Meteorites are not a common sight here on Earth. For one, they look almost like the rocks and stones that form here naturally. And that’s if they haven’t already burned up completely after making their way through our atmosphere. However, every once in a while, a meteorite large enough will make some waves. Such was the occasion in 1906 when the first fragment of the famous Muonionalusta meteorite was discovered in northern Scandinavia. Landing here on Earth over a million years ago, the iron rock (of which around 40 fragments are known today) is itself estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. American watch brand Bulova has now used pieces from this meteorite for the dials on its Moon-inspired Lunar Pilot chronograph.
When it comes to watches that have been to space –– let alone watches that have been to the Moon –– the Omega Speedmaster seems to occupy most of the public consciousness. Its importance and legacy alone have cemented it as THE moon watch. However, in 1971, during the Apollo 15 mission, astronaut David Scott secretly donned a Bulova chronograph (ref. 88510) on his wrist, swapping out his NASA-commissioned Omega for this one, which he stowed on board as one of his personal belongings. While his first and second moonwalks were done wearing the Omega, his third and fourth featured the Bulova. It’s still the only time a watch from anyone other than Omega or Rolex has been worn on the Moon’s surface. In 2015, Scott auctioned off this watch, and later that year Bulova honored the moon landing with its own recreation, dubbed the Lunar Pilot.
As part of Bulova’s Archive Series, this very special Lunar Pilot with a dial made from Muonionalusta meteorite is limited to 5,000 pieces, with no two dials sharing the same crystalline pattern. Adorned with a leather strap and enscribed on the caseback to commemorate Apollo 15, it’s housed in a 43.5mm silver-tone grade 5 titanium case that’s been sandblasted with polished accents. Like the Apollo 15 chronograph, the Lunar Pilot also has a tri-compax layout. The three totalizers are activated with slim pushers on the outside and powered by Bulova’s proprietary high-precision quartz movement.
For your chance to own a piece of history — from 4.5 billion years ago, no less — check out this limited-edition Lunar Pilot Meteorite. It’s priced at $1,495 from Bulova’s website.
