
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Bulova Ladies Diver "O" (Ref. 7042), 1971
- Maker / attribution
- Bulova (maker)
- Date
- 1971
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- United States
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 25 mm
- Stock no.
- BLVLDYO
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (BLVLDYO)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1971 Bulova Ladies Diver "O" (Ref. 7042) (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number BLVLDYO), this is a wristwatch by Bulova, made in United States, dated 1971. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 25 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Craft & Tailored
Founded in New York by Czech immigrant, Joseph Bulova, in 1875, Bulova began as a jewelry and clock repair store before moving into the manufacturing of watch components and jeweled movements in the early 1900s. Over time, the brand would come to be known for its unique and funky watches that were made from the '60s into the '80s, ranging from eccentric electric watches like the famous Accutron to iconic diving watches like the "Devil Diver," nicknamed in reference to their ominous depth ratings of 666 ft. This particular Devil Diver is one of the coolest women's watches we have right now. At 25mm, it's petite with various pops of color at first glance but offers a distinctly commanding presence once you take a closer look. This is a choice everyday watch that will pair beautifully with outfits ranging from weekend casual to formal business meetings, and one that will be especially popular among collectors and enthusiasts alike. SPECS Stock # BLVLDYO Brand Bulova Style Ladies Diver "O" Model 7042 Serial N1 Size Women's Material Stainless Steel Dial Blue Millimeters 26 Strap 2pc Rubber Tropic Strap CASE & BRACELET The gorgeous stainless steel tonneau-style case retains crisp edges with no notable evidence of being previously polished present. The case retains its original "Bulova" signed twin crowns at 2 and 4 o'clock. The caseback displays all of its original factory engravings. The watch comes on a two-piece tropic strap. DIAL & HANDS The metallic navy blue dial is in exceptional condition showing only light signs of aging. The inner rotating bezel is fantastic, offering pops of red and white with a triangular lume pip that has aged to a nice cream color. The lume plots at each hour marker have aged to match the inner bezel perfectly. The hands are in fantastic condition with inlaid lume that is a few shades lighter than the dial. The date wheel at 12 o'clock features red numerals to match the inner bezel. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time and functioning perfectly, previous service history is unknown.
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Dive and water-resistant watches
Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.
Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.
What to look for
- Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
- Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
- Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
- Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.
Dating clues
- Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
- Professional dive watches: from 1953.
- Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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