BulovaMen's Archive Series Lunar Pilot 6-Hand Chronograph High Performance Quartz Stainless Steel, Sapphire Crystal Style: 96B258

Punches so far above its weight. Took it to a professional jeweler to have links removed and they were complimented it as a very well built, beautiful watch. Highly affordable and dead on the time for months on end. Lotta features and it’s easy to use. Wish it could illuminate but I’m nitpicking now. Classy watch!

Here are some impressions having just received mine. First: the size. I have a 6" wrist, thin bone structure, and this is the absolute largest watch I could wear. The case is elongated to a huge 52 mm from lug to lug, but with only a 20 mm lug width. However, the dial portion of the case is only 45 mm, so the watch wears smaller than its dimensions suggest. These proportions, on a tonneau shaped case, are classy and flattering but no one would ever regard a watch this size as dainty.The dial has a very 3D appearance, which has white applied stick indices, recessed chronometer markings in lieu of a chapter ring, and a raised tachymeter ring that is under the flat sapphire crystal (vs. on a bezel like a dive watch). White markings on a black background are very high-contrast and legible.I find diver-style fold-over deployant clasps easier to manage than the butterfly-style double deployant clasp on the "President" style bracelet, but it's solid and rattle-free with solid endlinks. The chronometer pushers actuate with crisp clicks, tactile feedback that is not often found on chronometers at this price point.Finally, the mixture of finishes gives the Moon Pilot an interesting look that distinguishes it from typical brushed steel watches. The case has a satin bead-blasted finish, the pushers and crown are polished, and the bracelet is brushed. I think people will either love or hate this unusual mixture of finishes. But the matte case finish helps offset the large size, which is too often associated with overly bright, blingy, hypermasculine watches (e.g. Nixon 51-30). Also, the flat sapphire with barely visible chamfer is not flush with or slightly recessed below a bezel, but is exposed about a mm so may be more vulnerable to dings.No one will mistake this for an Omega Speedmaster, but it's a solid watch for the price.

I am very pleased with my purchase. This is my fourth Bulova watch using the ultra-high frequency quartz movement used in their Precisionist line. This model is better constructed than any of the other Bulovas that I have had. The quality of the case and band are excellent. Some have complained that the band and case have slightly different finishes (case is stain, band is slightly brushed) but I really could not tell much of a difference. The band is comfortable and drapes nicely around the wrist. It has a butterfly closure that I prefer bu ist hard to find in "sports" watches that normally use a tri-fold closure with a clasp. With the butterfly closure, there is no outer clasp to become scratched. The watch is listed at 45 mm diameter, which is accurate. However, it has a slightly stepped construction in that the diameter of the face of watch is about 41 mm. Therefore, this watch wears smaller than 45 mm. Because of this, I think it is better proportioned than many large chronographs.The best thing about this watch and the reason it was chosen by one astronaut as a backup watch is the legibility of the dial. (FYI: the Omega Speedmaster was the original NASA purchased watch but the Bulova was used as the backup watch by at least one astronaut on the moon mission. In that case, his Omega stopped working and the Bulova had to be used). Being able to see the time at a glance is excellent due to the design of the hands, the dial, and the fact that the sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating. You should be aware that the center sweep seconds hand is for chronograph seconds and will move only when activated by the top pusher. Continuous seconds is shown in the lower subdial where the hand will tick 2 times per second. Subdial on the right is for 1/10 seconds, and the subdial on the left is for lapsed minutes up to 60 minutes. The subdials could have been slightly larger and the 60 minute counter should have been reduced to 30 minutes as on many chronographs. The shape of the pushers are unique to this model and have been widely praised. I like them myself and they work great. In case you are wondering about the battery life due to the higher energy consumption of the movement, it far exceeds Bulova's estimate of 2 years. My oldest Bulova Precisionist is more than 3 years old and I have never had to replace the battery even with a continuous sweeping center second hand going continuously for 3 1/2 years. This battery life seems common based on the discussion on many watch forums. I think that this purchase is money well spent.

All I do is stare at it all day. It’s the watch that starts so many conversations and it’s a gem to look at.Simply the best watch for the price. It looks and feels more expensive than what it is.