In the world of horology, the late 1960s and early 1970s were a strange time. To be sure, the 60s was a decade of horological milestones, such as the production of the first  (an honor hotly disputed by and ). The 70s also saw the introduction of some and designs, with brands seeming to vie against each other to see who could incorporate as many colors in their dials as possible.

Enter the Bulova C Chronograph. Produced sometime in the early 1970s, the C Chronograph's bright, unusual dial soon garnered it the nickname "Stars and Stripes," which has confounded collectors ever since. While most likely not released in 1976 for the Bicentennial Celebration of the United States, as is commonly held by collectors on many forums, the vibrant red, white, and blue dial certainly resembles the stars and stripes of Old Glory. 

And the "Stars and Stripes" is big--even for today's standards. At 43mm, the case is perfectly round, making it sit easy on the wrist, much like Seiko's "Tuna" divers. Much like dive watches, Bulova did design the case of the C Chronograph for maximum water resistance, making it a front-loader. 

Powered by a reputable Valjoux 7736 drivetrain, this Bulova has the brawn to back up the looks. While ours has orange hands and the markers are a creamy yellow, it's still a fun, quirky alternative to the run-of-the-mill vintage chronographs you see on the market today. And when you consider that demand for these watches have picked up momentum in recent years, this makes it almost a patriotic duty not to let it pass you by!