Thread: Watches Worn in Space

The word doing the rounds is that Rolex cannot get over the fact that they are not the Moonwatch, and desperately try and shoe horn themselves into space history. Rolex "won" the commercial battle, let Omega have the scraps of the Moon landings.

I think the notion that Omega pay to be in the programme is similar insane sour grapes. The selection process has been well documentated and attested to over many decades. And NASA were so well funded in the Space Race days that they would neither need nor care for any trivial cash from Omega. And the idea that Omega paid for the usage of the x-33, which was a commercial flop, is similarly unlikely.

Originally Posted by abraxas

.
The unsung hero of the space program is ... Rolex. Many 'nauts used them as their personal timekeeper. There is word doing the rounds that Omega paid to be on the program, something which does not surprise me.

john

I thought the unsung hero of the space programme nowadays is G-shock?

I agree that it was an accident and Omega fan boys make more of it than they should. But that's just the age group - USA - space race thing. Omega though, don't make so much out of it. Okay there's all those limited editions, but comparatively speaking they don't hype it much at all, especially in the stores and boutiques. In fact, considering the movement is a Lemania, it wouldn't surprise me if they secretly wished they could replace it.

But the last point of "paying to be involved" is the worst kind of non-attributable nonsense that the Internet is terrible for. All the evidence points against it. And in what kind of world are Omega the bad guys and Rolex the good? Both manufacturers perpetuate an amazing marketing con - that somehow very old, massively mass produced technology is also exclusive and deserving of ever increasing price premium.

Cheers

Dave

Originally Posted by andrew

Another word doing the rounds is that Omega can't stop droning on about something they achieved accidentally about fifty years ago - and neither can its fans. Depends on which corner of the internet you like, really ;).

If Omega did pay to get involved... let's just say it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. That speaks volumes!

The Poljot (Sekonda) Strela was the first watch worn during a space walk. On March 18, 1965 Alexey Arkhipovich Leonov became the first human to walk in space. The mission was Voskhod-2. On his wrist a STRELA watch.



Soviet Cosmonaut Alexey Alexandrovich Gubarev was on board the Soyuz-28 mission together with Vladimir Remek. Gubarev and Remek – the first non-Soviet, non-American to travel to space – were launched aboard Soyuz-28 on March 2, 1978. The crew docked with the orbiting Salyut-6 space station. On Gubarev’s wrist, a black labeled SEKONDA



Here is my vintage Strela, also made in 1978:



Bulova Accutron tuning fork timing mechanisms were used in 46 US space program missions. An Accutron watch movement sits on the moon's Sea of Tranquility today, in an instrument placed there in 1969 by Apollo 11 astronauts, the first men on the moon.

The Apollo 11 Bulova clock:



My 1966 tuning fork Accutron pre-dates the moon missions, but is not quite so complicated: :glasses7:

I stand corrected. I don't really follow the new Speedmaster stuff...I think it's ugly...so I didn't know it was called the Moonwatch, which, tbh, is disgusting. I would agree with all your marketing points as well.

Originally Posted by andrew

Originally Posted by Dave Downing

I agree that it was an accident and Omega fan boys make more of it than they should. But that's just the age group - USA - space race thing. Omega though, don't make so much out of it. Okay there's all those limited editions, but comparatively speaking they don't hype it much at all, especially in the stores and boutiques. In fact, considering the movement is a Lemania, it wouldn't surprise me if they secretly wished they could replace it.

Omega has recently announced a new "Moonwatch" - the 9300-powered bi-compax Speedmaster Automatic. "Moonwatch" is what they call it. I'm sure the Speedmaster costs next to nothing to produce and each one makes them a handsome surplus, but I wouldn't be surprised if Omega's product strategy department will eventually chuck the Pro in the same bin as the quartz Seamaster.

My point about Omega's "contribution" to the endorsement of its products is based on its recent (last five years) brand repositioning, where it is overtly seeking to out-Rolex Rolex particularly in the New New World, and become the aspirational luxury product brand au choix. The hardcore marketing, infatuation with China, saturated Olympic-related brand alignment and in-content product positioning (see Casino Royale script) demonstrates a company that knows what it wants, and is willing to do anything to get it no matter what the cost to its retail customers or long-term reputation.

Originally Posted by pacifichrono

The Poljot (Sekonda) Strela was the first watch worn during a space walk.

The Sovjets beat the americans in everything and thus did the watches they happened to wear.
The ónly thing the americans got was the moonwalk.
As we live in the west and Omega has nothing much else, thát is what is marketed obviously. Even though the specs are pre modern watch era and overtaken into another dimension of specs by a 35$ G-shock.
It would be definitely a shot in both marketing feet if Omega were to sell a 21st C. technology space watch....

