Skip to main content

Bulova drops muscle car-inspired chronograph for 150th anniversary

Bulova Drops Muscle Car-Inspired Chronograph for 150th Anniversary

Bulova 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500
Bulova

Bulova has launched the Bulova x Shelby Racing Chronograph, a limited-edition timepiece celebrating both the watchmaker’s 150th anniversary and the legendary 1967 Shelby GT500 muscle car that defined American automotive performance.

The collaboration draws on Bulova’s motorsport heritage from the 1960s and ’70s when the brand served as official timekeeper for NASCAR and IndyCar racing series. This connection provides authentic foundation for the partnership with Carroll Shelby’s automotive legacy.

Recommended Videos

Housed in a bold 43mm silver-tone stainless steel bullhead case, the chronograph features a black tachymeter bezel and HNBR rubber strap carrying Shelby’s signature blue and white racing stripes. The unmistakable Cobra emblem appears at the 3 o’clock register, reinforcing the automotive partnership.

The technical centerpiece is Bulova’s proprietary Precisionist movement operating at 262 kHz, significantly faster than standard quartz frequencies. This high-frequency operation enables the 8-hand chronograph to measure elapsed time to 1/1000th of a second while producing the smooth sweep hand motion typically associated with mechanical movements.

Under the sapphire crystal, the dial combines aggressive styling with technical functionality, reflecting both racing aesthetics and precision timekeeping requirements. The chronograph complication serves practical purposes beyond visual appeal, continuing Bulova’s tradition of precision technology that once guided satellites through space via Accutron movements.

Each watch features a numbered caseback engraved with Carroll Shelby’s signature and ships in a collector’s presentation box containing a 1:24 scale die-cast GT500 model. This packaging reinforces the automotive connection while providing collectible value beyond the timepiece itself.

Limited to 7,500 pieces worldwide, the chronograph launches this month through select retailers and Bulova.com, targeting collectors who appreciate both horological precision and American automotive heritage.

The collaboration represents Bulova’s approach to anniversary celebrations, connecting historical achievements in precision timing with cultural icons of American performance.

Available now through select retailers and bulova.com.

Andrew McGrotty
Andrew is a full-time freelance writer with expertise in the luxury sector. His content is informative and always on trend.
Topics
Favre-Leuba’s new Chief Chronograph is a retro racing revival
The Favre-Leuba Chief Chronograph returns in two stunning new editions
The Favre-Leuba Chief Chronograph, in two new colors

With a history dating back to 1737, Favre-Leuba is a Swiss manufacturer that has masterfully reignited its legacy with the breathtaking re-edition of the Chief Chronograph, a timepiece merging an intense bravado with contemporary refinement. Two more distinct hues have been added to the series — British Racing Green and Dune — a collection offering watch enthusiasts a rare opportunity to own a piece of horological history, reimagined for the modern wrist.

A dial brimming with character and vintage aesthetics

Read more
Zenith’s space-forged chronograph goes worldwide
Zenith's Space-Forged Chronograph Expands
CHRONOMASTER SPORT METEORITE

Zenith has expanded global availability for its Chronomaster Sport Meteorite, a timepiece featuring authentic space fragments integrated into the dial.
Previously exclusive to Japan, the 41mm chronograph now reaches international markets through Zenith boutiques and authorized retailers at $17,500. Each watch incorporates a dial crafted from genuine meteorite that traveled through space for millions of years before reaching Earth and Zenith's Le Locle facilities.
The meteorite dials showcase the Widmanstätten pattern, a geometric formation created when molten iron cools gradually in space's vacuum. Hand-finishing reveals these cosmic crystalline structures, ensuring each dial remains unique. Against this extraterrestrial backdrop, Zenith's signature tri-color chronograph counters in silver, light grey, and anthracite create visual contrast with circular azuré finishing.
The stainless steel case preserves the design language of Zenith's 1969 A386 chronograph while incorporating contemporary elements like a black ceramic bezel marked with 10-second graduations. Pump-style pushers and modern proportions blend heritage aesthetics with current styling, while 10 ATM water resistance ensures daily practicality.
The timepiece houses Zenith's El Primero 3600 movement, the latest iteration of the brand's high-frequency chronograph caliber that earned the 2021 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève "Chronograph" award. Operating at 5 Hz with a silicon escape wheel, the movement achieves 1/10th second precision with the chronograph hand completing full rotations every 10 seconds.
The caliber provides 60 hours of power reserve and displays refined decoration through the sapphire caseback, including a blue column wheel, horizontal clutch, and openworked rotor featuring the Zenith star emblem.
The package includes both an integrated steel bracelet and black rubber strap for wearing versatility.

Read more
Glashütte’s retro chronograph is a masterclass in German watchmaking
The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph: Where retro meets refined horology
The Glashuette Original 70s chronograph

Glashütte is going back to one of the most iconic eras in fashion with the release of its Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date, a timepiece that combines the singularly 1970s-inspired design with contemporary technical brilliance. Housed in a sleek 40mm x 40mm stainless steel case and showcasing a distinctive tonneau shape, this model is the epitome of understated sophistication, its satin-brushed and polished surfaces catching the light with refined precision. The gradient blue dial will remind of twilight skies, featuring a sunray finish that shifts in color depending on the angle, while the applied indices and faceted hands ensure excellent legibility. The in-house Calibre 37-02 automatic movement can be viewed through the sapphire caseback and showcases Glashütte Original’s signature three-quarter plate, blued screws, and hand-engraved balance cock – a testament to Saxon watchmaking at the highest level.

A Chronograph that balances form and function

Read more