Bulova Men's Archive Series Lunar Pilot 6-Hand Chronograph High Performance Quartz Stainless Steel and Black Nylon Strap Watch Set, Sapphire Crystal Style: 96B251
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Description
Bulova made space history on August 2, 1971--during the Apollo 15 mission, a moon pilot chronograph, customized for lunar conditions by Bulova engineers, was worn on the moon. Now Bulova makes history again with the special edition Lunar Pilot Chronograph, updated with our exclusive high performance quartz movement with a frequency of 262 kHz for unparalleled accuracy, continuing a history of precision timing. From the UHF Collection. Taking inspiration from astronaut Dave Scott's personal Bulova chronograph worn during the Apollo 15 moon landing. Six hand calendar chronograph, stainless steel screw-back case in silver-tone finish and black dial, sapphire glass, interchangeable black leather and nylon straps with three-piece buckle closure, and water resistance to 50 meters. Powered by Bulova's proprietary, high-performance UHF quartz movement, with a vibrational frequency of 262kHz-eight times greater than a standard quartz movement for unparalleled accuracy. Diameter: 45mm Thickness: 13.5mm. The maximum chrono reading is 60 minutes
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Language : English
Product Dimensions : 4.33 x 3.94 x 3.54 inches; 4.97 ounces
Item model number : 96B251
Department : mens
Batteries : 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included)
Date First Available : June 28, 2016
Manufacturer : Bulova Corporation
Manufacturer’s warranty can be requested from customer service. Click here to make a request to customer service.:
Display: Analog
Watch Movement Type: Quartz
Additional Features: Calendar, Chronograph, Moon Phase, Second Hand
Power Source: Battery Powered
Strap Type: Two Piece Strap
Water Resistance Depth: 50 Meters
Sport Type: Swimming, Diving, Hiking
Clasp Type: Buckle
Water Resistance Level: Water Resistant
Embellishment Feature: Crystal
Closure Type: Buckle
Style Name: Pilot
Shape: Round
Band Color: Black
Dial Color: Black
Theme: Space or Aviation
Pattern: Solid
Face Style: Chronograph
Character: Moon
Brand Name: Bulova
Model Name: 96B251
Included Components: [Assumption Steel and Nylon Strap]
Model Number: 96B251
Series Number: 251
Item Weight: 0.14 Kilograms
Global Trade Identification Number: 47, 43, 44
Manufacturer: Bulova Corporation
UPC: 042429537347
Manufacturer Part Number: 96B251
Unit Count: 1 Count
Age Range Description: Adult
Item Type Name: Watch
Band Material Type: Leather
Case Material Type: Stainless Steel
Crystal: Sapphire Crystal
Case Diameter: 45 Millimeters
Band Width: 22 Millimeters
Case Thickness: 14 Millimeters
Bands: 1
Warranty Type: Manufacturer
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Top Amazon Reviews
This watch has been reviewed on Amazon many times already, so I will try to not repeat too much of what has already been said, and if I do repeat, I'll try to condense my words to what you might really be interested to know. First: This watch has some historical significance, as a replica of the only other watch known to be worn on the Moon besides the Omega Speedmaster (which I also once owned). Bulova produced just a few of these back in the early 70's (through their Swiss subsidiary Universal Geneve), submitted some to NASA for testing, and gifted one to David Scott, who took it along as "backup" during the Apollo 15 mission. He ended up wearing it on the lunar surface while piloting the Lunar Rover. That particular watch sold at auction in 2015 for $1,600,000. Second: Even without the historical significance, it's a technically interesting watch with unique features. The watch uses Bulova's UHF quartz movement, in which the crystal vibrates 8 times faster than conventional quartz watches. This provides extreme accuracy of approximately 10 seconds/year as well as very smooth motion of the central chronograph seconds hand. The running seconds hand located on the subdial at six o'clock ticks every half-second, not every second like most quartz watches. Third: The styling is unique among modern Bulova watches, which are often very highly polished, glittery and sometimes "blingy". This watch is more of a "tool" or instrument, with a mostly bead blasted texture, and a little bit of a brushed finish on the bezel. The crystal is a thick flat slab of sapphire, and actually protrudes a millimeter or so above the edge of the bezel, just like the original plexiglass crystal did. The pushers to activate the chronograph functions are levers which operate in slots milled in the case. The dial is very precisely detailed, and has the subdials and the track for seconds recessed slightly below the level of the main dial, while the tachymeter track is raised above the main dial, giving a pleasing three-dimensional effect. The white lumed hands and markers offer high contrast with the black dial, and very good legibility. Basically, the watch looks like something designed to do a particular job, rather than something designed simply to look pretty. Fourth: The watch is physically large. The original was 43.3 mm diameter, and because the UHF movement used requires slightly more space, the case has been slightly enlarged to 45 mm, with an overall length of 53 from lug-to-lug and about 13 mm thickness. For most people, this isn't really a problem as large watches are fashionable, and it's not stupidly large like some other examples I could name. My