Hail the Gagarin ´replica´ editions :wink:
The latest was introduced Basel 2011.
Quite a nice watch with more history in any way to look at that, at a fraction of the Omega prices.

Originally Posted by Dave Downing

And in what kind of world are Omega the bad guys and Rolex the good?

In the Wondrous World of Watches :idea:
Traditional wis-dom has it that the ONLY good guys are Rolex and the ALL the rest are the bad ones. Omega is just one bad gang.

In reality the Swatch gang created the mechanical fashion wave that Rolex happened to surf best.

Also the Swwatch gang even delivers movements to Rolex for mounting in their sub brand and hairsprings for their main brand.

Back on topic; afaik since 1994 Fortis has been the exclusive supplier of manned space missions authorized by the Russian Federal Space untill :?:

Originally Posted by mark a.

I thought the unsung hero of the space programme nowadays is G-shock?

It is the unsung hero of just about anything seriously bumpy.
You are not thinking that the JLC versus G-shock is even 1 in 1000 on the wrists of Navy Seals?

Back to space, the infamous fabled word has it that the Mars Rovers were/are fitted with solar G-shocks :drunken: :wink:

Hardly, unless Casio makes a Cesium based G-Sock we aren't aware of......

Originally Posted by lysanderxiii

Hardly, unless Casio makes a Cesium based G-Sock we aren't aware of......

You see, damned internet ´word´.... :albino:

Leonov's.....



:D

One of my vintage amphibians is a space watch:

Originally Posted by JasonM

Originally Posted by andy111s

My two 'space' watches.

Pre-Ironman/Datalink:

Andy, I think you have your photo or title mixed up, this is ( as Im sure you know ) a, a Seiko A839 as used on some early 80s Shuttle missions... Great watch....

:) No, just I was a bit unclear - the A839 being PRE Ironman/Datalink.

Originally Posted by Dave Downing

The word doing the rounds is that Rolex cannot get over the fact that they are not the Moonwatch, and desperately try and shoe horn themselves into space history.

They don't have to - they're already in there.

Originally Posted by Huertecilla

Originally Posted by mark a.

I thought the unsung hero of the space programme nowadays is G-shock?

It is the unsung hero of just about anything seriously bumpy.
You are not thinking that the JLC versus G-shock is even 1 in 1000 on the wrists of Navy Seals?

Back to space, the infamous fabled word has it that the Mars Rovers were/are fitted with solar G-shocks :drunken: :wink:

Watch worn in space at the moment is the Omega X-33. Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers who's in space 'as we speak' wears one on his wrist. On his other wrist a 'one off' R.O. from Dutch watchmaker Ronald Oostwegel. According to postings on the Dutch watchforum, Omega is sponsor (!) of the space program.

Funny thing: I bought an Omega X-33 from a fellow forum member a few weeks back. The school of my kids adopted a part of Kuiper's space program: he does scientific research in space and the 10 -12 y/o kids on the ground do a similar thing in school. About two weeks back, the kids sent email messages to Kuipers. My son wrote: "Sir, my father wears the same watch you have on your wrist." Not really on topic when it comes to science, but it's a cool message, I think.

To prove that there's still an Omega in space, here's a nice vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdW1DH2XTI4

And here's Kuipers: R.O. on his right wrist, Omega on his left.



Menno

Very incomplete and inaccurate list, as the guys say, but nice to see some of the watches on a list. The chinese space watch looks kind of funny. Wonder how that one is priced :o

Just had to add my Sturmanskie Gagarin 50th anniversary watch to this thread - it's bigger than the original 36mm diameter version!

Chris Hadfield who is on the ISS has just posted this short vid on Twitter

Click Me

Originally Posted by magnet

Chris Hadfield who is on the ISS has just posted this short vid on Twitter

Click Me

Wonderful

Much as I love the Strela, it was worn by leonov inside his spacesuit, unlike the speedmaster which NASA astronauts tended to wear outside their suits.

Also lots of personal astronaut wristwatches have made it into space, including sinn, waltham and ball

Gagarin certainly wore his Sturmanskie watch on the outside of his suit..

I'm a newbie on this forum but just wanted to say thanks to everyone for a fascinating and informative thread. Impressed with the knowledge on here.

With regard to Bulova watches, it is worth noting that Accutrons were worn by X-15 pilots and that some of these missions actually made it above the height deemed to be the technical definition for space (50 miles). Not sure of the models though.

