The late 1980s Bulova Benetton 'United Colors' collaboration represents a fascinating intersection of high-fashion marketing and traditional Swiss-made horology. During an era where Benetton was dominating the global cultural zeitgeist with its provocative advertising and vibrant color palettes, Bulova was commissioned to produce a series of timepieces that captured this energy while maintaining professional manufacturing standards. This specific model is a standout within the collection, featuring a sophisticated day-date complication and a distinctive 'World Time' aesthetic. Unlike the more common plastic 'pop' watches of the era, this Bulova-engineered piece utilized a Swiss quartz movement and a more substantial case construction. It exists as a time capsule of 1980s postmodern design, characterized by the use of primary color blocks—red, green, and blue—set against a stark black dial. For collectors, this watch is prized not just for its brand name, but as a definitive artifact of 1980s design language. It appeals to those who value the 'neo-vintage' movement and the unique history of cross-industry collaborations that defined the pre-luxury-conglomerate era of the watch industry.

At its core, this timepiece is powered by a high-grade Swiss quartz movement, ensuring the reliability and precision required for a multi-function calendar watch. The dial architecture is complex for its genre, featuring two sub-dials: one at the 10 o'clock position indicating the day of the week (notably in Italian, reflecting the brand's heritage) and another at the 4 o'clock position for the date. The center of the dial is dominated by the iconic Benetton 'United Colors' rectangles, providing a sharp geometric contrast to the circular sub-dials. The case is constructed from stainless steel, typically finished in a matte black PVD or chrome plating to enhance the 'sport-fashion' aesthetic. The crystal is a hardened mineral glass, sitting flush with a fixed bezel that features a detailed minute track. One of the most defining technical features of this specific reference is the integrated 'Bund' style leather strap. This wide, cuff-like leather base was originally designed for pilots to prevent the watch case from touching the skin in extreme temperatures, but here it serves a purely stylistic purpose, giving the watch a significant wrist presence and a rugged, adventurous character that was highly fashionable in the late 80s.

The late 1980s was a period of transition for Bulova as they navigated the post-Quartz Crisis landscape by leaning into lifestyle and fashion partnerships. The collaboration with Benetton, an Italian global fashion brand, was a masterstroke of market positioning. Benetton was at its peak of influence, known for its 'United Colors' campaign which championed diversity and globalism—themes reflected in the multi-language day wheels and the 'Swiss Made' designation on the dial. This model was part of a broader collection that included simpler three-handers and more colorful plastic variants, but the metal-cased day-date versions were positioned as the premium tier of the lineup. It represents the era's move toward 'watch-as-accessory,' yet because it was manufactured by Bulova in Switzerland, it avoided the 'disposable' stigma of many fashion watches. Historically, it sits alongside other famous 80s collaborations like the early TAG Heuer Formula 1 or the first Seiko Giugiaro designs, where functional tool-watch aesthetics were reinterpreted through a lens of high-contrast, graphic pop art.