Dr. N.
Not everyone knows that at Apollo missions, with which the NASA he wanted to take the man to the moon, another chronograph attended, as well to the Omega Speedmaster. This is the Bulova Lunar Pilot, chronograph that was on the wrist by astronaut Dave Scott of Apollo 15 mission.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch vs Bulova Lunar Pilot: history
Numerous watchmakers have competed to become official suppliers of Apollo missions. The requests were clear: a chronograph capable of withstanding the stresses of a mission like the Apollo one, guaranteeing great legibility.
The winner of the race, as is known, was the Omega Speedmaster, against a competition that also included the Rolex Daytona. Part of those tests was also a specially made Bulova model. The Bulova Lunar Pilot, equipped with a large and sturdy case, a large and clearly legible dial, as well as two oversized chronograph buttons to be operated even with gloves.
Il Bulova eventually lost in the tests against the Omega Speedmaster, which became, as is well known, the "Moonwatch". But the tested specimen was honored by Bulova, a Dave Scott, crew member of Apollo 15. When, during the Apollo 15 mission, the Omega Speedmaster supplied to him by NASA had a breakdown, Scott asked mission control for permission to wear the Bulova owned by him. Permission came and also Bulova had his participation in one Apollo mission.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch vs Bulova Lunar Pilot: the mechanics
THEOmega Speedmaster it has kept its traditional connotation, mounting mechanical movements since the days of the missions Apollo to date. The "Speedy" it was made with automatic or manual movement, but always with mechanical calibers. Recently, Omega brought back into production the caliber 321, that of Speedmaster original, to the delight of the most nostalgic fans.
Il Bulova Lunar Pilot it is a relatively recent model. If it is true that his forerunner participated in the mission apollo 15, the version for the public, however, was only put into production in 2015, following an auction in which the Lunar Pilot original of Scott it had grossed over a million dollars. The movement of the Lunar Pilot it is a high performance quartz, with high frequency. The seconds hand of the chronograph runs gradually almost like that of a mechanical watch, and that of the hourly seconds sub-dial clicks every half second.
In the second part of this article, we will see how the Bulova Lunar Pilot andOmega Speedmaster they compare about price and wearability. Soon!
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