Pleased that I now have a reason to buy a Seiko Pepsi/Pogue! Is the Pogue specifically the one with the yellow dial?

Originally Posted by P9CLY

NOT any that anyone on here or anywhere else own if you want to be picky.A great marketing ploy to suck you in and have you buy the ''SAME'' model that WAS worn in space and perhaps give you a good feeling that you were part of it somehow lol.

I'm not sure what you are getting here?
I got mine because I liked the look of it?
Apart from anything else it's bigger than the original Sturmanskie so it's not even a 1:1 copy (plus the strap is black and original brown)

Originally Posted by odyseus10

Apart from anything else it's bigger than the original Sturmanskie so it's not even a 1:1 copy (plus the strap is black and original brown)

Plus the case and hands are different.

Originally Posted by Broussard

Plus the case and hands are different.

As I said the 50th anniversary Gargarin is 39mm diameter, the original 36mm so of course the cases are different.

Originally Posted by odyseus10

As I said the 50th anniversary Gargarin is 39mm diameter, the original 36mm so of course the cases are different.

IIRR, and I'm no expert on Russian space watches, the original was c33mm, with a 17 jewel movement, and differed from the commercially available Спортивные watch in two key aspects: dial and WR. But I'm probably wrong. I usually am. TBH, everything I know about space watches, I picked up from here.

Originally Posted by Broussard

IIRR, and I'm no expert on Russian space watches, the original was c33mm, with a 17 jewel movement, and differed from the commercially available Спортивные watch in two key aspects: dial and WR. But I'm probably wrong. I usually am. TBH, everything I know about space watches, I picked up from here.

No you are correct (I'm the one that got it wrong :) ) - here's another interesting link on the history
http://www.netgrafik.ch/russian_space_watches.htm
I'm amazed with a watch that small, anyone could actually see it ??

If I strap my Casio DW5600 to a firework (ok, a big firework) and let it off in the back garden tonight does that make it a Space watch?
If Rolex want to pay me a few grand, I'll attach my LV instead, and provide them with a picture of me looking suitably rugged/smug/cheesy but with a twinkle in my eye/etc so they can feature me in a marketing campaign :-)

This resurrected thread reminded me, how much I like the X-33.
Fantastic watch!

Originally Posted by Kutusov

Mission to Mars is crap... but do watch Cargo! Very good for an European (well, Swiss believe it or not) production. Also Pandorum, if you haven't watched that already :wink:

...and I did see an Appleseed on ebay. The only thing I noticed was the price and that was that :shock:

I managed to do so in the meantime and 'Cargo' is great.
Like that one a lot.

Originally Posted by RobDad

If I strap my Casio DW5600 to a firework (ok, a big firework) and let it off in the back garden tonight does that make it a Space watch?
If Rolex want to pay me a few grand, I'll attach my LV instead, and provide them with a picture of me looking suitably rugged/smug/cheesy but with a twinkle in my eye/etc so they can feature me in a marketing campaign :-)

Nice one!! Might give BBC StarGazing Live something to talk about, apart from how crap the British weather is for astromony??

Originally Posted by spaceslug

I'm a newbie on this forum but just wanted to say thanks to everyone for a fascinating and informative thread. Impressed with the knowledge on here.

With regard to Bulova watches, it is worth noting that Accutrons were worn by X-15 pilots and that some of these missions actually made it above the height deemed to be the technical definition for space (50 miles). Not sure of the models though.

Pleased that I now have a reason to buy a Seiko Pepsi/Pogue! Is the Pogue specifically the one with the yellow dial?

The one Colonel Pogue wore had a gold face with a white inner bezel.

Originally Posted by WatchScout

Is this one also missing from the site linked to in the OP or was it not ever worn in space?

Which watch is this please?

Dave

Originally Posted by dforgrieve

Which watch is this please?

http://www.seikospringdrive.com/spacewalk/

Originally Posted by dforgrieve

Which watch is this please?

Dave

Seiko Spacewalk

Vid here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_0dheqOgbQ

With the exception of that Bond fellow's $0.02 worth of conspiracy pap, I learned quite a bit.

Still, my favorite so-called space watch remains the de-throned "first automatic chronograph worn in space", the Sinn 140/2 st PVD:

(As worn by Reinhart Furrer; notice the Speedy on his other wrist)


(As worn by moi)

Apparently he purchased the watch with his own money, though Helmut Sinn was quick to note that he offered the German astronauts a generous 25% discount on the watch.

Regards,
Adam