Artemis II Watches

New lunar mission, new watchmaking giants in space

On April 1, 2026, NASA's colossal SLS rocket roared from Cape Canaveral, launching the first crewed mission to lunar orbit in over half a century. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are traveling aboard the Orion capsule. And as with every aerospace milestone in human history, the high-precision instruments strapped to their wrists over their pressure suits tell a fascinating parallel story: one of extreme mechanical survival and absolute reliability in the cosmic void.

The Artemis II mission is not a simple round trip; it is a vital stress test for the Orion capsule's life support systems. Venturing on a free-return trajectory that will fly over the far side of the Moon, the crew is subjected to levels of radiation and microgravity that demand tools of maximum reliability. In deep space, an electronic failure can be lethal; that is why redundant timekeeping remains sacred doctrine at NASA.

What watch technology accompanies them in 2026? The agency's protocol dictates the use of the Omega Speedmaster X-33 (Ref. 3291.50 or Skywalker variants). This hybrid analog-digital chronograph, forged in grade 2 titanium, was developed in collaboration with real astronauts. It allows measuring Mission Elapsed Time (MET) and calculating multiple alarm phases. In parallel, for activities where depressurization is a real risk, the official kit includes the unbeatable Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, the only one capable of withstanding a vacuum without batteries freezing, running out, or exploding.

However, the unofficial story in the command module is a true display of personal taste. Commander Reid Wiseman has shown his devotion to history by wearing a vintage Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute (a beautiful tribute to Scott Carpenter). For his part, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen pays tribute to deep exploration with an impressive Omega Speedmaster "Dark Side of the Moon" manufactured entirely in anti-reflective black ceramic.

It was the year 1964. Deke Slayton, NASA's Director of Flight Crew Operations, issued a memo requesting reliable chronographs for the Gemini and Apollo programs. Renowned brands sent their best pieces. NASA's grueling tests in 1965 destroyed crystals, melted dials, and shattered movements. Only one maintained its precision intact after undergoing thermal vacuum and 40 Gs shock forces: the legendary Omega Speedmaster ST 105.003.

On July 20, 1969, history was sealed in lunar dust. While Neil Armstrong's watch stayed in the Lunar Module as a backup due to an onboard timer failure, Buzz Aldrin descended to the surface with his Speedmaster (equipped with the mythical Caliber 321) on his wrist. Thus the nickname "Moonwatch" was forged. Today, modern models feature the Caliber 3861 Master Chronometer, incorporating a Co-Axial escapement that resists extreme magnetic fields of up to 15,000 gauss, raising the reliability standard to heights unimaginable in the 60s.

The Apollo 15 (1971) mission left us with one of the best secrets in watchmaking history. During the second extravehicular activity (EVA), the hesalite crystal of Commander David Scott's official Omega shattered due to drastic thermal and pressure fluctuation. Without an operative chronograph to measure oxygen and times, protocol demanded aborting. But Scott had brought a "Plan B" hidden in his suit pocket: a prototype Bulova chronograph, unofficially designed with the brand's engineers to withstand the relentless lunar conditions.

Scott used it during the third EVA and the tense splashdown phase. In this way, Bulova accidentally crowned itself as the only privately owned watch to be actively used on the surface of the Moon. When this personal watch, battered by lunar dust, was auctioned in 2015, it reached the stratospheric figure of 1.6 million dollars.

While the Swiss dominated the official narrative and government contracts, Japanese Seiko calibers earned the respect of astronauts as infallible pieces for "personal and tactical use." Seiko's history in space is one of functional ingenuity without frills or marketing campaigns.

🟡 Seiko "Pogue" 6139: The Automatic Pioneer

In 1973, during preparations for the extended Skylab 4 mission, Colonel William Pogue urgently needed to time engine ignitions during his training. Since NASA had not yet issued him his official kit, he went to the Ellington Air Force Base commissary and purchased a Seiko 6139 with a striking yellow dial with his own money. Knowing it was unauthorized, Pogue cleverly hid it in the leg pocket of his suit and smuggled it into outer space.

For decades, this glorious fact went completely unnoticed until enthusiasts and photo analysts detected the unmistakable yellow flash on his wrist in 2007. The 6139 was no ordinary watch: it made history as the first automatic chronograph in space, empirically proving that a rotor mechanism can charge perfectly with arm movements in a microgravity state, boasting its advanced vertical clutch and column wheel.

🔘 Seiko Rotocall A829: The Functional King of the Space Shuttle

Moving forward to the prolific 1980s, during the Space Shuttle program, the pressurized EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) suits presented a major ergonomic problem: the reinforced Kevlar, Teflon, and Nomex gloves were so thick and stiff that pressing the tiny side pushers of a digital watch was a frustrating and nearly impossible task. This is where Seiko's purely functional ingenuity shone with its A829 Rotocall model.

This peculiar digital watch broke the mold by eliminating dependence on buttons. It featured an innovative "Rotocall" rotating octagonal bezel. Simply by turning the textured bezel to different marked positions, the astronaut could instantly alternate between 8 vital functions (chronograph, countdown timer, dual alarm, multiple time zones) without needing fine motor skills. It quickly spread through the astronaut corps and became the favorite unofficial watch, being prominently used by space pioneers such as Dr. Sally Ride (the first American woman in space), Kathryn Sullivan, and European astronaut Wubbo Ockels.

Purchase with Official Guarantee

All models in our catalog are 100% original. We are an official distributor, with international warranty (2 years, extendable to 3 in Spain) and direct access to their qualified technical service.