Palms-On: Bulova Lunar Pilot ‘Blood Moon’ Watch
Once more in July, Bulova added some heat to its assortment with the discharge of the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon.” This fiery sort out their iconic spacefaring chronograph comes with a daring crimson dial impressed by the crimson glow of an entire lunar eclipse. And whereas it might 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 home historic previous. In 1971, all through Apollo 15, Commander Dave Scott famously strapped on a Bulova Chronograph as he turned the seventh human to walk on the lunar ground. In distinction to the Speedmaster’s racetrack origins, Scott’s Bulova was tailor-made for home exploration — considerably for timing life-support-critical duties — and the Bulova Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” maintains that efficiency whereas together with a vivid pop of shade.
On the wrist — and sadly I’m not in home — the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” is a surprising delight. Optimistic, at 43.5mm, it’s a bit chunky, nevertheless its thoughtful case design retains it comfortable and well-balanced. It’s daring with out being overbearing, and whereas crimson might be a troublesome shade for a watch, Bulova nailed the execution proper right here. The first dial contrasts sharply with the silvered subdials at 9, 3, and 6 o’clock, giving it a singular sporty vibe. The black arms on the subdials (versus the white arms on the dial) add one different layer of complexity. Take into consideration if it had a black tachymeter, though—I imagine it’ll really ground the fiery crimson tones and add far more versatility. One topic I did have is that the bracelet’s quick-release pins always uncover a way to dig into my wrist. I’ve found this true for me all through all bracelets with this quick-release mannequin. Hopefully, further producers change to buttons or little tabs as an alternative of pins.
Spec-wise, it’s as precise as you’d depend on from a Lunar Pilot and Bulova. Powered by Bulova’s NP20 Extreme Precision Quartz movement, it’s capable of timing to 1/twentieth of a second—good for anyone who’s sooner than light-speed (or just wants their chronograph to be). Even greater, the movement’s accuracy is quoted at “seconds per 12 months.” Anecdotally, I can affirm that this has been my experience with my very personal Lunar Pilot and the experience I’ve heard from others. The chronograph pushers are great easy to utilize, seeing as they’re fairly big, and I’ve always beloved the contrasting finish they’ve. Their sizing is right for when you’re sporting gloves and timing your life-support-critical duties (like cooking!).
Whether or not or not you’re into home historic previous, distinctive colorways, or just want a watch that breaks free from the black-dial norm, the Lunar Pilot “Blood Moon” is a stellar risk that punches properly above its weight—and wears properly whatever the chunk. The Bulova Lunar Pilot Blood Moon is priced at $895 USD. For further information, please go to the Bulova website.
