SJX Watches
Bulova Dress Up the Lunar Pilot with a Meteorite Dial
Something of an alternative “Moon” watch, the Bulova Lunar Pilot was unveiled eight years ago as a remake of the watch worn by American astronaut David Scott. It retains all the distinctive features of the original but made affordable thanks to a quartz movement. But now it’s a become a bit more luxe with a meteorite dial inside a scaled-down case. Initial thoughts As a space-watch aficionado, I find the Lunar Pilot more interesting than its more famous counterparts because of the unique yet contemporary design, particularly the modern typography on the chronograph registers. After its debut, the Lunar Pilot was made more wearable with a smaller case size of 43.5 mm in diameter. Not much has happened since then, either in terms of dial variety or other innovation, limiting its appeal beyond a niche audience. Therefore, the meteorite dial version is a welcome development, particularly since the material is still uncommon in this price segment. The meteorite edition, however, is pricey for the Lunar Pilot. It costs at US$1,495, a US$600 increase over the model with the standard dial. This price hike is arguably warranted since such dials are typically, but not always, found on more expensive timepieces. Despite being a limited edition, it is a run of 5,000 pieces, which isn’t exactly “limited”; a smaller edition size would have made it more compelling. A space rock dial David Scott’s own Bulova Chronograph ref. 88510/01 worn during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971...
