The Bulova Sutton: The Best Budget Automatic Dress Watch You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of
In a world of overpriced quartz fashion watches and questionable AliExpress homages, finding a legitimately good-looking, well-specced, automatic dress watch for under £300 feels like discovering a unicorn in a tuxedo.
Enter: the Bulova Sutton 96A268 and 96A269 – the dapper duo that’s quietly become the ultimate budget-friendly alternative to the Cartier Tank. Yes, we said it. And we’ll say it again if you ask nicely.
Credit - Bulova
The Looks: Cartier Called, It’s Flattered
Let’s be honest – we all want a Cartier Tank on our wrist. The rectangular case, the Roman numerals, the effortless Parisian cool. But unless you’ve got a spare £3k lying around, the dream often stays just that – a dream.
The Bulova Sutton, however, says: "Hold my croissant."
With its vintage-inspired rectangular case, elegant dial layout, and classy Roman numerals, it captures that unmistakable Tank charm, minus the snobbery and the eye-watering price tag. The standout feature being the open heart balance wheel at 7 o’clock. This glimpse into the heart of the watch really does draw the eye and make an already lovely looking watch, that little more interesting.
Choose between 2 colour options:
96A268 – a rich white dial with a rose gold-tone accents and matching brown leather strap.
96A269 – the sleek black dial in a stainless steel case, also paired with a black leather strap.
Both models are tastefully understated, and honestly? They look way more expensive than they are.
Credit - Bulova
Size Matters – And This One Gets It Right
Dress watches are meant to slip under a cuff without causing a scene. The Sutton nails this with its:
Case Width: 33mm (without crown)
Lug-to-Lug: Around 49mm
Thickness: A trim 12.5mm
That’s right – a proper dress watch size. None of that 42mm “slab of steel” nonsense. Whether you’ve got dainty wrists or just a bit of taste, it wears beautifully.
Automatic for the People
Here’s the kicker: it’s not just a pretty face. The Bulova Sutton is a genuine automatic watch – powered by the Miyota 8215 movement. It’s no horological marvel, but it’s:
Reliable ✅
Easy to service ✅
Smooth enough sweep ✅
42-hour power reserve ✅
Let’s face it – for the price, getting a well-known Japanese automatic movement in a watch that looks this good? It’s borderline criminal.
Specs Recap (because we love a good list):
MovementMiyota 8215 AutomaticCase Size33mm wide, ~45mm lug-to-lugThickness10.5mmCrystalDomed Mineral (not sapphire, but forgivable)Water Resistance30m (splash, not swim)StrapLeather, 18mm widthPriceAround £200–£250 depending on retailer
Why It’s the Ultimate Budget Dress Watch
Let’s break it down:
It looks like a Cartier Tank from across the room
It’s automatic
It fits like a dream
It costs less than your last ASOS splurge
There are plenty of cheap dress watches out there. But most of them either look tacky, run on quartz, or fall apart quicker than a soggy biscuit. The Bulova Sutton is none of those things.
It’s elegant. It’s reliable. It’s affordable. And it’s flying under the radar – for now.
Final Thought: Buy One Before They Catch On
If you’re looking for an entry-level dress watch with genuine heritage, timeless style, and an automatic movement – the Bulova Sutton 96A268 and 96A269 are about as good as it gets without remortgaging your house.
Or to put it another way: it’s Cartier style on a Wetherspoons budget. And we’re absolutely here for it.
