Sponsored: Bulova’s Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” Brings the Collection to 41mm

Bulova’s Lunar Pilot collection has always carried one of the strongest spaceflight stories in modern watchmaking, but for many collectors, there has been one lingering request: a smaller case. With the limited-edition Lunar Pilot “Black Hole,” Bulova answers that call directly, offering the historic chronograph in a new 41mm format while giving the watch one of the most conceptually considered names in the collection’s history.

The Lunar Pilot’s story traces back to August 2, 1971, during NASA’s Apollo 15 mission. During the mission commander’s third and final moonwalk, his NASA-issued chronograph had lost its crystal, requiring him to use a backup watch. That backup was a Bulova chronograph, privately carried by the commander as a reliable secondary timer for monitoring oxygen, water, and battery levels during the lunar walk. He wore it during the extravehicular activity, through reentry, and all the way to splashdown.

The story later entered the public record when the commander testified before Congress in August 1972. At the time, however, NASA withheld the manufacturer’s name to avoid commercialization. The watch itself was acknowledged, but the Bulova name remained absent for decades, leaving one of the most important chapters in the brand’s space exploration history technically public but largely invisible. The new Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” takes its name from that gap in the record, as well as from the dark visual language of the watch itself.

The watch’s design carries that idea into the physical object. In astrophysics, a black hole is defined by the loss of recoverable information beyond its event horizon. For Bulova, the idea connects directly to the Apollo 15 story: a watch worn on the lunar surface, known in the record but hidden from wider recognition for decades. The Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” uses that idea as the foundation for a new limited edition that brings both the story and the case size into sharper focus.

The model is housed in a 41.2mm case, with a 48mm lug-to-lug measurement, making it the most wearable modern Lunar Pilot to date. The case and bracelet are finished with a combination of sandblasting and PVD plating, giving the watch a matte, light-absorbing appearance. The reduced dimensions preserve the familiar Lunar Pilot silhouette, including its broad bezel, elongated pushers, and vintage-inspired chronograph profile, while bringing the proportions closer to what many enthusiasts have long wanted from the collection.

The dial continues the “Black Hole” theme with Musou black paint— a material known for its ability to absorb 99.4 percent of visible light. The result is an especially dark, low-reflection surface that gives the chronograph layout a more technical and atmospheric presence. Grey Super-LumiNova accents appear on the indexes and hands, glowing blue in low light, while a flat sapphire crystal with a five-layer anti-reflective coating protects the dial.

On the caseback, Bulova fits a screw-down construction with a unique glass insert depicting a matte black and grey lunar landscape, along with Apollo 15 mission details. The detail reinforces the watch’s connection to the mission while giving this limited edition a distinct visual signature within the broader Lunar Pilot family.

Inside, the Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” is powered by Bulova’s NP20 High Precision Quartz chronograph movement. The proprietary HPQ caliber offers 1/20th-second chronograph timing, continuing the precision-driven character that has long defined the Lunar Pilot collection.

Limited to 6,000 pieces, the Bulova Lunar Pilot “Black Hole” is presented as a special gift set that includes a dedicated “Black Hole” box, travel pouch, and a limited-edition clock inspired by the lunar capsule instrument used during Apollo 15. The watch is priced at $1,650 and is available via authorized boutiques and through Bulova’s online store. 

To learn more, visit Bulova, here.