Again in July, Bulova added some warmth to its assortment with the discharge of the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon.” This fiery tackle their iconic spacefaring chronograph comes with a daring purple dial impressed by the crimson glow of a complete lunar eclipse. And whereas it may not have the “first watch on the moon” crown (that belongs to Omega’s Speedmaster), the Bulova Lunar Pilot nonetheless claims a proud spot in area historical past. In 1971, throughout Apollo 15, Commander Dave Scott famously strapped on a Bulova Chronograph as he grew to become the seventh human to stroll on the lunar floor. In contrast to the Speedmaster’s racetrack origins, Scott’s Bulova was tailored for area exploration — notably for timing life-support-critical duties — and the Bulova Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” maintains that performance whereas including a shiny pop of shade.
On the wrist — and sadly I’m not in area — the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” is a stunning delight. Certain, at 43.5mm, it’s a bit chunky, however its considerate case design retains it comfy and well-balanced. It’s daring with out being overbearing, and whereas purple is usually a tough shade for a watch, Bulova nailed the execution right here. The principle dial contrasts sharply with the silvered subdials at 9, 3, and 6 o’clock, giving it a novel sporty vibe. The black palms on the subdials (versus the white palms on the dial) add one other layer of complexity. Think about if it had a black tachymeter, although—I believe it will actually floor the fiery purple tones and add much more versatility. One subject I did have is that the bracelet’s quick-release pins all the time discover a option to dig into my wrist. I’ve discovered this true for me throughout all bracelets with this quick-release fashion. Hopefully, extra manufacturers change to buttons or little tabs as a substitute of pins.
Spec-wise, it’s as exact as you’d count on from a Lunar Pilot and Bulova. Powered by Bulova’s NP20 Excessive Precision Quartz motion, it’s able to timing to 1/twentieth of a second—good for anybody who’s faster than light-speed (or simply desires their chronograph to be). Even higher, the motion’s accuracy is quoted at “seconds per 12 months.” Anecdotally, I can affirm that this has been my expertise with my very own Lunar Pilot and the expertise I’ve heard from others. The chronograph pushers are tremendous straightforward to make use of, seeing as they’re somewhat massive, and I’ve all the time beloved the contrasting end they’ve. Their sizing is ideal for whenever you’re sporting gloves and timing your life-support-critical duties (like cooking!).
Whether or not you’re into area historical past, distinctive colorways, or simply need a watch that breaks free from the black-dial norm, the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” is a stellar possibility that punches effectively above its weight—and wears effectively regardless of the chunk. The Bulova Lunar Pilot Blood Moon is priced at $895 USD. For extra info, please go to the Bulova web site.
