The Fergus Nash Accutron Astronaut will be recreated with incredible precision The Bulova Luna Pilot will lose the date display and will have a 43.5mm diameter The Luna Pilot will also be available in a blue and white color scheme
The 1960s space age was a great time for technological advancement, even if NASA was equipped with IBM computers millions of times less powerful than today’s average smartphone. Supporting the US space program’s journey was Bulova and the fast-growing brand Accutron, which perfected what was then revolutionary electrical timekeeping technology via a metal tuning fork vibrating at high frequency. This technology was utilized in a variety of NASA timekeeping instruments, and of course on the wrists of our brave pilots. Though it did not use a tuning fork movement, the Bulova Luna Pilot also carries on the NASA tradition, with a prototype worn by Dave Scott on the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. To celebrate the storied connection to the US space program, two new interpretations were created: the Bulova Luna Pilot and the Accutron Astronaut.
The Accutron Astronaut first orbited the Earth in 1963 when it was issued to pilot Gord Cooper Jr. on the final mission of Project Mercury. The watch was also issued to CIA pilots who flew Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft, but only in the skies over Vietnam in 1967-1968. The design that Bulova and Accutron decided to recreate is the 1968 Astronaut “T” model, featuring a matte black dial with an attractive array of applied and printed markers and a day/night bezel insert. The Accutron Astronaut was reissued as a limited edition in 2007, but most of the details were completely inaccurate, so this new and faithful version is very welcome. Unfortunately, tuning fork movements fell into disuse quickly in the 70s. The rise of quartz has meant the same great accuracy at a much lower cost and with improved reliability, which is why the new Accutron Astronaut is powered by a self-winding Sellita SW330 GMT movement visible through the see-through caseback.
The Bulova Lunar Pilot is a better-known story. The 1971 Apollo 15 mission was the fourth flight to land on the moon, so it doesn’t get as much attention as its predecessor. Dave Scott was wearing a NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster, but when the crystal fell off, he switched to a Bulova prototype watch with an automatic chronograph movement that had long been a contender for NASA’s go-to watch. Its appearance at auction garnered a lot of interest, and in 2015 Bulova released the Lunar Pilot with a high-frequency quartz chronograph movement. It is highly popular among collectors, but its 45mm width and overall bulkiness have put many off it. This new model of the Bulova Lunar Pilot is shrunk to 43.5mm from the original, does away with the date display, and is also available in a blue and white color scheme that is likely inspired by Silver Snoopy.
Pricing and availability for the Bulova Lunar Pilot and Accutron Astronaut:
The new Bulova Lunar Pilot will be sold as an unlimited box set in both colors, on a steel bracelet and a black or blue NATO-style leather strap. The Accutron Astronaut is limited to just 300 pieces. Price: $895 USD (Bulova Lunar Pilot) / $3,500 USD (Accutron Astronaut)
Brand Bulova / Accutron Model Lunar Pilot / Astronaut Case size 43.5mm x 13.21mm / 41mm x 13.85mm Case material Stainless steel Water resistance 50m / 100m Crystal Flat sapphire / Domed sapphire with AR coating Dial Black or white and blue / Black Lug width 20mm / 22mm Strap Steel bracelet, extra leather NATO / Steel bracelet Movement NP20 high precision quartz / Sellita SW330-1 Power reserve 4 years / 42 hours Availability Unlimited / Limited to 300 pieces Price US$895 / US$3,500
