Bulova Introduces a New Lunar Pilot with a Timascus Dial
Cosmically speaking, 150 years might not be a very long time, but in the relatively young scale of recorded human history, it’s a mighty long while indeed. Airplanes, space travel, personal computers, microchips, sliced bread, washing machines, and the Internet were all invented within the past 150 years or so, making it even more impressive when a brand reaches the same level of longevity. This year, Bulova has done just that. To celebrate their sesquicentennial, the American watchmaker has a new release based on an icon of their past: the Lunar Pilot Timascus.
The new release calls back to the original watch of the same name—the Lunar Pilot Chronograph—which was created in 1971 and ultimately worn on the moon. In the futuristic year of 2025, Bulova has teamed up with Brazilian artist Thiago Rosinhole to put his signature astronaut character “Budii” on the new Lunar Pilot, furthering the space-faring theme and giving the watch a touch of quirky character on top of historical heritage.
Still, the new Lunar Pilot leans less on the use of the character (who I was admittedly unfamiliar with until the collaboration announcement) and more on a creative use of color to spice up the classic chronograph style seen on other Lunar Pilot models throughout the brand’s history and current lineup. Nestled within a stainless steel case that measures 43.5mm in diameter is the “tiamscus” dial. If you, like me, were wondering what that means, it’s actually a fairly straightforward portmanteau of “titanium” and “Damascus”, though the material itself isn’t as straightforward. Basically, the titanium has been put through the Damascus process of repeatedly folding layers, creating the unique, colorful waves that appear on the dial. It looks like a trippy mix of layers of water and oil, an effect that is much prettier than I am making it sound (I promise).
Decorating the dial are three white-silver chronograph subdials, with matching silver markers, numerals, and hands. A tachymeter fixed bezel ring and blue chronograph pushers flanking the crown round out the design. Underneath is an HPQ NP20 quartz movement with a frequency of 262 kHz, promising precise accuracy. On the screw-down caseback is a relief of the Budii character on the moon, an 150th anniversary inscription that also notes the Apollo 15 project and its August 2nd, 1971 date, and the “Limited Edition/5,500” declaration. An anti-reflective sapphire crystal tops it all off, and ensures that the Budii holds a water resistance of 50 meters.
Bulova has long been a purveyor of excellent budget watches that punch above their class in style and construction, and the new Lunar Pilot Timascus seems to continue that 150-year old trend. Despite being “just a quartz” (a statement that I have beef with in general), the chronograph on display here is both innovative in material and highly functional. The fact that it’s a collaboration with a well-known artist is an extra bonus, but you don’t need to be a Budii fan to appreciate the aesthetics of the dial, and toast to the longevity of Bulova as a watchmaker.
The Bulova x Budii Lunar Pilot Timascus is available now and retails for $1,650. Bulova
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