wrists are almost exactly 7 inches, and I already owned other watches with similar size, so from my perspective it looks large, but not TOO large. If your wrists are less than 7 inches circumference, the watch MAY look big on you, depending on your personal preferences. Fifth: The build quality is excellent. I could find no defects at all, everything worked properly out of the box. I've heard of some buyers needing to reset the chronograph hands to zero (an easy adjustment), mine were fine from the start. The back is nicely detailed with information about the Apollo 15 mission and the famous Bulova tuning fork logo. The presentation box includes an extra velcro strap similar to those actually used by NASA, as well as a tool to remove the spring bars when changing straps. The leather strap which is attached to the watch is very nice, with a texture which resembles either carbon fiber or a basketweave (take your pick). Either way, it is kind of stiff to begin with, but in a day or so, conforms very well to my wrist. I find it comfortable enough to wear while sleeping, and although the watch is somewhat heavy, after a while it is easy to forget I'm wearing it. I wouldn't choose this watch to wear during very active sports such as mountain biking, as the weight on my wrist might be noticeable then. Also, I've got other watches which are lighter and better suited for that kind of use. However, for everyday wear, the Lunar Pilot is perfectly comfortable. Bottom line (see what I did there?) is that this watch is unique, comfortable, accurate and historically significant, and a LOT of watch for the money.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2018 Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2018 by Ronald L. Russell
It's hard to imagine a better deal than that offered by Bulova for this watch. Often what sets a watch apart from countless other similar watches is the "story" behind the watch. Whether it's the Rolex worn by Sean Connery, the Tag Heuer worn by Steve McQueen, or the Cartier worn by JFK. The most sought after watches have a story. Indeed, one of the most sought after watches is an Omega Speedmaster Professional. This is the watch worn by the American Astronauts for the Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions, and until recently, were the only watches ever to make it to the moon. However, owning a "speedy" will set you back several thousand dollars, but that's what you need to spend to get a "moon watch". Up until now. The story goes that David Scott, commander of Apollo 15 was given a Bulova prototype to "test" while on mission. While he did not plan on actually "testing" the watch, he did put it in with the rest of his stuff as backup. As luck would have it, it was needed as his Speedmaster failed when the crystal popped out, and Scott wore the Bulova on the moon for EVA 3 and on the return trip. That watch recently sold for 1.6 MILLION dollars in auction and is the only privately owned watch that has been on the moon. Bulova has taken that story and created an homage to that prototype. The Lunar Pilot is the result. Even without the space pedigree, this is one special watch. It's quartz movement beats at 8 times the normal frequency giving the watch an accuracy of approximately 10 to 15 seconds a YEAR vice the normal 10 to 15 second a month variance on normal quartz watches. This movement also features a second hand that ticks every half second and a sweeping chronograph hand that is normally found only on mechanical watches. Encased in it's bead blasted stainless steel case, the watch is 45mm wide which makes it a large watch. The watch is capped by a thick sapphire crystal, and the back is engraved with the mission information from the Apollo mission. The face detail is exquisite. Instead of a "flat face" like on many watches, the seconds marker track is recessed, and the face is raised. The 5 min lume markers are raised further on the base and the subdials are slightly recessed into the dial. This type of detail is rarely found on a watch of this price point. A date window between the 4 and 5 position discreetly gives the day of the month. The subdial at 3 o'clock is used for measuring 1/20th seconds in chronograph mode while the 9 o'clock subdial shows minutes elapsed. The 6 o'clock subdial shows running seconds for timekeeping and remains moving whether or not the chronograph is in operation or not. The watch is very clean and legible as would be expected for a watch designed for space travel. In fact the face is much like an Omega Speedmaster, not due to any copyright infringement, but rather due to the necessity of maintaining the NASA specifications already laid forward. The case design, however is very distinctive with recessed pusher bars that pivot for the chronograph functions. It's easy to see that these pusher bars were designed specifically to be operated by a large gloved hand. The watch itself is water resistant to 50 meters, but really isn't designed for water sports. This version of the watch comes with two straps, a leather strap and a fabric strap that is reminiscent of the NASA strap used by the astronauts. A strap removal tool is also included along with a certificate of authenticity and booklet describing the history of the watch. This watch also comes with a stainless steel bracelet version, but they are not interchangeable as the lug holes are in different locations for both watches. Even without it's interesting inspiration, this watch would be a bargain. The accuracy of 10 sec a year makes this one of the most accurate watches you can reasonably own. The attention to detail of this watch rivals that of much more expensive watches. The fact that it comes with such an interesting back story makes it a must for anyone who values unique and collectible time pieces. And you don't have to plop down several thousand dollars to do so.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2018 by William Thomas
