Bulova Accutron DNA 2ES8A001 Review

Yes, finally we are going to talk about Bulova Accutron DNA. This is a new release from well-known brand, and I have to say it is one of the most important things that happened with watches in 2020. While other watchmakers were obsessed with releasing various limited and special editions, American manufacturer decided to revive one of the coolest movements around. While original release had fame of one of the most precise watches during its time, I think it will be interesting to see what the newcomer has to offer. Let’s take a closer look together.
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Dial

Of course, we are going to start with the most imposing part of the new Bulova Accutron DNA. I can bet you won’t be able to name something at least somewhat comparable in wow-effect to this dial.

This is not an overestimation, watch truly looks amazing in person. Moreover, there will be two colors available – glue and green. In my opinion the latter is the right one to choose if you want to stay true to origins.

It is safe to say that we have skeleton dial here – all parts are open and ready to be admired by owner. Just like in the predecessor, we get brown transistor visible. That’s pretty much all what new model has in common with its granddad.

Two turbines are accompanied with the larger one in the top section. You can notice that bigger part constantly rotates, while smaller ones start to move with the movement of your wrist. This is truly hypnotic experience and I like the smooth action here. Designers still managed to avoid clutter, there are no extra complications or writings on the watchface. I would consider this fact as a great advantage for Accutron.

Handset is quite large, so I doubt that you will have any issues with legibility. Yes, it might look busy at first, but once you get used to it…this dial is just pleasure to look at. Note that seconds hand features Bulova’s turning fork on one end. By the way, in GIF above and in our video-review you can check smoothness of the seconds hand movement.

Case

New watch comes with stainless steel case which is as sleek as it was possible. It is size clocks at 45.1mm and thickness equals to 15.6mm. As you can guess, this is not a ladies watch and some guys with thin wrists might have issues. Maybe it would be a good idea to try it on your wrist first. 🙂

Note that whole case might look simple at the first sight, but then you start to find various interesting queues. For example, lugs are milled with sharp edge and that creates illusion of the separate part. All surfaces come in a brushed finish which should be a bit more durable in everyday use. Keep in mind that it is still a good fingerprint magnet.

Rear cover is metal and I don’t think somebody will be sad about it. We have skeleton dial here, so why would you need another opening on the opposite side? Whole dial is covered with domed sapphire glass what adds to an appeal of this watch. By the way, water protection is set at 50m level.

Separate word should be said about crown. It might look not that big in comparison with whole watch, but it is actually a good thing. Such part is still easy to handle, and you will find green color with Bulova logo on it. I like that even grooves are slightly angled to give this part a modern feeling.

Strap

Bulova Accutron DNA should be available in two versions – either with rubber or leather strap. As you can notice, I tested the first one and this is the most suitable choice for this watch. Somehow it maintains that modern spirit and works nicely with metal case.

On the photo below you can see small “ribs” inside strap which will help it grip around your wrist. Moreover, you can notice screw which actually keep both strap ends attached to watch. It would be a bit difficult to find some aftermarket replacement for such strap version.

Movement

This is one of the main things in today’s watch. First of all it would be important to educate yourself on how this stuff works, so that you can explain it to others. 😀 Jokes aside, Bulova managed to introduce truly impressive calibre which is completely different from everything you saw before.

As you remember, we have two small and one big turbines on the dial. First two are electrostatic generators, while bigger one is actually a motor. Note that this is not electromagnetic motor because of two important reasons. First is that electrostatic one can be more compact in size and the second – it consumes less energy. Such design provides yet another original feature – smooth movement of the seconds hand, something what is hard to achieve on electric watches.

In Use

I spent several half day with this watch and there are few things to note. First of all, this watch is large. Check its size digits and think again. In my opinion, thin wrists don’t have a chance here. From the other side, I don’t consider my wrist as thick, but watch fit nicely as you can see on the photo below. Obviously, I didn’t even try to do a “ladies test” because this watch would look strange to say the least. Who knows, maybe we would see a special smaller version in the future? 🙂

I have to note that legibility is completely fine once you get used to the dial. First time you search for indices ON the dial, but then you start to check them on the edges and time checking becomes as easy as on the classic dials. As for rotating parts, it might be a great “gizmo” for these guys who like to admire their watches. 🙂 This is truly amazing experience and you can stare at it for hours and hours.

Bulova Accutron DNA – Price and Availability

First of all let me note that this is not a Limited Edition. It means new watch will be available in all good watch shops, for example, in Helveti. Price should be set around 4-5k USD, depending on the version you would choose. Is this a reasonable price tag? In my opinion – yes, because Bulova Accutron DNA would give you a great chance to have something different. We are all tired from classic choice and it is great to see some brand trying to bring something new on the market. Let’s hope that whole series will be successful and there will be new releases in the future.