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Bulova Catamount Review: The Bulova 98B166 Precisionist Quartz Watch

The Bulova 98B166 Catamount is a modern dive watch for the modern man.

This highly functional strap watch is equipped with the world-famous Precisionist movement.

And Bulova claims it to be three times more accurate than a standard quartz movement.

On top of that is a beautiful design with red details that pop out with the iconic Bulova logo at the 12 o’clock position.

This a great, stylish, everyday watch that’s ideal for those with modern tastes and a love for accuracy.

And in this Bulova Catamount review, I’ll show you why.

Bulova Men's 98B166 CATAMOUNT Strap Watch
  • Precisionist quartz movement
  • Flat mineral crystal
  • Black dial

Pros:

  • Highly accurate movement means your watch will always be on time
  • Polyurethane strap makes wearing the watch very comfortable
  • The simple design allows for easy time reading
  • Stainless steel case protects the watch

Cons:

  • The model only has a mineral crystal

Overall Customer Feedback

I couldn’t rely solely on research to form my opinion on the watch.

I went to the Amazon review section to figure out what people actually felt about the watch, and a lot of them seemed to love it.

A couple of people who wrote reviews actually used the watch for diving and said it worked great.

Others really enjoyed the comfort of the strap, and how great it looks with the dial’s colors.

However, there were a couple of people who would’ve been more satisfied with a sapphire crystal.

This is a highly durable, premium crystal.

While I would’ve loved a sapphire crystal on this watch too, it would have shot the price up by a lot, so I’m content with this watch’s mineral crystal.

bulova catamount 98b166 review

See Current Price and Read Customer Reviews Here

The Ever-Accurate Precisionist Movement

Being on time is very important to me.

That’s why I always look at the movement of a watch before I even consider buying it.

A standard quartz movement usually does the job for me, since it only loses a couple of seconds a month.

But Bulova‘s Precisionist movement takes timekeeping to an entirely different level.

The movement on this watch uses a special three-pronged quartz crystal.

Without getting into the fine details, this crystal vibrates at a much better frequency than other crystals, giving the watch way more accuracy.

The movement is said to only lose a couple of seconds a year.

So as long as you set the time accurately initially, you’ll never have to worry about this watch being late.

See also: Another striking design, the Bulova Computron

Simple And Modern Design

bulova catamount 98b166 close up

Dive watches are known for their straight to the point design.

This may be because people don’t have time to appreciate design when going on a dive.

But just because a design is straight to the point, that doesn’t mean it can’t look great.

This piece has a very simple combination of black, white, and red tones that results in a beautiful and cohesive dial.

One of the reasons this model looks so good is because of its size.

The 48mm case is relatively large, so this timepiece is best for those with larger wrists.

The size of the case also allows more space for the features of the dial, which is another reason why this watch looks great on casual outfits.

Although I can also see the watch working really well with a suit if matched properly.

A True Dive Watch

My main complaint with a lot of modern dive watches is that they lose their essence.

It seems like for some companies the only requirement for a dive watch is a high level of water resistance.

This isn’t the case with this watch though.

For starters, the tachymeter bezel that locks is a feature that divers and casual watch wearers alike will find very useful.

The large numbers on the bezel also allow for easy use and reading underwater.

The polyurethane strap is one that will look great with a wetsuit and feel very comfortable when going for a dive or simply doing everyday tasks.

To add to that, the watch has 300m of water resistance, so it can be worn for swimming, diving, and snorkeling without any problem.

Features And Specifications

  • Incredibly accurate Precisionist Movement doesn’t lose accuracy
  • 300m of water resistance allows you to wear the watch to almost any activity
  • Rotating tachymeter bezel with a lock helps time dives
  • Date window
  • Sweeping seconds hand

Conclusion

For fans of dive watches, this watch is a no brainer.

It’s a great dive watch with the proper functions and a straightforward design.

But this watch will also be an awesome piece for those who enjoy large and manly timepieces that perform at high levels.

So if you fall under any of those criteria, this model may deserve a spot at the top of your watchlist.