A few weeks ago, a Bulova Chronograph worn by Apollo 15 flight commander Dave Scott, went on the auctioneer’s block, fetching an incredible $1.6 million. A Florida businessman won the bidding, which started at $50,000, in a frenetic match with a British rival at RR, a Boston-based auction house.
For avid space buffs who have money to burn, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own a piece of memorabilia associated with the historic Apollo missions. A generation of baby- boomers watched those unforgettable Apollo moments on TV, and everything which is a reminder brings on a whiff of nostalgia.
The Bulova was a back-up watch brought on board by Scott, just in case his NASA-issue timekeeper developed a malfunction — and it did!
All NASA authorized watches (like Omega’s Speedmaster), worn by astronauts are considered government property and therefore not available for sale. Scott’s Bulova, which got to the moon only by happenstance, is considered to be the only privately-owned watch that has spent time on the lunar surface.