Latest Review
June 7, 2025 
In the world of military-issued watches, some models are legendary. Others are ghost stories—rare prototypes whispered about among collectors, their existence confirmed only through archival fragments or the occasional sighting in the wild. The Bulova MIL-SHIPS-W-2181 falls somewhere between the two, and for the first time in decades, one of the few surviving examples is surfacing in public—on the block at Sotheby’s, no less.
A Mission-Critical Beginning
To understand why this watch matters, you need to rewind to 1955. Amid Cold War tensions and escalating naval operations, the U.S. Navy sought a robust dive watch for its elite underwater teams—specifically, the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units, the forebears of modern Navy SEALs. The specifications they drafted, known as MIL-SHIPS-W-2181, called for something no commercial watch at the time quite delivered: water resistance beyond 400 feet, excellent night visibility, a highly legible dial, and a locking, unidirectional bezel.
Bulova, riding high under the stewardship of General Omar Bradley, threw its hat in the ring. The result was a small batch of prototype watches, produced between 1957 and 1958. These weren’t your off-the-shelf divers. They featured some genuinely advanced engineering for the time: a unique two-piece screw-down case back system, a brass anti-magnetic movement holder, and perhaps most intriguingly, a litmus-paper-style humidity indicator embedded right on the dial. If moisture breached the case, the paper would turn from white to red—a subtle but critical alert for anyone depending on their gear to stay alive underwater.
Though promising, the project stalled. Whether due to logistical challenges or because Bulova pivoted toward its then-groundbreaking Accutron technology, the company withdrew from military trials. In the end, the contract went to Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms—another icon—but the Bulova prototypes quietly lived on in the background, their mythology growing with each passing year.
From In-Action to In-Auction
On June 10, 2025, one of those rare originals will reemerge—this time as Lot 33 at Sotheby’s Important Watches auction. The prototype in question is a 41mm stainless steel marvel powered by Bulova’s manually-wound Caliber 10 BPCHN. Its case is unpolished, its NATO strap original, and its character unmistakably military. Sotheby’s estimates the piece will fetch between $70,000 and $140,000—a testament not only to its rarity but to the fervor surrounding historically significant military watches.
To collectors who dream of owning a slice of military history, this auction is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. For the rest of us, however, there’s a silver lining—or rather, a stainless steel one.
Bringing the Past to the Present: The MIL-SHIPS Reissues
In 2021, Bulova did something few major watchmakers have the guts (or good sense) to do: they reissued the MIL-SHIPS with startling fidelity. The result is a collection that feels like a tribute, not just a marketing exercise.
The standard MIL-SHIPS reissue, priced at $895, features a 41mm sandblasted case, Super-LumiNova® hands and markers, a box sapphire crystal, and a Miyota 82S0 automatic movement. It even retains the moisture indicator—updated to be more decorative than functional, but still an unmistakable nod to the original’s purpose. A mil-spec strap and 200m water resistance round out the package.
For purists, Bulova also released a Limited Edition MIL-SHIPS, capped at 1,000 pieces and priced at $1,990. This version swaps in a Swiss Sellita SW200 movement and comes in special military-inspired packaging. The case finish is slightly more refined, and the lume glows with a nostalgic green warmth. While neither reissue is a one-to-one replica, both strike an excellent balance between vintage aesthetics and modern-day wearability.
Why MIL-SHIPS Still Matter
To the Worn & Wound audience—where love for tool watches runs deep and authenticity matters—it’s hard to ignore what Bulova has achieved here. The MIL-SHIPS reissues aren’t just homage pieces; they’re extensions of a design that was nearly lost to history. They carry the spirit of the original UDT brief while offering the everyday reliability modern watch fans demand.
So whether you’re a collector bidding six figures on June 10th at 10:30 AM EDT or an enthusiast who simply wants a piece of that legacy on your wrist, Bulova’s MIL-SHIPS story offers something rare: a watch that bridges the gap between top-secret military tech and attainable modern craftsmanship.
