# My Bulova Moonwatch , photo and story Aapollo 15...



## MDT IT (Jul 4, 2016)

Good mornig ,

in the Universe a a small satellite next to us..
*
The Moon*








He has always stimulated the imagination of man ...

*Our position in relation to the enormity of the Galaxy*
















The technology came 'in a short time to make designing the first rockets...

The 26 july 1971 , Capitan Scott and his crew of astronaut began the adventure...

*Now the mission Apollo 15*:









*The engine proportions .......*









*Lunch of Saturn 5 mission Apollo 15*






*The Capitan David Scott*









*The Rover *









*Scott on the Moon*

















*Space capsule Apollo 15*









*The splashdown capsule*









*The Bulova arm and wrist Captain Scott..*

































*The chrono of Scott sold One Million Five hundred Dollars....*








































*Curiosity (Why Scott us Bulova and not Speedmaster Omega)*

_*Scott only wore the Bulova as a result of his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster chronograph breaking while he was exploring the moon. As he readied to go outside for a third and last moonwalk on Aug. 2, 1971, he discovered that the crystal protecting his Omega's watch face had popped off and was lost.

As such, Scott retrieved his personal backup, a watch he later said no one but his supervisor and his two crewmates knew was aboard at the time, to wear for the remainder of the mission. Even Bulova was unaware that its timepiece, a prototype design that was never commercially produced until now, had flown to the moon.

After the mission, NASA described the Bulova watch as an "unauthorized timepiece" and withheld the brand's name to avoid commercialization of the watch. The agency retained ownership of the astronauts' Speedmaster chronographs, eventually transferring them to the Smithsonian, where the majority are now held today.

For four decades, Scott kept the Bulova chronograph (and its companion stopwatch) hidden away in a safety deposit box. In 1996, 25 years after the Apollo 15 mission returned to Earth, Scott mistakenly recalled in an interview that the pieces were made by Waltham, another U.S. watchmaker. It was not until the last few years when he went to retrieve the watches for sale did Scott rediscover they were made by Bulova.

Now, Bulova is commemorating its role in Apollo history by producing its first replica of Scott's moon-worn watch.

"Now reimagined for today's sensibility, the special edition replica is equal parts old-school-cool and modern style on the outside, and skilled-engineering savvy on the inside,Bulova stated.*_

The Precisionist of new Bulova is equipped by a crystal that vibrates to three arms..









*Features :*

Date Display
Small Seconds Sub Dial
Luminous Hands and Markers
1/20 Second Chronograph To 60 minutes
45mm Stainless Steel Case (14mm thick)
Engraved Case Back With Pertinent Details to Apollo 15
Stainless Steel Bracelet
Deployment Clasp with Double Push Buttons
Bracelet Width at Case 20mm
Bracelet Width at Clasp 20mm
Anti Reflective Sapphire Crystal
Water Resistance to 166 ft. (50m), (5 Atmospheres)
Movement: Quartz
Certificate of authenticity, History of the Moon Watch Book, Instruction Booklet, and Warranty Information

*New and old model.....*










*Now my Bulova*



























































































*Mode Moon :*


























*Wrist 19 CM.*










*History wrist...*:-d










......sorry for my Englisho|

*CIAO* :-d


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## Gryffindor (Dec 28, 2012)

Awesome stuff, thank you for sharing!


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## TeeRite (Nov 14, 2013)

Really Cool! I love mine along with its space inspired Accutron cousin.


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## BigDuke (Jul 4, 2016)

Great story on this watch. I just picked one up and loving it!

View attachment DSC_0047.JPG


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## Falco 67 (Aug 7, 2015)

Fantastic thread, as your usual!!!


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## minuteman62 (Jul 18, 2015)

Very nice write-up and pictorial!.


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## AFG08 (Mar 31, 2010)

I keep thinking it's too big for my 7.5 inch rist but maybe not. I will probably end up buying one if I can locate one with a strap.


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## BigDuke (Jul 4, 2016)

AFG08 said:


> I keep thinking it's too big for my 7.5 inch rist but maybe not. I will probably end up buying one if I can locate one with a strap.


I'd go for it. The pics make it look really big but I think it wears smaller. Besides, if you didn't like it you can sell it later and I'm sure you wont lose on it.


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## GX9901 (May 13, 2009)

Great post! Thanks for the cool pictures.

I ordered one last weekend during Macy's July 4th sale and it arrived today. My wrist is only 6.5" and initially I thought it might not work due to the relatively straight lug that look like it's overhanging my wrist with the leather strap. I switched it to the nylon strap and it looked much better to me. I'll be mostly wearing this with NATO type straps, I think.

