96B258
A big, distinctive chronograph with genuine moon-watch history and an unusual movement to match.
The Lunar Pilot has one of the best stories available at this price, but history is only part of the appeal. Its 262 kHz high-precision quartz movement is genuinely interesting, the finishing is convincing and the chronograph looks unlike almost anything else under $1,000.
+ Fascinating Apollo 15 history
+ Unusual and highly accurate 262 kHz quartz movement
− 45mm case will simply be too large for some wrists
Why it made our list
The Lunar Pilot is inevitably described as the other moon watch, but that undersells the story a little. During Apollo 15 in 1971, Commander David Scott wore a privately owned Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface after the crystal on his NASA-issued watch had failed. The watch behind today's Lunar Pilot really did go to the moon.
Bulova could probably sell the Lunar Pilot on that history alone. What makes the modern watch more interesting is the decision not to put an ordinary quartz movement inside it. The NP20 uses a 262 kHz quartz crystal, eight times the frequency of conventional quartz, and is designed for accuracy measured in seconds per year.
It also gives the Lunar Pilot a personality that would be lost if Bulova had simply tried to build an affordable mechanical moon watch. This is not pretending to be a Speedmaster. It approaches the chronograph from a completely different direction, and that is exactly why it belongs in this list.
Design & wearability
There is no point pretending the 96B258 is a small watch. The case measures 45mm across and roughly 52mm from lug to lug. On the steel bracelet it also weighs around 149 grams. If you prefer compact watches, this version of the Lunar Pilot should be tried on before buying.
The size does suit the design, though. The black dial has three recessed registers, a tachymeter scale around its edge and long chronograph pushers that give the case an identity of its own. Despite the amount of information on display, it never feels needlessly decorative.
The bracelet makes this version feel substantial and turns it into more of a sports chronograph than the leather and textile versions. Sapphire crystal is also welcome at this price. The 50 metres of water resistance is less impressive, but this was never meant to compete with the Certina for dive-watch duties.
Bulova
Joseph Bulova founded his business in New York in 1875, and the company would go on to become one of the major names in American watchmaking. Bulova was particularly willing to experiment with new forms of timekeeping, most famously with the electronic Accutron and its tuning-fork movement.
Spaceflight became another part of that history. Bulova technology was used in timing equipment during the American space program, but the moment that matters here came on August 2, 1971. Apollo 15 commander David Scott wore his personal Bulova chronograph on the moon, creating the story that eventually led to the modern Lunar Pilot.
Our verdict
The Lunar Pilot would be an interesting watch even without the moon story. The NP20 movement alone makes it unusual in a market where quartz chronographs often feel interchangeable.
Add the Apollo 15 connection, sapphire crystal and a design that has resisted becoming another generic racing chronograph, and the appeal becomes much easier to understand.
Size is the obvious catch. At 45mm, the 96B258 asks for more wrist than anything else in this guide so far. Bulova now makes smaller Lunar Pilot variants, and they will make more sense for plenty of buyers. But if the 45mm case works for you, this older black-dial version remains a lot of chronograph for the money.
More importantly, it gives this list something the other watches do not: real spaceflight history paired with genuinely unusual modern watchmaking. That earns it our Best Chronograph spot under $1,000.