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The Bulova Sutton 96B338 is a 40 mm quartz dress watch with a stainless steel case and bracelet, a dark blue dial and a date window at six o’clock. Its selling point is how thin it is. Amazon and Bulova’s own product data both list the case at 7.28 mm, so call it about 7 mm. That is thin enough to sit under a shirt cuff, and it is the main reason I would pick this watch.
At the time of writing (19 October 2026), the Stainless/Blue Dial 96B338 was $204.95 on Amazon, shipped and sold by Amazon.com, with a note that it usually ships within 3 days. The listing has another colorway, Two Tone Gold, and it shares the same page, so make sure Stainless/Blue Dial is selected before you check out.
See the Bulova Sutton 96B338 on Amazon
The Specs That Matter
- The case is 40 mm stainless steel, about 7 mm thick (7.28 mm on the listing).
- The lugs are 20 mm wide.
- The crystal is domed mineral crystal, which Bulova describes as impact and shatter resistant. It is not sapphire.
- The movement is quartz. Bulova lists it as the 9U13, with three hands and a date.
- Water resistance is 30 m. Bulova’s own page labels it splash resistant.
- The dial is blue with silver accents and a date window at six o’clock.
- It comes on a stainless steel bracelet with a deployant clasp that opens with push buttons.
- Amazon lists a 3-year limited warranty.
Why The Thin Case Is The Point
A dress watch should disappear under a sleeve until you want to check the time, and it should not snag a jacket cuff every time you reach for something. At about 7 mm, the Sutton is thinner than the other dress watches I compare it with below.
For comparison, the Orient Bambino Version 2 lists at roughly 11.8 mm thick, the Citizen Addysen BM7251-53L at about 10 mm, and the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 at about 10.93 mm. A few millimetres sounds small on paper, but under a buttoned cuff you notice it.
Amazon’s AI-generated summary of reviews says customers find the watch classy looking, “with one customer specifically appreciating its slim design.” Brian, who reviewed the Two Tone Gold version of this listing in February 2025, wrote about the same case in a different colorway. “Feels weightless on my wrist and I love the slim design. Does not get caught on my sleeves or jacket.”
The Dial Is Darker Than The Photos
The blue dial is the personality of this watch, and it is also the thing most likely to surprise you. In the official product photos the blue is bright, with a light radial sheen and thin silver stick markers. In real life it can look much darker.
Darren, who reviewed the Stainless/Blue Dial version in December 2025, put it plainly. “It’s an absolutely beautiful watch, do not get me wrong.” He continued, “This watch in the picture provided does look blue WITH THE CORRECT LIGHT. But it’s almost too dark and can be seen as black for sure.”
I like that on a dress watch. A very dark navy reads as black at a dinner table and as blue in daylight, so it goes with charcoal, navy and grey suits. If you want a bright blue, take Darren’s review seriously. Amazon’s style table also labels the face “guilloche.” I could not see an engraved guilloche pattern in the official photos, which show what looks like a smooth sunray finish, so I am treating that label with caution.
On lume, Bulova’s US product page does not list luminous hands, and one Amazon reviewer in Mexico who bought the Two Tone Gold version wrote that they would have liked it to be luminescent. Plan on reading this watch under a light.
What You Are Paying For
For roughly two hundred dollars, the Sutton gives you a quartz movement, a mineral crystal and 30 m of water resistance. None of those are premium specs. What you are paying for is the Bulova name on the dial, a thin and well proportioned case, a finished steel bracelet and a 3-year warranty.
Amazon’s review summary reflects that. Quality and appearance are the strong themes, and the summary says value for money gets mixed feedback, with some customers finding it awesome and others dissatisfied. I understand both sides. If you judge a watch by its spec sheet, other watches give you more for similar money. If you judge it by how it looks and wears with a shirt, the Sutton makes a good case for itself.
Bulova lists the 9U13 as a battery-powered quartz movement, so there is no winding. That suits a dress watch that only comes out for weddings, interviews and the office. I have not timed one, so I am not quoting an accuracy figure.
Water, Crystal And Daily Wear
On a watch, 30 m means splashes. Washing your hands and getting caught in the rain are fine. Skip swimming and showering. Bulova’s own page describes it as splash resistant, and I would treat it that way.
The domed mineral crystal catches light nicely, but mineral glass scratches more easily than sapphire. If you bump your watch on desks and doorframes every day, keep that in mind. The Citizen Addysen has sapphire, which is the main spec reason to spend more on it.
Bracelet Sizing
The bracelet will almost certainly need links removed. Bianca, who reviewed the Two Tone Gold version in January 2026, wrote that it “Ran a little large but my son went and had some links removed.” A jeweler can size it quickly, or you can do it with a link tool at home. With 20 mm lugs, a leather strap is an easy swap if you prefer a softer dress look, and my guide to spring bar tools covers how to change one.
How It Compares With Other Dress Watches I Have Covered
The Orient Bambino Version 2 is the watch most people will compare this with. It is an automatic with a cream dial on brown leather. It also uses mineral glass and has 30 m of water resistance, and it is noticeably thicker at about 11.8 mm. Buy the Bambino if you want a mechanical watch. Buy the Sutton if you want something thinner on a bracelet.
The Citizen Addysen BM7251-53L is the stronger watch on paper. It has an Eco-Drive light-powered movement, a sapphire crystal, 100 m of water resistance and a five-year limited warranty, and it cost more than the Sutton when I reviewed it. It is also about 41 mm and about 10 mm thick. If specs matter most, buy the Citizen. If thinness matters most, the Sutton wins.
For more automatic options, my Seiko Presage Cocktail Time and Orient Bambino dress watch roundup covers five of them. The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 is the sportier steel option. And if you like Bulova but want a chronograph, my Bulova Lunar Pilot 96A225 review covers a sapphire quartz chronograph from the same brand.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Sutton if you want a first proper dress watch that is thin enough for a shirt cuff, if you like a dark blue dial that reads almost black indoors, if you prefer a steel bracelet to leather, or if you want a quartz watch you can leave in a drawer for a month and pick up still running.
Skip it if you want a mechanical movement, a sapphire crystal, a watch you can swim with, a bright blue dial or hands that glow in the dark.
FAQ
Is the Bulova Sutton 96B338 automatic?
No. The 96B338 is quartz. Bulova lists the movement as the 9U13. Some other watches in the Sutton family are automatics with open-heart dials, so check the model number before you buy.
How thick is it?
The listing and Bulova’s product data give 7.28 mm, so about 7 mm. The case is 40 mm wide with 20 mm lugs.
Is the crystal sapphire?
No. It is a domed mineral crystal.
Can I swim with it?
No. It is rated to 30 m, which Bulova describes as splash resistant. Hand washing and rain are fine. Skip swimming and showering.
Bottom Line
The Bulova Sutton 96B338 is a thin, well proportioned 40 mm dress watch with a dark blue dial and a steel bracelet. At $204.95 when I checked, it gives you quartz, mineral crystal and 30 m of water resistance, so you are paying for the name, the finishing and the slim case more than the specs. If you want a watch that disappears under a cuff and looks right with a suit, it does that job well. If you want sapphire or a mechanical movement, the Citizen Addysen and the Orient Bambino are the better fits.
Check the current price of the Bulova Sutton 96B338
Affiliate disclosure: Best Watch Picks is reader-supported. If you buy through the links on this page, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability were accurate at the time of writing and may change. Specs follow the Amazon listing and Bulova’s product page; buyer quotes are from Amazon reviews and labelled by colorway.
