Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph 96B258
Specs, Market Price & Buying Guide
- The Bulova Lunar Pilot 96B258 is the 43.5mm sapphire-and-bracelet 'Moon Watch' chronograph — a reissue of the Bulova timing watch worn on the lunar surface during Apollo 15 in 1971.
- Market range: roughly $450–$600 against an $895 US retail price (verified Aug 16, 2026 — recheck before acting).
- Availability: in current production; grey-market and Amazon pricing typically lands 30–45% below retail.
Representative photo of the Lunar Pilot line. Reference 96B258 (black dial, steel bracelet) shown for identification.
Market range $450–$600 · verified 2026-08-16
$895
Flat
Flat
Flat — retail rose, street price anchored
Editorial estimate compiled from public listings. Ranges move weekly. Verified 2026-08-16.
Checked 2026-08-16: in current production. Bulova lists at $895; major online dealers and Amazon routinely stock at $450–$600.
Full specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case | 43.5mm stainless steel |
| Lug-to-lug | 51mm |
| Thickness | 13.2mm |
| Lug width | 20mm |
| Movement | Bulova high-performance quartz chronograph — 262kHz (8× standard quartz), smooth-sweep seconds |
| Power | Battery, ~2–3 years |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Water resistance | 50m / 165ft |
| Bezel | Fixed tachymeter-style chapter ring |
| Bracelet | Steel three-link, push-button deployant |
| Dial | Black, three subdials, date between 4 and 5 |
| Introduced | Current generation of the 2016 'Moon Watch' reissue line |
How it wears, by wrist size
Too much watch — 51mm lug-to-lug will overhang. Consider the 38mm Lunar Pilot 'Moonwatch' variant instead.
Wears large but manageable if you like presence; try before buying.
The intended audience. Balanced, substantial, unapologetic.
Perfectly at home — this case was designed for bigger wrists.
Buy or skip?
Editorial take: 8/10 — real Moon history without the Moonwatch price.
The Lunar Pilot is the only watch in its price bracket with a genuine on-the-Moon story: Dave Scott wore a Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface in 1971 after his issued Speedmaster failed. The 96B258 wraps that history in sapphire, a solid bracelet, and a 262kHz movement whose chronograph seconds hand sweeps like a mechanical. The honest knocks: it is big, it is quartz at an $895 sticker, and 50m of water resistance is casual at best. At $450–$600 street, though, it is a lot of story and watch for the money.
- Your wrist is under 7 inches — the 51mm lug-to-lug does not compromise.
- You want a mechanical chronograph — this is high-performance quartz, however smooth the sweep.
- You need more than 50m water resistance.
Available alternatives (Amazon-priced)
If you want the Moon-chronograph look for less — or smaller — these Amazon-priced options are the usual cross-shops.
Pagani Design PD-1701
Speedmaster-style chronograph with sapphire and a meca-quartz movement around $80–$120.
Check Amazon price ↗Citizen Brycen Chronograph
Eco-Drive chronograph with 100m resistance; typically $200–$280.
Check Amazon price ↗Casio Edifice Chronograph
Tachymeter-styled quartz chronographs from about $70 — the budget answer.
Check Amazon price ↗Timex Waterbury Chronograph
Vintage-styled chrono around $100–$150 with Indiglo; smaller on the wrist than the Bulova.
Check Amazon price ↗96B258 vs. the Moon-chronograph alternatives
| Watch | Case | Movement | Crystal | Water | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulova Lunar Pilot 96B258 | 43.5mm × 13.2mm | 262kHz HP quartz chrono | Sapphire | 50m | $450–$600 |
| MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon | 42mm × 13.3mm | Quartz chrono | Bioceramic/acrylic | 30m | $270 retail |
| Citizen Brycen | 44mm × 12.5mm | Eco-Drive chrono | Mineral | 100m | $200–$280 |
| Pagani Design PD-1701 | 40mm × 13mm | Meca-quartz chrono | Sapphire | 100m | $80–$120 |
Ownership costs
| Cost item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Battery | $15–$30 every 2–3 years at any watch counter; the 262kHz movement is otherwise maintenance-light. |
| Service | No routine movement service; reseal after battery changes if you care about the 50m rating. |
| Bracelet/straps | 20mm lugs; it famously transforms on a leather rally strap or NATO. |
| Resale | Tracks the street price, not retail; buy at $450–$600 and exits are gentle. |
Frequently asked questions
Did a Bulova really go to the Moon?
Yes. Apollo 15 commander Dave Scott wore his personal Bulova chronograph on the lunar surface in 1971 after his issued Omega failed. That watch sold at auction in 2015 for $1.625 million, and the Lunar Pilot line reissues its design.
Is the Lunar Pilot automatic?
No — it is a 262kHz high-performance quartz, eight times the frequency of a standard quartz movement. That is why the chronograph seconds hand sweeps smoothly instead of ticking.
96B258 vs 96B251 — what is the difference?
The 96B258 is the current sapphire-crystal, steel-bracelet configuration. Earlier references in the line shipped on nylon or leather with different crystal specs; the underlying 43.5mm case and movement family are shared.
Lunar Pilot or MoonSwatch?
The MoonSwatch is cheaper, lighter, and more playful; the Lunar Pilot is sapphire, steel, water-resistant to 50m, and carries the genuine Apollo 15 story. Different watches for different moods — the Bulova is the one you can wear to a meeting.
Where to buy safely
$895 retail with full factory warranty.
$450–$600 new — the rational way to buy this reference.
Frequently $450–$550; check seller ratings and warranty paperwork.
$350–$500 used; verify the chronograph resets crisply to zero on all subdials.