Bulova Lunar Pilot Review: The Other Moonwatch
The Bulova Lunar Pilot is the only watch you can buy whose direct ancestor was worn on the Moon by the pilot who personally owned it. On August 2, 1971, Apollo 15 commander David Scott wore his own Bulova chronograph prototype on the lunar surface after the crystal popped off his NASA-issued Omega. The modern reissue turns that piece of history into one of the strongest heritage plays in pilot watches.
Pilot Mall stocks the Bulova Lunar Pilot 98K112, the 43.5 mm reference reviewed here. You can browse it alongside the rest of our pilot watches collection.
The 30-Second Verdict
Buy the Bulova Lunar Pilot if you want genuine moonwatch heritage with modern hardware. The 98K112 pairs a 43.5 mm stainless steel case with Bulova's 262 kHz high-performance quartz movement (caliber NP20), an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and both a steel bracelet and a leather strap in the box.
It wears large at roughly 51 mm lug to lug, so slimmer wrists should start with the leather strap. See the Bulova Lunar Pilot 98K112: Click for Price.
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Shop Pilot Watches âThe Apollo 15 Story: A Pilot's Backup Watch Makes History
NASA issued Omega chronographs to Apollo crews as standard equipment, and those watches earned their legend. What most pilots do not know is that a second brand made it to the lunar surface, and it got there the way most backups get used: because the primary failed.
David R. Scott, Apollo 15's mission commander, carried a spare of his own, a Bulova chronograph prototype, reference 88510/01. During the mission, the crystal of his NASA-issued Omega popped off. Scott's note in the NASA journal is about as pilot as it gets: "I noticed that the Omega's crystal popped up sometime during the EVA. So, on EVA-3, I used my spare watch."
So on August 2, 1971, during Apollo 15's third lunar EVA, Scott wore his own Bulova on the surface of the Moon. It timed a working moonwalk. No marketing department arranged it; a pilot reached for his backup, exactly as trained.
The watch was a one-off prototype, and the design never went into commercial production at the time. It resurfaced decades later and sold at RR Auction in 2015 for a seven-figure sum. It is described as the only privately owned watch ever worn on the lunar surface, because the Omegas that walked on the Moon remain government property.
The auction made headlines, and in 2016 Bulova answered with the Lunar Pilot reissue. The first generation used a 45 mm case; the 43.5 mm line that followed matches the true case size of Scott's original.
The Modern Lunar Pilot: What You Get in the 98K112
As of August 2026, the reference we stock is the 98K112: a 43.5 mm silver-tone stainless steel case around Bulova's signature high-precision quartz movement. Verified specs, per Bulova:
- Movement: Bulova's 262 kHz high-performance quartz (caliber NP20). It vibrates at eight times the frequency of standard quartz, drives a sweeping chronograph seconds hand instead of a once-per-second tick, and holds accuracy measured in seconds per year.
- Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire on this reference. Some other Lunar Pilot references use curved mineral crystals, so if you shop the wider line, check the specific reference.
- Dial: six-hand chronograph in a blue-and-silver panda layout with a blue tachymeter ring and Super-LumiNova applied markers. The 1/20-second counter sits at 3 o'clock, running seconds at 6, and a 60-minute counter at 9.
- Straps: both a 3-link silver-tone stainless steel bracelet with a push-button deployant clasp and a fitted leather strap come in the box, on an easy-release quick-change system with 20 mm lugs.
- Water resistance: WR50 (5 bar, 166 ft), rated for still-water swimming.
| Spec | Bulova Lunar Pilot 98K112 |
|---|---|
| Case | 43.5 mm silver-tone stainless steel, about 14 mm thick, about 51 mm lug to lug |
| Movement | Bulova 262 kHz high-performance quartz, caliber NP20, sweeping chrono hand |
| Crystal | Anti-reflective sapphire |
| Dial | Blue-and-silver panda, blue tachymeter ring, Super-LumiNova markers |
| Chronograph | 1/20-second counter at 3, running seconds at 6, 60-minute counter at 9 |
| Straps | 3-link steel bracelet plus fitted leather strap, 20 mm, quick-change |
| Water resistance | WR50 (5 bar, 166 ft) |
The movement is the quiet star. A 262 kHz quartz gives you the smooth seconds sweep people associate with mechanical chronographs, with none of the winding, servicing schedule, or daily drift. For a working pilot's watch, set-and-forget accuracy is a feature, not a compromise.
