The Bulova Lunar Pilot finally lands with a more wearable 41mm case, answering years of community demand without losing its presence.
The “Black Hole” dial uses ultra-light-absorbing Musou black paint for a finish that’s about as close to total darkness as it gets.
A high-precision 1/20th second quartz chronograph movement keeps everything razor-sharp, echoing the Lunar Pilot’s original purpose as a mission-critical tool.
Apparently, there’s only one moonwatch, or at least, that’s how the story usually goes. While another watch has long held the spotlight as NASA’s official issue for the early days of mankind’s journey to the Moon, it wasn’t the only chronograph to reach the lunar surface. That lesser-told, less commercialised story belongs to Bulova, and for years, it’s arguably become one of the watch world’s best-kept secrets. Now, with the release of the Lunar Pilot “Black Hole”, Bulova is sharpening that history, bringing a new 41mm case that answers the loudest enthusiasts’ demand, but importantly, reframes the narrative around what might be the most compelling alternative moon watch out there.
The welcome redesign of the stainless steel case comes in at 41mm in diameter, with a wearable 48mm lug-to-lug measurement, meaning it now conforms to the wrist even better, and offers a more regular feel to the watch, rather than an out-and-out rugged tool. Being called the “Black Hole”, this is balanced by a black PVD coating, plated over a fine satin sandblasted finish, meaning it’s not only tactile to touch, but also has heightened scratch-resistant properties. Overall, the case design is still unmistakably a Lunar pilot, with its overly curved surfaces and curved, elongated chronograph pushers still present.
The case is finished with a screw-down caseback that not only provides 100 metres of water resistance but also features a unique glass insert, not to show off a fancy movement inside, but to depict a matte black-and-grey lunar landscape and Apollo 15 mission details.
There are black dials, and there are really black dials, and the Lunar Pilot’s black dial is blacker than most. The familiar dial is coated with Musou black paint, which absorbs about 99.4% of ambient light, lending even more meaning to the “Black Hole” moniker. Incredibly, Bulova have still managed to make it legible by using a contrasting black for the subdials and a grey colour for the applied hour markers and hands, which are filled with grey Super-LumiNova that glows blue, protected by a flat sapphire crystal with a 5-layer anti-reflective coating.
The watch is powered by the Bulova NP20 High Precision Quartz (HPQ) chronograph movement. Being ultra-high-frequency, it runs at 262kHz and is capable of measuring time to within 1/20 of a second. Bulova offers little technical information about the movement itself, but it’s believed to be closely related to the calibre 8136 and to have been made in conjunction with Citizen and Miyota. Nevertheless, its reliability and accuracy are excellent, and if it’s more than up to the job of being on astronauts’ wrists, then it’s absolutely fine for everyday use here on Earth.
Finally, the watch is finished with a stainless steel, black PVD-coated bracelet, closed by a butterfly clasp operated by a button on each side. This limited edition of 6,000 pieces comes in a speciality “Black Hole” box, including a travel pouch and a travel clock inspired by the Lunar capsule instrument used in the Apollo 15 trip to the Moon.
Bulova Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” pricing and availability
The Bulova Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” is limited to 6,000 pieces and is now available from Bulova’s online boutique and its retailer network. Price: US$1,650
Brand
Bulova
Model
Lunar Pilot “Black Hole”
Case Dimensions
41mm (D) x 48mm (LTL)
Case Material
Stainless steel, black PVD coating
Water Resistance
100 metres
Crystal(s)
Sapphire front and back
Dial
Musou black, grey accents
Bracelet
Stainless steel 3-link bracelet, butterfly clasp, black PVD coating
Movement
Bulova NP20 High Precision Quartz
Power Reserve
N/A
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, 1/20th second measurement
Availability
Limited to 6,000 pieces
Price
US$1,650