Bulova Lunar Pilot: The Moon-Watch Story and Every Model Sold in Canada

Only a handful of watches have actually been worn on the surface of the Moon, and one of them was a Bulova. That single fact is why the Lunar Pilot has become Bulova’s most talked-about watch — and why it is the Bulova that watch enthusiasts ask us about most often. This guide covers the history, what the modern Lunar Pilot does differently from an ordinary quartz chronograph, and how the versions we carry at Golden Gate Jewellery compare.

The story: Apollo 15, August 1971

During the Apollo 15 mission, commander David Scott’s NASA-issued chronograph lost its crystal on the lunar surface. For his final moonwalk he strapped on a Bulova chronograph prototype he had brought along — making it the only privately owned watch known to have been worn on the Moon. Decades later that watch sold at auction for more than US$1.6 million, and in 2016 Bulova released the Lunar Pilot as a faithful tribute to it: the same bold case, the same high-contrast dial, the same tachymeter bezel.

What makes the modern Lunar Pilot different

Rather than a mechanical movement, Bulova equipped the Lunar Pilot with its high-performance quartz chronograph. Where an ordinary quartz watch oscillates at 32,768 Hz, Bulova’s movement runs at 262 kHz — eight times faster — which is why the chronograph seconds hand sweeps smoothly instead of ticking, and why the watch is far more accurate than a standard quartz. Every Lunar Pilot has a tachymeter scale for measuring speed over a known distance, a sapphire crystal, and a stainless steel case.

The 45 mm original (96B251)

Reference 96B251 is the version closest to the 1971 watch: a 45 mm stainless steel case, black dial, sapphire crystal, 50 m water resistance and a black leather strap. It is a big watch — the original was built to be read through a space-suit visor — and on the wrist that size is exactly the point. If you want the Lunar Pilot as a piece of history, this is the one.

The 43.5 mm Lunar Pilot Chronograph (96K111, 96K115, 98K112)

For everyday wear Bulova later introduced a 43.5 mm case, which keeps the same dial layout, tachymeter and 262 kHz chronograph but sits noticeably better on an average wrist. The versions we carry:

• 96K111 — black dial on a stainless steel bracelet with a push-button deployment clasp; the all-rounder
• 98K112 — silver dial on steel, a brighter, dressier take
• 96K115 — red dial with a bracelet-and-strap combination

All three use an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and are rated to 50 m. Between the 45 mm and 43.5 mm, choose by wrist: the 45 mm suits wrists around 18 cm and up, the 43.5 mm works comfortably from about 16.5 cm. Our watch size guide explains how to measure.

Special editions: Black Hole and Budii x Thiago

Two limited designs sit at the top of the range. The Lunar Pilot Black Hole (98A335) is a compact 41.2 mm steel chronograph with a black dial, sapphire crystal and 100 m water resistance — the highest in the line — on a steel bracelet. The Lunar Pilot Budii x Thiago (98A329) is a 43.5 mm collaboration edition with a blue dial, anti-reflective sapphire and a steel bracelet. Both are priced above the core models and tend to be available in smaller numbers, so if one appeals to you it is worth asking us about availability early.

Which Lunar Pilot should you buy?

• Closest to the Moon watch: 96B251, 45 mm on leather
• Daily wear on a bracelet: 96K111, 43.5 mm, black dial
• Something lighter and dressier: 98K112, silver dial
• A collector’s piece: the Black Hole or Budii x Thiago editions

Because the Lunar Pilot is quartz, it needs no winding and keeps time for years between battery changes — and when a battery is due, our in-house watchmakers at 1700 Wilson Ave can handle it. Read more about quartz versus mechanical in our guide to automatic vs quartz watches.

Buying a Lunar Pilot in Canada

Golden Gate Jewellery is an authorized Canadian Bulova dealer in North York, Ontario. Every Lunar Pilot we sell is genuine, ships with its original box and papers, and carries Bulova’s 3-year warranty. Canadian orders over $100 ship free, and we ship worldwide.