Space Watches: One Small Step For Man, One Giant Tick For Watchkind

When Katy Perry along with an all-female crew went up to space earlier this week for just 11 minutes, many questioned the point of this mission. But the watch world had a different question. Which watch accompanied the crew on flight? The answer was the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planétarium watch. While the mission created history, one does wonder which watches have breached the final frontier?

In the great expanse of the cosmos, where every second counts and precision is quite literally rocket science, a select few wristwatches have earned their astronaut wings. These aren’t just accessories they are mission-critical instruments, trusted by those who’ve looked down on Earth from orbit. So buckle up because we’re about to launch into the stratospheric world of space watches.

Omega SkyWalker X-33: The Moonwatch That People Ignore

Let’s start with the Big Bang of space horology—the Omega Speedmaster Professional. This is the watch that went to the Moon, making it the most famous spacefaring timepiece in history. Everyone knows this. However, it is the Omega Skywalker X-33 that we will discuss today. Designed especially for space explorers, the Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 is an innovative upgrade of the Speedmaster Professional X-33 released in 1998. The new model, powered by an advanced quartz calibre, was developed to meet the needs of astronauts and others who can appreciate its impressive variety of functions.

Panerai Radiomir: From Deep Seas to Deep Space

Panerai, renowned for its robust dive watches, made an unexpected leap from the ocean's depths to the vastness of space. On January 19, 2022, during an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) as part of International Space Station Expedition 66, Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov wore a Panerai Radiomir PAM210 strapped around the left glove of his Orlan spacesuit. This marked the first time a Panerai watch ventured into space, showcasing the brand's versatility beyond its traditional maritime associations. 

Bulova Lunar Pilot: The Undercover Astronaut

Here’s one for the underdog lovers. During the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, astronaut Dave Scott’s Speedmaster broke. His backup? A Bulova Chronograph, a prototype gifted to him unofficially. It worked flawlessly on the lunar surface. That same watch later auctioned for over $1.6 million—proof that even in space, time is money. Today’s Bulova Lunar Pilot is a modern tribute to that silent hero. It may not have the same NASA seal, but it's got a cosmic story that’s out of this world.

Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute: Leading The Space Race 

Breitling’s iconic pilot’s chronograph – fit for space travel. By the early 1960s, Breitling’s Navitimer, with its circular slide rule for performing in-flight calculations, had become the undisputed pilots’ watch. But in the era of the Space Race, another competition was quietly underway, this time between watchmakers vying to be the first on astronauts’ wrists. Breitling showed its chops in the air once again, officially becoming the first Swiss wrist-worn chronograph in space on May 24th, 1962, when Scott Carpenter blasted off in the Mercury-Atlas 7 spacecraft wearing the Navitimer Cosmonaute.

Fortis Cosmonauts: The Russian Rendezvous

Not all space watches speak English. The Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph has been the go-to timepiece for Russian space missions since the 1990s. Endorsed by Roscosmos (Russia’s NASA counterpart), Fortis watches have been used aboard the Mir Space Station and the International Space Station (ISS). These watches are built for zero-gravity life robust, reliable, and looks fabulous on a spacewalk.

Seiko 6139: The Orbiting Automatic

Did you know that the first automatic chronograph in space wasn’t Swiss? It was Japanese. In 1973, astronaut William Pogue wore his personal Seiko 6139 during the Skylab 4 mission, despite the official NASA-issued Speedmaster. It flew under the radar until years later when watch sleuths uncovered this hidden space gem. Today, it’s known in collector circles as the “Seiko Pogue”—a piece of interstellar rebellion on the wrist.

Rolex GMT Master Pepsi: The Crown Takes On Space

Jack Swigert was an expert pilot and NASA astronaut, most famous for his role as command module pilot for Apollo 13, the moon mission of 1970. Like many NASA astronauts, he also wore a Rolex GMT Master Pepsi. In this official NASA portrait however, he traded in his Pepsi for another GMT Master – the solid 18k yellow gold reference 16758 with a “Mocha” bezel and Jubilee bracelet. 

The Final Orbit

In space, where computers can fail and screens can freeze, astronauts still turn to the humble wristwatch. It’s tactile, reliable, and always on time. Whether it's ticking away during a spacewalk or counting down to re-entry, these watches are the unsung heroes of human exploration.

Disclaimer: Images are for representation purposes