My initial thought is that it's a very nice watch at a great value (especially on sale). Too bad Macy's didn't include the outer cardboard box for some reason.


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## javadave61 (Mar 26, 2015)

AFG08 said:


> I keep thinking it's too big for my 7.5 inch rist but maybe not. I will probably end up buying one if I can locate one with a strap.


Mine wears perfectly on my 7 1/4" wrist. It would look great on yours.


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## Wolfsatz (Jun 27, 2016)

I just came from the Jeweler that had this one on display. it was not running because they say it has not been set; and then he pointed to the tool on the right side. can someone explain to me how it is set? and what the tool is?


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## odd_and_vintage_fan (Dec 4, 2014)

Wolfsatz said:


> I just came from the Jeweler that had this one on display. it was not running because they say it has not been set; and then he pointed to the tool on the right side. can someone explain to me how it is set? and what the tool is?


The tool is to change the straps. The little prongs grab the sides of the springbar where it goes into the case so one can slide it out.

If it had the original plastic nubbin behind the crown, it wouldn't be running yet. This saves battery life until it's sold by keeping the crown out in the "set" position with the hands not running.


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## Wolfsatz (Jun 27, 2016)

Duh! So the tool has nothong todo with setting the watch. Thanks 

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## HerrNano (Apr 29, 2015)

I have a firm 'no-chrono' rule. But this watch makes me want to break that rule. It's great looking. Also, I like the history lesson, OP.


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## Topspin917 (Mar 17, 2012)

Congratulations on your beautiful Moonwatch and thanks for posting the very interesting history behind it. I wonder how Bulova's corporate direction might have been altered if the fact that Scott wore the watch on the moon had been made public instead of being kept secret for so many years.


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## malach ra (Sep 29, 2012)

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## poisonwazthecure (Sep 17, 2014)

Forbes Welcome

I thought he had taken the bulova to the moon at the request of a friend. Like the Omega story, this one is probably a bit muddy.


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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

Topspin917 said:


> Congratulations on your beautiful Moonwatch and thanks for posting the very interesting history behind it. I wonder how Bulova's corporate direction might have been altered if the fact that Scott wore the watch on the moon had been made public instead of being kept secret for so many years.


Since it was a prototype, Bulova should have been fully aware that Scott had the watch with him (in fact, that's probably why he had a prototype at all). Bulova had been trying repeatedly to get the Accutron watches on board Apollo, but they didn't pass the watch tests. Bradley even lobbied Congress about having American watches, but it didn't work.

In the debrief following the flight, Scott mentioned that his Speedmaster broke and he used his personal watch as a backup. It's in the Apollo 15 Lunar Surface journal (somewhere). I'm too lazy to dig through this again, but I've read it years ago when it still mentioned it was a Waltham. Anyway, my point is that it wasn't a secret, it's just that no one other than us watch nerds really cared. And apparently someone cared $1.5M worth last year. 

https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/


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## HerrNano (Apr 29, 2015)

rfortson said:


> Since it was a prototype, Bulova should have been fully aware that Scott had the watch with him (in fact, that's probably why he had a prototype at all). Bulova had been trying repeatedly to get the Accutron watches on board Apollo, but they didn't pass the watch tests. Bradley even lobbied Congress about having American watches, but it didn't work.
> 
> In the debrief following the flight, Scott mentioned that his Speedmaster broke and he used his personal watch as a backup. It's in the Apollo 15 Lunar Surface journal (somewhere). I'm too lazy to dig through this again, but I've read it years ago when it still mentioned it was a Waltham. Anyway, my point is that it wasn't a secret, it's just that no one other than us watch nerds really cared. And apparently someone cared $1.5M worth last year.
> 
> https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a15/


I am certainly no expert on any of it, but I thought I read that Bulova provided a watch to Scott, the watch didn't pass muster with NASA, but that a provided Bulova was not really a 'personal watch' by any stretch. In other words, Bulova hearing that an astronaut used his personal watch wouldn't set off any bells and whistles and hearing Waltham would sound right to all involved.


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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

HerrNano said:


> I am certainly no expert on any of it, but I thought I read that Bulova provided a watch to Scott, the watch didn't pass muster with NASA, but that a provided Bulova was not really a 'personal watch' by any stretch. In other words, Bulova hearing that an astronaut used his personal watch wouldn't set off any bells and whistles and hearing Waltham would sound right to all involved.


I guess I'm a little more cynical given all of Bulova's efforts to get the watch into the space program. But the counter is that if Bulova had been aware, they probably would have publicized it with a commemorative watch before Scott finally made it public with the auction. I guess we'll never really know.

