Infinity & beyond: space watches!

[OhDark30]

Post pictures, info and links about space watches here :-)
Reading the recent Sapphire Sandwich post, I discovered that there is a Chinese space watch (thanks meijlinder!)
Let's have an overview of watches across the globe that have been designed for, worn in and celebrate space
(Omegas welcome)

[OhDark30]

An overview of Russian space watches
http://www.netgrafik.ch/russian_space_watches.htm

The capitalist and communist approaches to space watches contrasted:
http://www.wristwatchreview.com/2011...-moon-watches/

[meijlinder]

Fiyta on arms of astronauts of “Shenzhou VII” that completed china's first space walk 2008


Original was 54mm, this is the 45mm limited edition made to commemorate the occasion. Also an original size replica was made.


Fiyta has supplied watches to China National Space Administration (CNSA) since 2003.

http://www.fiyta.com.cn/flytaworld/space/ (with Google translate)

Some more on the features:

8 hour rotating bezel since the survival period inside the Chinese Feitian EVA spacesuit is 8 hours.

The blue and green 30 and 40 minute indicators corresponds to the time lengths of tasks carried out on the missions. And a morning/afternoon indicator at 4.

[OhDark30]

Thanks, m - and particularly for explaining the dial & bezel markings

I see that China is planning missions to the moon and Mars - I wonder if/what watches have been developed for interplanetary flight?

[mlcor]

Thanks, m - and particularly for explaining the dial & bezel markings

I see that China is planning missions to the moon and Mars - I wonder if/what watches have been developed for interplanetary flight?

Here you go:

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest...ars-watch.html

[tempocalypse]

Here you go:

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest...ars-watch.html

I've been reading the Martians quadrilogy by Kim Stanely Robinson, a series about the colonisation of Mars. Interestingly in the book, the colonists observe a 24 hour day with a coordinated planetary time and observe a "time slip" of 39 minutes between 12.00am and 12.01am so they can maintain co-ordination with Earth time.

[mlcor]

I've been reading the Martians quadrilogy by Kim Stanely Robinson, a series about the colonisation of Mars. Interestingly in the book, the colonists observe a 24 hour day with a coordinated planetary time and observe a "time slip" of 39 minutes between 12.00am and 12.01am so they can maintain co-ordination with Earth time.

I remember those books. Anyway, the idea of 39 extra minutes of happy hour works for me.

[I-B]

http://www.fortis-watches.com/front_content.php

[OhDark30]

I see that Fiyta have made 3 watches for the Chinese space programme
Here's a review of their 2003 first space chronograph


pics & review here
http://www.pilotswatch.nl/Pages/Watches/fiyta.htm

and a review (with pics & EVA video) of the Spacemaster. Movement is 7750 based manual wind, and thanks to specially developed lubricants it can survive -80 to +80 Celsius!


http://forums.watchuseek.com/f80/new.../topics/221594
I think the size and chunkiness of this, even in the 'smaller' public version would challenge my wrist :-(

[OhDark30]

Thanks, I-B!
The Fortises (?Fortii) were the first space watches I came across in my pre-WIS days, I particularly like the Spacematic
Thanks to them, I discovered the Poljot Aviator, and began my love affair with Soviet watches :-)
Such a shame that the Russian space programme itself moved in the opposite direction
(wry smile)