Almost perfect

It’s a beauty, for sure. Everything, except the lug size. I really think this watch would be perfect with a 22mm lug versus the 20mm it currently has. Other than that, I have no complaints about aesthetics, functionality or reliability. (It’s a Bulova!)

Lunar Pilot - Updated edition

Of course with a new version of this watch, I had to pick it up. I kind of have an unhealthy obsession with this particular watch. I have the previous 3 editions and so this one was a no brainer. Physically the movement is the exact same as the other three watches. The dial on this version is the same as the Ion Plated Black edition, in that it has no Date window and the older Bulova font. The watch itself is still a beauty to behold and one of the more accurate watches one can own at this price point. The major difference in this version over the others is the highly polished silver tone Stainless Steel case. The original had a bead blasted case with some brushed highlights, This case is highly polished, which while attractive in itself, the watch does some issues. 1. The high level of polish makes it hard to find an alternative band for this watch. You are pretty much locked into the band provided. Most NATO's don't use polished metal for their construction, so putting it on a 3rd party NATO will result in a pretty extreme clash in finish. 2. The second keeper has the same issue as on the leather NATO included on the Black version of the watch. The keepers are about an inch apart. If your wrist is wide then you will have to deal with excessive strap flapping about. That being said the highly polished case is very attractive as is the included NATO style band. Purists will love that it retains the older "date free" dial of the original watch but might not be so enthused that the original bead blasted finish wasn't retained. This will probably be the last version of this watch I purchase. I have more than enough versions to match whatever mood I might be in regarding this watch. I say that knowing that we are only 2 years from the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, and it is quite likely Bulova might pull out the stops and create a 50th Anniversary edition of the Lunar Pilot, which, of course, will require me to completely rethink my decision. Until then, I still think the original "date" version with the leather and nylon straps is the definitive version of the lunar pilot. If you can get that one, I still recommend it. If not this one will fit the bill nicely.

Fabulous Watch for the Money

I absolutely love this watch, more than my Omegas and more than my previous Rolexes watches. It has a few things that I would change but overall I think the design and engineering are really excellent. I purchased the Nato strap version because it was cheaper but in fact it It's the only 45mm version with a polished case, which I think makes it much less utilitarian and makes it look more expensive. I've seen complaints about this watch being too big. It's not too big, it's just too big for the people who make that complaint. I have a 7 3/4 inch wrist and it fits me perfectly . If you have a smaller wrist buy a smaller watch. This watch does need you to have at least a 7" wrist and also to have a wide wrist because of the lug-to-lug size. There is a 43.5mm version in two variants if you need smaller and they are stunning. The case is beautifully polished and I really like the unique style of the Chrono pushes. I've read that they were made this way for astronauts using thick gloves to make them easier to press but I like the way they integrate into the case better than traditional pushes. I also like the extra large crown which again makes it very easy to use. The crown has the Accutron logo. On my watch it’s barely visible - that’s the only manufacturing fault I could find. One complaint I have is that it is only water resistant to 50 meters. This might have been good for the moon but we don't live on the moon and it would have been easy I think to have a push in crown/pushers and have at least 100M WR. I never thought I would like a Nato strap. I've always thought “what's the point in putting a really cheap strap on a really nice or expensive watch?” But I'm surprised that this Nato is really nice. It has leather reinforced eyelets, a nice horizontal weave and it absorbs light so it always shows as really deep black. The hardware is highly polished and matches the case. Note that if you buy the non bracelet versions of the 45mm you cannot put the bracelet on it because the lug holes are positioned differently. I don't know what genius came up with this but it's really dumb. It doesn't bother me though as this Nato strap is so nice. The face is absolutely gorgeous. The crystal sits high above the case and some reviews say it “could” chip, but I've never heard of one cracking or chipping. It just adds to the beautiful design. The tachymeter is much higher than the rest of the face; it drops to a chapter ring which in turn is lower than the main body of the face and the sub dials again are lower than the main face but not as low as the chapter ring. The hands and sub hands and all printing are all beautifully white and cleanly done. It's a wonderful design really well executed. The only thing I would change is the 60 minute sub dial which I think is a little too small. The sub dial hands do not have a pointer at the end of them and so it can be difficult to see exactly what minute on the 60 minute sub dial they're pointing to. I would have loved a 12 hour chronograph counter instead of 1/10th Secs but I suppose that would have ruined the authenticity. I very much like the smooth return of the chrono seconds hand on reset and it must put less stress on mechanical parts of the movement than a hand that snaps back. I think Bulova call this movement NP20? Anyway I'm pretty sure it's made by Miyota especially for Bulova (Cal. 8136). That would make sense as Bulova and Miyota are both owned by citizen. It uses a 399 high drain battery, perfect for chronographs. I believe this movement used to have a date and I can understand why Bulova took it off for authenticity and looks but I'm so used to having a date. So a few minor quibbles you get with any watch but nothing serious. How much do I love this watch? Well I've packed away my Omegas and I purchased a second Lunar Pilot. Nuff Said. Just remember your wrist size, especially the lug to lug measurement.