The Affordable ‘Other Moonwatch’ Made an Unexpected Update

Bulova took a page out of the MoonSwatch’s book for this one.

Bulova

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Any watch that’s been to outer space will always be cool, but it’s not exactly an exclusive club. Due in part to the Space Shuttle missions, hundreds of watches from dozens of brands have made it to the final frontier. Watches that have been worn on the moon, however, remain very rare.

Just two watches are confirmed to have ever been worn on the lunar surface. The first, most frequent and best known of these is the Omega Speedmaster Professional, AKA the “Moonwatch.” But a different chronograph touched down on the lunar surface during 1971’s Apollo 15 moon landing.

That chronograph was a Bulova prototype that astronaut David Scott strapped on after the crystal popped off of his NASA-issued Speedy during the mission. The exact watch surfaced for auction in 2015, becoming the only lunar-worn watch ever to be sold to the public. A few years later, capitalizing on the newfound hype, Bulova began producing a modern version inspired by the prototype called the Lunar Pilot.

bulova chronograph on a wrist with blue shirt and yellow pants — The Bulova Lunar Pilot is lovingly known as the “other Moonwatch.”

Since then, Bulova’s much more affordable “other Moonwatch” has proven to be a hit, becoming one of the most recognized watches in the iconic American brand’s catalog and spawning an entire line of Lunar Pilots with various sizes and designs.

The latest iteration takes a page out of the MoonSwatch’s book by drawing inspiration from our nearest celestial neighbor. Say hello to the Bulova Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon.”

Bulova Lunar Pilot ‘Blood Moon’

$895.01 at Bulova

A Moon Watch for the Bold

The new Lunar Pilot is no different from the standard 43.5mm version of the watch with the exception of one very notable change: the dial. Previously, we’ve seen Lunar Pilot dials in Omega-esque monochrome black, white-and-blue panda, and even meteorite, but the new version is the most striking yet, thanks to its bright red colorway.

The head-turning dial takes inspiration from the “blood moon” phenomenon, and while the name may trigger PTSD in anyone who’s played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (“Link… Link… LINK”), the term actually refers to a total lunar eclipse, which can appear red in the sky.

man carries a guitar across the street wearing a bulova watch — The striking red dial of the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” is not for the faint of heart.

The dial also boasts a subtle textured pattern and a panda layout, with contrasting silver-white subdials and inner tachymeter bezel improving visibility against the blood-red backdrop.

Like other 43.5mm Lunar Pilots (the smaller, more wearable version of the watch), the Blood Moon edition comes with both a three-link stainless steel bracelet and an additional strap — this time a black leather number with contrasting red stitching.

As always, the watch is powered by Bulova’s impressive in-house Caliber NP20 high-frequency quartz chronograph movement that beats at a crazy 262 kHz. This not only makes the watch accurate to within seconds per year but also allows for a perfectly smooth sweep of the chronograph seconds hand.

bulova red watch against a red smoky background — An included black leather strap with red stitching offers an easy way to further amplify the watch’s sinister vibes.

Pricing and Availability

Bulova has done us all a solid with the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” in a couple of ways. First off, the brand didn’t make the watch a limited edition — it’s now a part of the Lunar Pilot’s permanent catalog.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, Bulova didn’t jack up the price either. The new red Lunar Pilot costs the same as the existing 43.5mm versions of the watch, with an SRP of $895.