“Fly Me to the Moon”. “Young at Heart”. “My Way”. “The Best is Yet to Come”. What do all these songs have in common? They all belong to the “Chairman of the Board”, “Ol’ Blue Eyes”. “The Voice” himself – Frank Sinatra.
Frank Sinatra
An actor and singer who recorded close to 1400 songs in his lifetime, Frank Sinatra is regarded as one of the greatest singers and performers of our time. The first songs I ever heard growing up were either “Witchcraft” or “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and I was immediately encapsulated by his unique voice. By the time I reached college I visited our local record store and purchased Seduction: Sinatra Sings of Love which was composed of 32 songs across two CDs and led me further down the romantic rabbit hole that is Frank Sinatra. Upon graduating I had collected several CDs and vinyls of the legend himself – including an original vinyl of Songs For Swingin’ Lovers from 1956 which I am very proud to own. But I knew I wanted something to truly top off my Sinatra collection but I didn’t know what.
The Best Is Yet To Come
Then in the fall of 2021, at the height of my new found love for watch collecting, I wandered to the Bulova website to be amazingly surprised that they released an exclusive Sinatra Collection back in 2020 – 10 watches inspired by 10 songs. Ranging in various styles, shapes, and colors but also staying true to the style of the 50s and 60s watches that even Frank himself wore, it was truly something marvelous to behold. But as my mind raced and my wallet itched to be opened I thought, ‘But which one do I buy?!’. And the more I looked and the more I over-thought about the purchase of yet another watch and realizing the upcoming emptying of bank account for the holiday season, I decided it wasn’t my time.
And so life went on, time continued to pass, and Christmas Eve came and was spent with love and laughter. My parents and I gathered around the Christmas tree and exchanged gifts until I was last and there was one gift left to be opened – a large square box wrapped in red and green paper. I opened the box like a dog digging through trash and was met with a gorgeous imitation wood grained vinyl box with an iconic image of Frank Sinatra laid across the top. Along the four corners of the box was written in silver foil some of Sinatra’s most famous songs and the names in the collection: “My Way”, “Young at Heart”, “The Best is Yet to Come”, and “Fly Me to the Moon”.
Removing the lid of the box I was presented with a gray velvet lining the interior followed by the outer edges of a vinyl record located in the center. And then, there it was – The Bulova “My Way” watch from the Sinatra collection.
The Watch
Featuring a 1L45 Miyota quartz movement housed in a stainless steel case, it is one of the lightest watches I have ever worn, and compared with a razor thin leather band I can barely feel it on my wrist. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that as comfortable as the band is, it comes with a butterfly clasp which I am not a big fan of. My Bulova Wilton came stock with the same clasp and I quickly switched it for a buckle from Barton Watch Bands but I’m reluctant to alter the classic beauty of this Sinatra watch.
With a case size of 29.5mm and 20mm width at the lugs, it is easily one of the smallest watches in my collection but easily the simplest yet most elegant. Inside its rectangular silver case, the black dial is complemented with gold hands and markers, a separate second hand sub sweep, and Sinatra’s signature displayed under the Bulova name. But these next small touches are where this watch really shines, starting with the Sinatra fedora etched into the gold crown. Turning the watch over to the case back, we see that same unmistakable fedora along with Sinatra Collection and “My Way” all etched in beautifully. Lastly, on the inside of the band is stamped “My Way” which has to be one of my favorite parts of the watch – I just love the font and styling and the little attention to detail. They really didn’t need to stamp that into the band but they did and it is wonderful.
One thing to note is that this “My Way” is also available in a different color scheme – a white dial, same gold hands and markers, a gold case, and a black strap for a little more money.
Price Point
Speaking of price, how much does this newly vintage homage to Frank Sinatra really cost? If you purchase the watch directly from Bulova’s website it’ll cost you $495 (USD) but I tend to purchase from some local retailers. One of which being Macy’s who constantly has discounts, currently 15% off with code SUMMER and bringing “My Way” down to $420.75 and the white dial version for $446.25 (normally $525). As for the other watches in the Sinatra collection you can expect the low end to be “My Way” at $495 and the high end being $1350 for “The Best is Yet to Come” and being quite honest, I’m itching to buy the whole collection – don’t tell my mom.
The Verdict
The attention to detail, the simplicity and sleekness of the “My Way” is truly something to behold in person and will pull your formal or business casual look together. And if you’re like me who at this point into watch collecting doesn’t have a rectangular watch in your repertoire and you’re a fan of Frank Sinatra – look no further than “My Way”.
Or if the rectangular look isn’t for you, there are many other options in the collection to pay homage to “The Chairman of the Board” – regardless of what model you choose, you can’t go wrong with the Sinatra Collection from Bulova.
-CJ
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