Tap the image to enlarge
Bulova 96K115 Archive Series Lunar Pilot Blood Moon Watch And Nato Strap - W09339
Ref. 96K115
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 £995 across 53 Bulova watches in stock.On 2 August 1971, astronaut David Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface during Apollo 15 — the only watch actually used on the moon during an EVA. The Blood Moon is a direct Archive Series descendant of that watch, with the dial colour drawn from the deep red the moon turns during a total lunar eclipse. At 43.5mm it is fractionally smaller than earlier Lunar Pilot iterations, which brings the cushion case closer to the proportions of the original rather than away from them. The NP20 movement runs at 262 kHz, eight times the frequency of a standard quartz oscillator, which does two things: it keeps time to within a few seconds per year, and it gives the chronograph seconds hand a smooth sweep rather than a step. The red and silver panda layout is bold in any light, but the grooved sub-dials at three, six and nine read cleanly because the contrasting silver rings give each one its own boundary. The paddle-shaped pushers sit flush with the case profile and operate with a satisfying positive action. The butterfly clasp on the bracelet has no micro-adjustment positions, so fit is a matter of choosing the right link count — worth noting before you size it. The quick-release system means swapping to the included NATO strap takes seconds, and the red contrast stitching on that strap ties the whole set together without looking contrived.
- Reference
- 96K115
- Brand
- Bulova
- Collection
- Lunar Pilot
- Case size
- 43.5mm
- Case thickness
- 13.5mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Cushion
- Dial
- Red
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Fixed tachymeter
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- NP20
- Functions
- Chronograph, Tachymeter
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Fabric strap
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Butterfly clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 51mm
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 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (3,555), Back in Stock (3,547), Chronograph Watches (1,379), Sports Watches (861), Tonneau & Cushion Watches (136) and Pilot Watches (52).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 51mm lug-to-lug keeps the 43.5mm case wearable
- 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 96K115 Archive Series Lunar alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 96K115 | 1514270 | VE2U00322 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £399 | £399 | £409 |
| Case size | 43.5mm | 43mm | 44mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Fabric strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched | 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 comparedWhat size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 51mm, which suits wrists from roughly 17.5cm (7 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs 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.
More Bulova watches like the 96K115 Archive Series Lunar
In stock, and close on style and price