How It Wears
On paper this is a big watch: 43.5 mm across, roughly 14 mm thick, and about 51 mm lug to lug. That is large pilot chronograph territory. On a flat 7-inch or larger wrist it reads as purposeful; below that, the 51 mm lug span is the number to watch, because lugs that overhang the wrist make any watch feel bigger than its diameter suggests.
The two included straps give you two different watches. On the 3-link bracelet it is all tool watch, with the heft you would expect from a steel case on a steel bracelet. Swap to the fitted leather strap, a tool-free change thanks to the quick-release system, and it dresses down lighter and sits with less presence. Slimmer-wristed pilots should start there.
Legibility is a real strength in the cockpit. The panda layout puts dark registers on a light dial for instant contrast, the applied markers carry Super-LumiNova for low light, and the sweeping seconds hand makes it obvious at a glance that the watch is running, which is exactly what you want mid-checklist.
Lunar Pilot vs the Classic Moonwatch
The Omega Speedmaster is the moonwatch, and nothing here argues otherwise. NASA issued Omegas to the Apollo crews, and that record is deservedly iconic.
But the Bulova's claim is not a marketing stretch. A Bulova chronograph genuinely timed a moonwalk on Apollo 15, on the wrist of the mission commander, and it got there precisely because the issued Omega's crystal had popped off. If you appreciate the redundancy mindset, there is something fitting about wearing the backup that got called up and delivered.
There is also an ownership angle you cannot replicate: the moon-worn Omegas are government property, while Scott's Bulova is described as the only privately owned watch ever worn on the lunar surface. The story behind the reissue on your wrist ends at an auction block, not a museum vault.
As a modern purchase, the Lunar Pilot is simply the accessible way into moonwatch history. You get a faithful 43.5 mm case, a sapphire crystal on this reference, a high-precision 262 kHz quartz movement, and two straps in the box, without the waiting lists or the safe-queen anxiety. The Speedmaster remains the grail; the Lunar Pilot is the one you can actually wear to the airport on Saturday.
Verdict
The Bulova Lunar Pilot 98K112 is an easy watch to recommend. The heritage is authentic and specific, the movement is genuinely better than commodity quartz, the sapphire crystal and dual straps make the package feel complete, and the panda dial is legible in exactly the way a working chronograph should be. The only honest caveat is size: at about 51 mm lug to lug it wants a medium or larger wrist, or at minimum the leather strap.
If you are still weighing options, our best pilot watches roundup puts the Lunar Pilot in context against smartwatches and other chronographs. Ready to see it? Bulova Lunar Pilot 98K112: Click for Price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did a Bulova watch really go to the Moon?
Yes. On August 2, 1971, Apollo 15 commander David Scott wore his own Bulova chronograph prototype on the lunar surface during the mission's third moonwalk, after the crystal of his NASA-issued Omega popped off earlier in the mission.
What movement is in the Bulova Lunar Pilot?
Bulova's 262 kHz high-performance quartz movement, caliber NP20. It runs at eight times the frequency of standard quartz, drives a sweeping chronograph seconds hand, and holds accuracy measured in seconds per year.
Does the Bulova Lunar Pilot 98K112 have a sapphire crystal?
Yes, the 98K112 uses an anti-reflective sapphire crystal. Some other references in the Lunar Pilot line use curved mineral crystals, so check the specific reference before you buy.
What size is the Bulova Lunar Pilot?
The 98K112 case is 43.5 mm across, about 14 mm thick, and about 51 mm lug to lug, with 20 mm lugs. The first reissue generation from 2016 was 45 mm; the 43.5 mm line matches the case size of the original watch worn on the Moon.
Is the Bulova Lunar Pilot water resistant?
It carries a WR50 rating (5 bar, 166 ft), which covers still-water swimming. It is a pilot chronograph, not a dive watch.