I still think it's cool to have this watch out there. Wish it were a few mm smaller, but I'll probably still pick one up someday. I'm a huge space geek, so it seems almost required.

One question about the cloth strap. I saw someone's picture with that strap and the leather "tag" was on the outside. I just assumed that it was on the inside. Can anyone confirm where that leather "tag" actually is when you strap it on?


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## tmathes (Jan 11, 2013)

rfortson said:


> I guess I'm a little more cynical given all of Bulova's efforts to get the watch into the space program. But the counter is that if Bulova had been aware, they probably would have publicized it with a commemorative watch before Scott finally made it public with the auction. I guess we'll never really know.
> 
> I still think it's cool to have this watch out there. Wish it were a few mm smaller, but I'll probably still pick one up someday. I'm a huge space geek, so it seems almost required.
> 
> One question about the cloth strap. I saw someone's picture with that strap and the leather "tag" was on the outside. I just assumed that it was on the inside. Can anyone confirm where that leather "tag" actually is when you strap it on?


I just got one this week, it has the tag on the outside. The included zulu strap is a 2 piece type, 3 ring.


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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

tmathes said:


> I just got one this week, it has the tag on the outside. The included zulu strap is a 2 piece type, 3 ring.


Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. The strap version seems like the one I want, but now I'm not so sure about that strap. The black leather strap seems okay, though.

First world problems, for sure.

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## Kilovolt (May 1, 2012)

The leather strap faking a carbon texture is not very nice to look at and is hard as cardboard. The nylon one is quite comfortable but of course it has the 'leather' tag in a rather prominent position:


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## tmathes (Jan 11, 2013)

Kilovolt, after putting it on a watch pillow for a couple of days strapped tightly (I have the ones with the hard sides, sort of wrist shaped) it was a lot more flexible. Its not my favorite strap but it's not bad either. It was no where near as lousy (feint praise) as I read here. I prefer it to the zulu strap myself.

To each his own.


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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

Well thanks to the enablers here and at Macy's, I'll have mine in a week or so. The price was impossible to ignore, just a little over $300 after all the various discounts.

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## odd_and_vintage_fan (Dec 4, 2014)

Nice pickup for $300 ish! 

The included straps didn't do it for me. Mine spent less than 24 hours on the leather and less than one hour on the nylon. Still, easy enough to swap out and now it's one of my favorites.


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## chrisleger1 (Jul 16, 2010)

I just picked one up for my brother-in-law for his 30th. If he doesn't love it, I'll be more than happy to give it a home! 

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## Wolfsatz (Jun 27, 2016)

odd_and_vintage_fan said:


> Nice pickup for $300 ish!
> 
> The included straps didn't do it for me. Mine spent less than 24 hours on the leather and less than one hour on the nylon. Still, easy enough to swap out and now it's one of my favorites.


Did you out a bra c elet on it?

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## akajack (Aug 15, 2015)

If anyone knows an AD that is selling these for US$300 out-the-door please share. I understand the above one at that price was a special discount, but hopefully it can be duplicated. Ebay is around US$400 with no tax or shipping charge. For US$300 all-in I would be a buyer.


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## chrisleger1 (Jul 16, 2010)

akajack said:


> If anyone knows an AD that is selling these for US$300 out-the-door please share. I understand the above one at that price was a special discount, but hopefully it can be duplicated. Ebay is around US$400 with no tax or shipping charge. For US$300 all-in I would be a buyer.


I got mine for ~$415 all in, yesterday, new from an AD, with full Bulova warranty. Best deal I could find for new, and I would've got two if it were $300...

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## odd_and_vintage_fan (Dec 4, 2014)

Wolfsatz said:


> Did you out a bra c elet on it?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N915P using Tapatalk


Perlon.


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## akajack (Aug 15, 2015)

Yup US$400 all day long from U.S. ADs. Understood. Looking for an AD that just wants to move them out, or a 25% off sale, etc.



chrisleger1 said:


> I got mine for ~$415 all in, yesterday, new from an AD, with full Bulova warranty. Best deal I could find for new, and I would've got two if it were $300...
> 
> Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk


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## tmathes (Jan 11, 2013)

akajack said:


> If anyone knows an AD that is selling these for US$300 out-the-door please share. I understand the above one at that price was a special discount, but hopefully it can be duplicated. Ebay is around US$400 with no tax or shipping charge. For US$300 all-in I would be a buyer.


,,


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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

akajack said:


> If anyone knows an AD that is selling these for US$300 out-the-door please share. I understand the above one at that price was a special discount, but hopefully it can be duplicated. Ebay is around US$400 with no tax or shipping charge. For US$300 all-in I would be a buyer.