I have been aware of Bulova watches for over 50 years but never bought one (my uncle had one back in the 1960s-70s) until this one. I am a stickler for watches that maintain accurate time. I have Casio and Seiko watches that are set by synchronizing through GPS. This watch does not have that feature--but nevertheless its movement maintains excellent accuracy. I have been wearing the watch for several weeks now and have not had to reset the time. Of course, one feature that appealed to me is the Lunar connection--a very cool watch that keeps time is not something I frequently find. I will admit that I replaced the band and am very happy with my new band. (It is a 20mm band width in case you decide to also do a replacement.) A really cool watch that is very accurate at a reasonable price. I highly recommend the produce. (As an aside--the watch arrived on time, well packaged and undamaged.)
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Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2026 by Howard L. Lieber
There isn't really much to be said about the Bulova Lunar Pilot that hasn't already been said. It's a absolutely stunning piece in person. None of the photos or videos did the vast array of changes in height and depth of the different complications and watch elements justice. I genuinely love looking at this watch every single time I turn my wrist. So far, it's accuracy has not been lied about. It has remained bang on down to the second from the moment I set the time. The fit and finish are excellent. As others have said, it is a lot of watch for the price especially if purchased on sale as I did. The main reason I am writing this review is because at the time of purchase and of writing this review (about a week a part) the items description lists the band size at 22mm. Which surprised me as I also purchased a 22mm nato strap at the same time and it did not fit at all. I checked today with my calipers and it's absolutely a 20mm width for the strap. So, the watch is incredible and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone but, just know, it's 20mm when purchasing other straps! Edit: I've been wearing this wonderful watch daily for a little over a month. I wanted to share a quick update with a few thoughts. First, this watch seems wonderfully durable. I haven't been abusing it by any means but, the sapphire looks as clear and perfect as the day I got it. And the case remains pristine. Secondly, it hasn't dropped even a second in that time which I am extremely please about. Thirdly, and finally, the lume is... garbage. I love everything about this watch with that as the one exception. Even after 45 minutes of charging in direct sunlight at noon, the lume does not glow brightly, and dims within 10~ minutes of going into dark. It's a shame because the blue hue of the lume is absolutely gorgeous. And every other part of the watch is divine but, the lume. If you really *need* legibility in dark situations or spend a lot of time in the dark, this may not be an ideal watch for you. While I am slightly disappointed, most of my work is done on the light side of the moon, so it's still all good for me haha.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2024 Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2024 by Uriah Edwards
The reimagining of the Apollo 15 prototype is a pretty close one, with the major exception being its isn't mechanical any more, which is a shame As a quartz, its pretty inoffensive in function. I don't understand the reason why they changed the chrono to be hundredths of a second, which leads to the hundredths register hand stopping to save battery after 30 seconds. I mean nobody operating a chrono by hand is going to get a meaningful number in hundredths of a second. The 262 kilo hertz makes for a fairly smooth sweep, so its all pretty bearable. The inclusion of two straps is a nice touch, but the spring bar tool is pretty mediocre - use a decent one to avoid damage to the case lugs. I regularly use the nylon pseudo-NATO on mine. However, I don't understand what they didn't make it a true NATO style for the added security in that design. The way they have done it, if one spring bar tool fails, you've lost it. So no benefit, other than comfort, over the leather faux carbon and that's what cost it the fifth star. I also think they could have spread the lugs a little. It's a big watch and the strap included looks a little insubstantial. 24mm might have been better. That said, it wears much smaller than its dimensions would suggest, and looks okay on a 19cm/7 inch wrist and is slim enough to fit under a shirt sleeve. Bulova are a poor shadow of their former glory days, and being swallowed by Citizen was a worrying development. It would seem that they might actually come out of it well, with models like this harking back to their glory days a welcome sign. I'd not hesitate to recommend this to anybody who is a space history buff and a bit of a collector. The extra design nuances might be lost on the general public. Its a cheap and cheerful entry into the space watch club. It's not an Omega Speedmaster (which is itself extremely affordable) but for a few hundred dollars its great value. Here's the original and then here's mine
