Bulova collectors have been asking for a smaller Lunar Pilot for what feels like a decade. The original 45mm reissue was a cult favorite that wore like a manhole cover, and even the 2023 cushion-cased 43.5mm trim only got us so far.
Now, Bulova has finally pulled the trigger on a 41mm version. The catch is that you can’t buy it in classic sandblasted steel yet. The downsizing arrives wrapped in a fully blacked-out limited edition called the Lunar Pilot Black Hole, which leans hard into the space theme and if you’re a fan of all-black everything, it might even be the most interesting Lunar Pilot Bulova has put out under this banner.
The Smallest Lunar Pilot Yet
The 41mm case keeps the cushion silhouette of the original Dave Scott prototype but trims the diameter, settling at 13.05mm thick with a 48mm lug-to-lug.
The treatment itself is sandblasted stainless with black PVD, contrasted by glossy black PVD on the bezel, crown, and pushers. It’s a one-tone watch on paper, but the play between matte and gloss gives it more depth than a flat-black slab.
About That Musou Black Dial
The dial is coated in Musou Black, a paint used in stealth applications and contemporary art that absorbs 99.4% of light. Bulova says it produces a void-like surface that’s tough to capture on camera.
Whether it photographs as a black hole or just reads as a regular matte dial in person is the open question, since light-eating finishes are notoriously dependent on how they’re lit. Grey Super-LumiNova on the applied markers and sandblasted hands handles legibility, and the tachymeter sits in relief under the tall sapphire crystal for a layered look.
The NP20 Earns Its Keep
Inside is the same NP20 high-precision quartz that powers the rest of the Lunar Pilot range, beating at 262 kHz, roughly eight times the rate of a standard quartz crystal. Accuracy lands in seconds-per-year territory, the chronograph hand sweeps, and the running seconds tick smoothly.
Water resistance also gets a meaningful bump to 100 meters, up from 50 on earlier Lunar Pilots. The caseback carries a printed Apollo 15 EVA-3 medallion under a mineral glass insert as a nod to Dave Scott’s actual moonwalk in 1971.
The Bigger Picture
We’d be surprised if Bulova developed a new case size for just one limited edition. A brushed steel 41mm Lunar Pilot is almost certainly waiting in the wings, and for a lot of collectors, that’s the watch they’ve been waiting on. The Black Hole might simply be the messenger.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Bulova
Model: Lunar Pilot Black Hole (98A335)
Case Size: 41mm
Case Thickness: 13.05mm
Lug-to-Lug: 48mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel with Black PVD
Dial: Musou Black with Grey Super-LumiNova
Crystal: Sapphire
Movement: Bulova NP20 High-Precision Quartz (262 kHz)
Water Resistance: 100m
Bracelet: Black PVD Stainless Steel, Push-Button Deployant
Limited Edition: 6,000 pieces
Pricing & Availability
The Lunar Pilot Black Hole is available now for $1,650, limited to 6,000 pieces, and ships with a matching travel case and Bulova clock.
Recap
Bulova Lunar Pilot Black Hole
Bulova finally shrinks its Apollo 15 chronograph down to 41mm and coats the dial in light-eating Musou Black, with the steel version collectors actually want almost certainly waiting in the wings.
