Bulova and NASA have a considerable history of collaboration: the American watch company participated in 46 space flights, including Apollo 15. A few years ago, the company released the Lunar Pilot Chronograph - ultra-high-frequency 'moon watches' that relied on the brand's history and had an affordable price. Now we see the release of the limited edition Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar Pilot Limited Edition - a replica of the chronograph worn on the Moon, released in a limited edition of 5,000 pieces.
A very brief history lesson: The commander of the Apollo 15 mission (and the seventh person to walk on the Moon), Dave Scott, wore a Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface during the 1971 mission. Initially, Scott wore government-issued Omega Speedmaster watches during the Apollo 15 mission - until the glass broke, and then he put on his personal Bulova chronograph. Quite an authentic endorsement for Bulova, which certainly paid off for Scott when the watch sold for $1,625,000 at auction in 2015. Riding this wave of attention, Bulova released a 'reissue' of the Lunar Pilot (although they were actually new watches) in 2016, and slightly updated them a year later by removing the date window.
I've been a big fan of the Lunar Pilot model since its release and with good reason included it in my list of the top 10 affordable watches of 2018. Instead of the classic monochrome dial and steel case, the 50th-anniversary model of the Lunar Pilot is made in a Grade 5 titanium case with thoughtful gold-tone accents. There is also a unique gold-colored case back with an engraving of an astronaut and text dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Apollo 15. In many ways, this Lunar Pilot model reminds me of the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Speedmaster model, which also used gray and gold accents on the dial. For a tenth of the price, these Bulova watches are a pretty solid affordable alternative for NASA enthusiasts.
The numbers 262 kHz on the sub-second dial indicate the use of Bulova's patented high-performance (formerly known as UHF or Ultra-High Frequency) quartz movement. In addition to high accuracy up to 10 seconds per year, the Lunar Pilot chronograph hand moves smoothly both forward and when resetting. It is pleasant to operate and observe and does not leave the appetite like a mechanical movement.
The Lunar Pilot case is 45 mm wide, 13 mm thick, and has a lug-to-lug height of 49 mm. It is larger in size, but the relatively short lugs prevent it from living up to its impressive proportions. I would also note that the leather NATO strap slightly increases the thickness, which overall approaches 13.5 mm. As for the strap, it is really very pleasant and elastic, and the gray/gold accents echo the color of the case. The strap truly gives integrity to the whole model and helps emphasize that the 50th-anniversary series is something special.
Although scientists have discovered water molecules on the Moon, I don't think it's enough to become a problem, even with the 50 M water resistance of these watches. If you stay on Earth, I would advise against getting into the pool with the lunar pilot.
The Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar Pilot watches are released in a limited edition, but since 5,000 pieces were made, I don't think any interested parties will have much trouble acquiring the watch. Although they weren't sent to me with the review sample, the watches will come in special packaging, with a storybook and a NASA commemorative coin. The 50th Anniversary Lunar Pilot watches are available for pre-order (via this link here) and will ship in October priced at $995. That's about $300 more than the standard model, but keep in mind that the watch case is made of titanium (as opposed to steel). For more information, you can visit the bulova.com website.