But the case is retro. It’s barrel shaped. The dial, hands and bezel all faithfully recreate a 1970s sports watch so you get the best of both worlds. You don’t ride a Harley because you’re into minimalism and quiet contemplation. You ride a Harley because it’s brash and dramatic.

The hour and minute hand are both wide and white, with a two-tone tip. The outer edges of the tip are bright red, while the center sports a slim lume stripe. The seconds hand is long and needle-shaped, with a bright red/orange finish that matches the red on the other hands and the subdials. Bulova was there when the army needed watches. When surfers wanted stylish watches, Bulova created them. And when one of NASA’s astronauts needed a replacement watch for a moonwalk Bulova already had a prototype ready. That’s not because of an innovation or a groundbreaking design. This watch is famous because it’s one of a select group worn in space. What makes the story even better, is that it wasn’t meant to be there. Unfortunately, the watch is only available on a rubber strap. Only the much more expensive automatic version comes on a bracelet. That being said, the strap is a very attractive blue tropic strap with a deployant clasp. Should you want to change it, the watch will accept any 20mm straps, but for a casual beach watch, you’d be hard pressed to outdo the included strap.

The moon landings are a high-point of 20th century American history so Bulova released this quartz remake of Scott’s watch. And yes, it was his original that sold for over a million! How comfortable do you want your watch to be? It’s a serious question. What if a watch was designed with comfort being the priority. Bulova Company was founded in 1875 by Joseph Bulova. Based in New York they moved to 580 Fifth Avenue in 1920. In 1923 Bulova Watch Inc was introduced.

Sapphire glass is slightly raised over the case and it creates nice edge distortions. Don’t worry – dial is still legible and you won’t have any problems here. The styling is the same as the watch Scott wore - as pictured when he saluted the American flag. It is large and legible with a quirky asymmetrical case.

The Case

But if you like chunky watches, then this is an attractive piece. Obviously, the Harley branding catches the eye first, as do the overlapping sub-dials. Then you can begin to take in the details. It takes design cues from the Bulova dive watches of the 1970s. The Surfboard name is due to the surfboard shape in the centre of the dial. Inside of the Surfboard Edition, you’ll find a quartz Miyota Caliber 6S21 chronograph movement. Yes, not automatic for this specific model, although the creamed coloured dial version is automatic. At this price, it would have been nice to see a mechanical movement. That means a 40mm case - larger than a vintage piece. And rather than a mechanical movement the watch has a modern reliable Japanese quartz engine.