Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph: The Other Moon Watch

The famous Bulova "Moon Watch" is well known in horological circles because of it's fascinating history as well as its rarity and value. It was created for the Apollo 15 mission to space and worn by its owner Astronaut David Scott. Not much more was heard about the watch until it reappeared at auction and sold for an astronomical $1,300,000. Most valuable pieces have their backstories and this is one of the verifiable entries that place the piece in a position of significant historical value.

The "Other" Moon Watch: Enter Bulova 2017 edition Lunar Pilot Chronograph

The reappearance of the Scott Moon watch inspired Bulova to make a reissue of the watch in 2015. This gives the new edition an interesting inspiration, as it became a hit with enthusiasts. The latest edition was recently released and features a new take on the historical timepiece in the 2017 edition Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph watch.

Case

The generous sized 45mm side x 13.5 mm thick case is coated stainless steel, with a 52mm measurement from lug to lug with a 20mm lug width. The Black coloring of the case does the trick for minimizing the visual appearance when worn on the wrist. The overall appearance is geometric in form featuring lugs with curving lines and a tall bezel. The back of the case features the engraving that is a commemoration of the Apollo 15 mission. The case is waterproof up to 50 meters.

Lens

The dial is safely protected within the flat sapphire crystal, which is elevated for a classy display, adding height to this example and creating a vintage aesthetic.

Movement

The 2017 edition Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph is powered by the high performance quartz, 262kHz caliber. The pushers are high polish for a nice contrast to the matte black case, elongated as the original for a deeper connection to the piece. The push/pull style of crown is implemented in this edition.

Dial

The tall tachymeter ring rises above the dial for an interesting and eye catching effect that dispels any blandness of design. Concentric grooves accentuate the ring. Amazing symmetry has been achieved in the dial with a bit of complex and thoughtfulness of the part of the design team. At the center of the dial you find the primary section. the indices are rectangular , applied positioned at each hour. The branding is minimal and three sub dials are located on the plane in the same patters representing the 1/10th second counter, with the running seconds at the six position and the next measuring elapsed time of up to sixty minutes at the nine position. The previously inserted date window at 4:30 is not present and the brand logo has reverted to the less complicated version used in the original edition of the watch. The dial appears white during daylight hours and turns to a light blue glow when it's dark.

Strap

The strap is a leather mil that features a second leather strip addition which loops behind the case, featuring a edge painting and black closure hardware that matches the black finish of the watch case.

Price

Unlike the historical model that went at auction for $1.3 million, the 2017 Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph has a retail price of $599, When you consider the quality of the materials and the enhanced quartz movement, it's not a bad deal for the commemorative piece that marks an important era in the history of the country.

Final thoughts

The 2017 Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph is the latest wave to a bygone era in our history that was in many ways, a turning point that would lead us into an age of discovery and forward progression. While remaining true to the original intention of the watch, a few useful additions were made to meld the true spirit of an age of advancement and technological innovation, with the vintage aspects of the traditions of a previous era. The Bulova watchmaker has taken quartz movement one step higher in their latest high end luxury piece that points one finger in the direction of the past, and perhaps, the remaining four in the direction of the future. The price may seem a little steep for a quartz movement, but when you take into account the historical significance, overall quality of the watch, and collectible potential, it's not such a bad deal after all.