted about it, but overall I absolutely adore this watch.

It is the kind of watch that I really should not like; it is not mechanical, it is not big, it has no lume that is useable and it is lightweight. I usually wear a Bulova Accutron deep sea 666 which I adore or for more demanding days, a 2nd generation Seiko Monster orange, but for some reason this particular watch caught my eye in the overpriced jewellers.

It is an homage to the original Aerojet, but somewhat larger to fit in with the modern style of bigger faces. It does, however, feel true to a time when a simple strap attached to a round watch using the most subtly styled lugs. Every part of this watch is consistent and it is the most ‘watch like’ watch I have ever owned. You look at it and just think “Yes, that’s a watch” without considering any unnecessary features like a huge bezel or massive crowns for those who prefer a diver’s watch, and who have never dived in their lives.

The Aerojet is incredibly light, giving it an air of cheapness in the hand, but on the wrist this translates to an invisibility which matches the styling perfectly. The ticking gives away the age of the watch more than the face and of course it is exceptionally accurate thanks to the Japanese quartz movement. A mechanical version of this watch would be a joy to behold in my opinion, or maybe even an Accutron II, but it is what it is and only the bizarre lume presence lets it down. The lume is a) not great at all and only stays visible for a few minutes after exposure to light and is b) completely pointless because only the hour markers are lumed at the ends and so it is worthless for actually telling the time.

The pointed hands finish off the pleasing form and they are highly visible against the off-white face which draws attention without ever demanding it. I don’t know what else to say about the new Aerojet and I can’t quite explain why I like it so much, but it has replaced my Timex Weekender as my budget ‘watch’ which doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

Categories: Watch Reviews