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Marine Star vs PRX Chronograph Wristwatches: Which Stainless Steel Watch Fits?

Four stainless steel chronograph wristwatches range from a low-priced Bulova Marine Star quartz model to a much higher Tissot PRX automatic chronograph with a green dial.

Last updated Jul 13

Choosing among wristwatches gets tricky when several models share the same broad look: stainless steel case, silver-tone bracelet, chronograph styling, and a sport-forward dial. The real decision is less about whether you want a metal chronograph and more about which dial color, movement type, case size, and price level make sense for how you plan to wear it.

Quick take

  • Best lowest listed price: Men's Bulova Marine Star Blue Dial Chronograph 96B256 Quartz New Watch 43mm keeps the cost at the bottom of this group while still giving you a blue dial, chronograph layout, stainless steel case, and 43mm sizing.
  • Best green-dial Bulova choice: Bulova Classic Marine Star Green Dial Chronograph Men's Quartz Watch 96B396 is close to the lowest price while adding a green dial and a bracelet-style stainless steel band.
  • Best larger Bulova Marine Star: Bulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black Dial Stainless Steel Men's Quartz Watch moves to a 45mm case, black dial, and a 200-meter water-resistance description.
  • Best automatic chronograph pick: New Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green Dial Men's Watch T1374271109100 is the only automatic watch here, with an integrated stainless steel bracelet and exhibition caseback.

Listed price comparison

The spread is wide: the lowest listed wristwatch is USD 156.00, while the highest is USD 1,700.00. That makes the lowest option 91% below the highest, so your movement preference and design priorities matter as much as dial color.

ProductListed pricePrice bar
Men's Bulova Marine Star Blue Dial Chronograph 96B256 Quartz New Watch 43mmUSD 156.00
Bulova Classic Marine Star Green Dial Chronograph Men's Quartz Watch 96B396USD 159.74
Bulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black Dial Stainless Steel Men's Quartz WatchUSD 207.02
New Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green Dial Men's Watch T1374271109100USD 1,700.00

Decision matrix

If you care most about...Start withWhy it stands out
Lowest listed costMen's Bulova Marine Star Blue Dial Chronograph 96B256It is the lowest-priced watch in the comparison and includes a quartz chronograph layout.
A green dial without jumping to the top priceBulova Classic Marine Star Green Dial Chronograph 96B396It pairs a green dial with a silver stainless steel bracelet and quartz movement.
The largest case among these watchesBulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black DialIts description lists a 45mm case, compared with 43mm Bulova options and the 42mm Tissot.
Automatic chronograph movementNew Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green DialIt is described with a Swiss automatic Valjoux A05.H31 chronograph movement and power reserve up to 68 hours.
Black dial stylingBulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black DialIt is the only black-dial model in this group.
Exhibition casebackNew Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green DialIt lists an exhibition sapphire caseback, while the Bulova models list screwback or solid caseback styles.

Concise product notes

Men's Bulova Marine Star Blue Dial Chronograph 96B256 Quartz New Watch 43mm

This is the straightforward pick if you want the least expensive watch in the set at USD 156.00. The title gives you the key identity quickly: Bulova Marine Star, blue dial, chronograph, quartz movement, and 43mm sizing. Its stainless steel case and silver-tone band keep the look aligned with the other metal bracelet watches here, and the description adds a screw-down crown, mineral crystal, and 100-meter water resistance. The main limitation is that its band is listed as a bangle rather than a bracelet in the shared attributes, so shoppers comparing classic bracelet wording may prefer another Marine Star.

Bulova Classic Marine Star Green Dial Chronograph Men's Quartz Watch 96B396

Choose this Bulova if the green dial is the deciding feature but you still want to stay near the bottom of the price range at USD 159.74. It has a silver stainless steel bracelet, 22mm band width, screwback caseback, and 43mm case width, so it sits close to the blue 96B256 in size and general format. The description also calls out a six-hand chronograph, flat mineral crystal, pull-out crown, and internal rotating 60-minute timing case ring. A practical limitation: it remains a quartz model, so anyone specifically looking for an automatic chronograph should move to the Tissot PRX.

Bulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black Dial Stainless Steel Men's Quartz Watch

The 96B272 is the Bulova to look at if you want a black dial and the largest case in this group. At USD 207.02, it costs more than the two lower-priced Bulova Marine Star models, but the description adds a 45mm case, domed mineral crystal, 6S20 quartz movement, calendar feature, small second hand, and 1/20 second chronograph that measures up to 60 minutes. It also lists 200-meter water resistance, unlike the 100-meter descriptions on the other two Bulova options. The tradeoff is size: a 45mm case may feel more prominent than the 42mm Tissot or the 43mm Bulova watches.

New Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green Dial Men's Watch T1374271109100

The Tissot PRX is the outlier for shoppers who want an automatic chronograph rather than a battery-powered quartz watch. Its description names a Swiss automatic Valjoux A05.H31 chronograph movement, patented Nivachron balance spring, power reserve up to 68 hours, 42mm case size, gradient green waffle dial, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, and exhibition sapphire caseback. The integrated stainless steel bracelet also gives it a different silhouette from the Marine Star models. The limitation is obvious in the comparison: at USD 1,700.00, it is the highest-priced watch here by a large margin.

How to choose between these wristwatches

If you are choosing mainly by dial color, the split is simple. The Men's Bulova Marine Star Blue Dial Chronograph 96B256 is the blue option, the Bulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black Dial is the black option, and both the Bulova Classic Marine Star 96B396 and Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph T1374271109100 bring green dials to the table. The green-dial decision then becomes movement and price: the Bulova is quartz and sits near the low end, while the Tissot is automatic and sits at the high end.

If you are choosing by case size, the Tissot PRX is listed at 42mm, the blue and green Bulova Marine Star watches are listed around 43mm, and the black Bulova 96B272 reaches 45mm. That makes the 96B272 the better fit for shoppers who intentionally want the largest stated case, while the Tissot is the smallest stated case among the four.

Movement is the clearest dividing line. The three Bulova Marine Star watches are quartz chronographs, which keeps their prices clustered far below the Tissot. The PRX is the only automatic chronograph in the set, and its description also adds the exhibition caseback and longer power-reserve language. If that mechanical appeal is central to the purchase, the Tissot is the direct match. If not, the Bulova models provide similar stainless steel chronograph styling at much lower listed prices.

Final recommendation

For most shoppers comparing these specific wristwatches, start with the Men's Bulova Marine Star Blue Dial Chronograph 96B256 Quartz New Watch 43mm because it is the lowest listed price at USD 156.00 and still includes the core Marine Star chronograph look. Pick the Bulova Classic Marine Star Green Dial Chronograph 96B396 if you prefer green over blue while staying close to that low price. Step up to the Bulova Marine Star 96B272 Series C Black Dial if the 45mm case, black dial, and 200-meter water-resistance description matter more than staying at the absolute lowest price. Choose the New Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph Green Dial Men's Watch T1374271109100 only if the automatic Valjoux chronograph movement, integrated PRX style, sapphire crystal, and exhibition caseback justify the much higher USD 1,700.00 listing for you.

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