With this new watch, Bulova takes us to 1971 when Apollo 15’s mission commander made lunar history, while wearing his personal Bulova chronograph. Bulova’s new special edition moon chronograph watch replicates that original timepiece, updated with exclusive high performance quartz movement with a frequency of 262 kHz for unparalleled accuracy, continuing a history of precision timing.
Bulova’s legendary engineering expertise was tapped by NASA to help with the US space effort; that active partnership lasted from the mid-1950s into the 1970s. Bulova’s innovative Accutron tuning fork movement—which could work in low-gravity conditions—was used in all instrument panel clocks and timekeeping mechanisms on 46 NASA missions.
During the historic July 1969 moon walk, a Bulova ultrasensitive, precision timer was a crucial part of the seismometer placed in the Sea of Tranquility to conduct scientific experiments and transmit critical lunar data. On August 2, 1971, Apollo 15’s mission commander, the seventh man to walk on the moon and the first to drive the Lunar Rover, wore his personally-gifted Bulova moon pilot chronograph. Customized for lunar conditions by the company’s engineers, the legendary watch was used to precisely Track time.
That original Bulova chronograph, the only privately-owned watch to make space history, recently sold at auction for an astronomical $1.625 million. Taking inspiration from the original, the Bulova moon watch boasts exclusive high performance quartz movement with a frequency of 262 kHz for unparalleled accuracy.
Other features include superluminous hands and markers, anti-reflective sapphire glass, tachymeter and calendar in a solid 316L surgical-grade stainless steel case, with water resistance to 50 meters.
The strap version includes two interchangeable straps—one a textured black leather; the other, a black nylon with a nubuck leather patch that commemorates the date of mission (DOM) as 08.02.1971; UHF 262 kHz highlights the frequency of the proprietary quartz movement. Another version with stainless steel bracelet will also be available.
Bulova’s exclusive three-prong quartz crystal increases vibration frequency to 262 kHz, eight times greater than a standard quartz movement, providing unparalleled accuracy.
