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Here Is a Golden Replica of the Watch That Went on the Moon Five Decades Ago

Five Decades ago, on August 2nd, 1971, Apollo 15 astronaut Dave Scott took a Bulova watch with him on the surface of the Moon and wore it for his final moonwalk. To celebrate the historic moment, the watchmaker has launched a golden replica of the iconic timepiece.
The Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar Pilot 6 photos
Photo: Bulova
The original Lunar Pilot chronographThe Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar PilotThe Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar PilotThe Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar PilotThe Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar Pilot
At the time, all NASA astronauts wore the Omega Speedmaster, a specifically manufactured watch by the space agency. Even though he had an Omega timepiece, he decided to take his own Bulova with him to the Moon as well. Whether it was a terrible feeling or just a coincidence, his decision might have saved the Apollo mission because the NASA watch's crystal actually popped off while he was out during his second expedition.

At that point, Scott realized the watch's face was gone and took his Bulova chronograph and used it instead. This one didn't crack and functioned accordingly. It did not only keep track of time in space where every second is crucial, but the astronaut even used it to ensure that no one ran out of oxygen.

The chronograph was even used to back up the onboard timers for the critical reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. From that moment, Bulova's engineering expertise was leveraged by NASA to assist with the U.S. space efforts. From the mid-1950s until the 1970s, the two collaborated on 46 missions, and Bulova's groundbreaking Accutron technology was employed in all instrument panel clocks and timekeeping devices.

Later on, Scott auctioned off his watch. As expected, the original Bulova Lunar Pilot sold at an astronomical price of $1.625 million. Now, 50 years later, the watchmaker is reissuing a special commemorative edition.

It's a replica of the original Lunar Pilot which features a 45 mm case with gold-tone stainless steel details that stand out against a gray dial. On the bezel, it has a tachymeter, just like the original watch, which one can use to measure speed based on time traveled over a fixed distance.

Other features include hands and markers coated with Super-Luminova and an anti-reflective sapphire crystal. On the case back, a commemorative design relief with the date of the mission, 08.02.1971, celebrated the historic moment.

The Bulova 50th Anniversary Lunar Pilot is limited to 5,000 pieces and comes with a special storybook and a commemorative NASA coin. This timepiece is set at $995.
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About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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