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Bulova Archive Series 96K111 Lunar Pilot Watch And Nato Strap - W09359
Ref. 96K111
Sits in Bulova’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Bulova watches we list, which start at £100.
Price range £100 to £1,250 across 120 Bulova watches in stock.On 2 August 1971, Dave Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface during the Apollo 15 EVA — the only privately funded watch to have been worn on the moon. This Archive Series piece returns to that exact case geometry, the 43.5mm proportions unchanged, and pairs it with Bulova's proprietary high-precision quartz movement running at 262kHz, a frequency far above the standard 32kHz of a typical quartz calibre and one that delivers accuracy measurably tighter than most movements of that type. The dial reads as a direct descendant of its ancestor: deep black with white registers, a tachymeter ring, and three recessed sub-dials with circular grooves that give the layout its period character. The high-contrast treatment and the Super-LumiNova on the slim hands serve legibility first, which is what a timing instrument should do. The watch ships with both the steel bracelet and an interchangeable NATO strap, each using a quick-release system that makes switching between them a matter of seconds rather than a tool hunt.
- Reference
- 96K111
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Lunar Pilot
- Case size
- 43.5mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Functions
- Chronograph, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Fabric strap
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Strap
- Interchangeable
Learn more about Bulova
Joseph Bulova, a Bohemian immigrant, opened a jewellery shop on Maiden Lane in New York in 1875 and moved into watch manufacturing in the early twentieth century, building a plant in Sag Harbor and later a substantial operation in Queens.
Bulova's instinct for firsts was commercial as much as technical. It ran the first national advertisement for a watch brand in 1926, broadcast the first radio commercial in American history — a time announcement — in 1926, and aired the first television commercial ever broadcast in 1941, paying nine dollars for the slot.
The engineering came too. The Accutron of 1960 replaced the balance wheel with a tuning fork vibrating at 360 Hz, driven electronically. It was accurate to within a minute a month, far beyond mechanical watches, and it hummed rather than ticked. NASA used Accutron timing mechanisms in spacecraft, and one was left on the Moon in the equipment package of Apollo 11.
Bulova also made an enormous contribution to American war production, supplying military timing devices, and founded a school of watchmaking for disabled veterans.
The company was acquired by Citizen in 2008. Modern collections include the Precisionist, with a high-frequency quartz movement producing a smooth sweeping seconds hand, and reissues of the Accutron and the 1970s Computron.
- 1875
- Joseph Bulova opens his New York shop.
- 1941
- Airs the first television commercial in history.
- 1960
- The Accutron tuning fork movement is released.
- 1969
- An Accutron timer is left on the Moon by Apollo 11.
- 2008
- Acquired by Citizen.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (3,629), Stainless Steel Watches (3,600), Chronograph Watches (1,400), Sports Watches (882) and Pilot Watches (55).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Bulova's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 43.5mm sits at the larger end
Bulova Archive Series 96K111 Lunar alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 96K111 | VEZ900221 | 010-03014-03 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £489 | £520 |
| Case size | 43.5mm | 43mm | 45mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Fabric strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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