Macy's is an AD for Bulova. That deal is good through Sunday (the Black Friday code is BFJULY). It's good either online or in their stores, and the website will (usually) tell you which Macy's stores have it in stock. Mine said in-stock but when I went there, the sales lady couldn't find it even though her in-store system said they had one. While we were looking, I saw the sign that said "20% your purchase when you open a Macy's account". I don't want or need a Macy's card, but for another 20% off, I did it. Took an extra 5 minutes at the counter. Shipping to my house is free. With tax it was around $325.

To sum up, MSRP is $550. They currently have it for $440. Black Friday knocks another 15% off to $375. Opening a Macy's account takes another 20% dropping it to $300. Tax is locality-dependent, but just say add 8-10% back to the price.


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## akajack (Aug 15, 2015)

Thank you! I appreciate the time it took to write this all up. I'm in 9.75% tax country (Kalifornia) so I was looking at out-of-state ADs hoping to save another $30. It's a toss up if I do it the way you did or hope for something better online. Thanks again!



rfortson said:


> Macy's is an AD for Bulova. That deal is good through Sunday (the Black Friday code is BFJULY). It's good either online or in their stores, and the website will (usually) tell you which Macy's stores have it in stock. Mine said in-stock but when I went there, the sales lady couldn't find it even though her in-store system said they had one. While we were looking, I saw the sign that said "20% your purchase when you open a Macy's account". I don't want or need a Macy's card, but for another 20% off, I did it. Took an extra 5 minutes at the counter. Shipping to my house is free. With tax it was around $325.
> 
> To sum up, MSRP is $550. They currently have it for $440. Black Friday knocks another 15% off to $375. Opening a Macy's account takes another 20% dropping it to $300. Tax is locality-dependent, but just say add 8-10% back to the price.


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## malach ra (Sep 29, 2012)

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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

So, mine just came. Decided to save the leather band and go with the "mission strap". And of course I had to geek out with my shirt. (Not from the same mission but extra geek credit to those that know the story).










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## MDT IT (Jul 4, 2016)

*Re: My Bulova Moonwatch , photo and story Apollo 15...*

....:think:....

:-d


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## BigDuke (Jul 4, 2016)

Did the same thing and now I prefer the mission strap!


rfortson said:


> So, mine just came. Decided to save the leather band and go with the "mission strap". And of course I had to geek out with my shirt. (Not from the same mission but extra geek credit to those that know the story).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## MDT IT (Jul 4, 2016)

Hi


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## skyleth (Oct 17, 2016)

These are on Amazon right now for $314, I wish it fit my wrist.


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## longstride (Jan 13, 2011)

Very nicely done!


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## amac84 (Mar 11, 2016)

rfortson said:


> So, mine just came. Decided to save the leather band and go with the "mission strap". And of course I had to geek out with my shirt. (Not from the same mission but extra geek credit to those that know the story).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks great! I'm curious what size wrist you have. I am back and forth on ordering one, but I'm worried those straight lugs may hang over the edge of my 7.25" wrist!

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## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

amac84 said:


> That looks great! I'm curious what size wrist you have. I am back and forth on ordering one, but I'm worried those straight lugs may hang over the edge of my 7.25" wrist!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I've got 6.75" pencil wrists. The lugs are pretty short.

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## Manuel Garcia O'Kely (May 2, 2011)

I just bought one "used" - I can't tell, from Rob at Topper, with both straps, box, etc, all complete. $250 plus tax.

was a deal I cold not pass up.


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## amac84 (Mar 11, 2016)

Manuel Garcia O'Kely said:


> I just bought one "used" - I can't tell, from Rob at Topper, with both straps, box, etc, all complete. $250 plus tax.
> 
> was a deal I cold not pass up.


Nice! Saw them for $314 recently online. I'm debating on pulling the trigger now or waiting for holiday sales to go into full swing.

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## skyleth (Oct 17, 2016)

my wrist in the photo above is also approx 6.75", so at 7.25" you should be fine.


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## minuteman62 (Jul 18, 2015)

amac84 said:


> That looks great! I'm curious what size wrist you have. I am back and forth on ordering one, but I'm worried those straight lugs may hang over the edge of my 7.25" wrist!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have a 7 1/4" wrist and the watch fits fine. I don't notice any weird feeling of size as the watch actually feels more comfortable then you would expect a watch this size to feel. Still has some weight to it but it wears better then you would expect. I usually don't wear watches this big but I do like this one. And it is the 'most accurate' non atomic watch I have.


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## MDT IT (Jul 4, 2016)

The Captain's Watch


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