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Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2019 Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2019 by R C FORSAITH
Was never a fan of Bulova, as many American made watch band are nowhere near the precision or excellence of Japanese and Swiss time pieces like Seiko and Omega. However with the prominence of this model being the back up watch on Apollo 15, and the absolute simplicity and accuracy of the movement, it is an absolute elegant piece. An Omega Speedmaster might not pass into my collection, but the Lunar Pilot is an excellent addition to my collection and I was extremely excited to purchase. While I really wanted it with the metal bracelet, I considered that 95% of my collection have metal bracelets, and was a little hesitant to purchase this with the leather strap. I made the right choice. While I probably won't switch out the strap for the NATO Velcro strap, there is a 3rd party company that has created a custom fitting bracelet for this model-the steel bracelet for the other models in this line WILL NOT fit this case-I am looking at quick release pins and other straps that might pair well. This piece is gorgeous and I love looking at it. The line on it is horrible as others have reported, however I didn't buy it to look at it in the dark. This is becoming my favorite piece quickly and wearing it is absolutely comfortable. I have a few divers that are 47mm, and a couple that are 53mm, and look large but compliment my wrists well. At 45mm this piece is perfect on me, neither too large or ostentatious. It is lightweight, understated, and just goes well with pretty much any outfit. I will be enjoying this watch for years. Do not miss out.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2026 by Chef76
Bulova Lunar Pilot 96B251 The Bulova Lunar Pilot is one of my favorite watches, and it tends to be the one that I reach for most. This is the best chronograph that I have, and I am pleased with this purchase. On the plus side: I am a fan of how the watch fits. My wrist is approximately 7.6in (19.3 cm) and the Lunar Pilot is the perfect size, in my opinion. I favor watches at or over a 42mm case, and this 45mm case is ideal. The face of this watch is easy to read, with large hands and markings that are easy to see. The movement is clean. When compared to other watches in my collection, this is the watch that I would rely on for the chronograph function. I feel that the watch is a value for the cost. I purchased the Lunar Pilot on Amazon, well under what it was selling for from other vendors. In addition, this version comes with two watch straps and a tool to change them out. The packing is robust, with what appears to be a sturdy wood box, and necessary documentation. On the other hand: I don’t have much in the way of negative comments regarding this watch, that aren’t personal opinions. None of the following points will impact my overall review of the watch. I would like a date window that is slightly larger. The view of the date is adequate, so this is simply a matter of preference. I am not a fan of the way that the leather band looks. This is independent of the watch itself. With that said, I knew what I was getting before making the purchase, and this is strictly a matter of opinion. In addition, replacement bands are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain. I do enjoy the added cloth band, and its NATO band look. The tool to change the bands is sharp, and appears to be much sharper than the one that I already had. I made a small scratch in the case while changing bands. I buy watches with the intent to keep them, so this is not a huge problem. The scratch is my fault as I should have applied more focus and less haste to the task. This should serve as a warning to be careful when changing bands.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2023 Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2023 by herman
I always prefer watches where you can tell the time in just one glance. This one is very readable in that regard. For that reason alone, I would give it 5 stars. There are tons of watches you couldn't say that about. The luminous nature of the watch is fine. Not too bright...but adequate for a few hours. Because the hands and hour markers are white, any light will allow you to easily read the watch. But, wait, there's more. The chronograph is low key and easy to ignore the buttons. There's not a lot of small print in the watch to distract. I also enjoy the ability to time something in less than 1/10th of a second. There are some unexpected things...what you would think of as the seconds hand is a hand for the tachymeter...the seconds hand is the very small dial on the bottom of the watch. The reset of the timer hands to zeroize is sometimes necessary...read the online manual for that. Some have said that it is a bit huge on smaller wrists. I have a smaller wrist, but it looks fine there. The leather band is only okay. It looks good...but could be easily updated to a more stylish style. That's a matter of personal taste. I haven't used the NATO band. Overall, the watch is a fun time piece with a tiny bit of history. It's worth the time (pun not intended).
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Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2022 by R Kowicki