Bulova has been hitting on all cylinders lately and their latest, the 1973 “Parking METER,” is another winner. The watch, which is based on a Bulova bullhead chrono from the 1970s, features a 0S21 Miyota movement that powers the central seconds hand as well as a 24-hour dial at noon. There is a running seconds at six o’clock and a date window. Best of all is the case which enrobes the traditional case like Iron Man’s armor.
From the release:
The new Bulova Parking Meter Chronograph boasts the same “Parking Meter” case shape with top pushers and unique crown positioning as the original. Featuring a silver dial with blue and orange details, the watch comes in stainless steel with a blue ion plated outer ring leading up to the pushers and matching inner tachymeter ring. The watch is powered by a 0S21 Miyota Chronograph with dual time feature set with the 6H crown and is set on a supple brown leather strap with blue-grey stitching.
The original Parking Meter ran an automatic movement called the ChronoMatic, one of the first automatic chronos on the market. They mixed a few things up in this watch, probably in an effort to maximize the feature set with the quartz movement, so you’re not getting a traditional chrono as much as a weird amalgam of world-timer and chronograph. This model is limited to 5,000 pieces and will cost $595 when it ships. It’s not nearly as mechanically cool as the original, seen below, but it’s honestly quite a striking design and well worth a look if you’re into watches from a simpler, more disco-tinged era.
The 6:00 sub dial is not a running seconds. It is a elapsed minute counter for the chronograph. The 0S21 movement does not have a running seconds.