Two watch manufacturers are turning again the clock to have a good time the historic associations they’d with the U.S. space program.
Accutron is reviving its iconic “Astronaut” line (opens in new tab) with the introduction of the Accutron Astronaut “T” 2023 version, whereas Bulova is continuous its “Lunar Pilot” collection, which relies on a watch as soon as worn on the moon. Each manufacturers have been a part of the Citizen Watch Firm since 2008.
The Accutron Astronaut, which first launched with Gordon Cooper on the ultimate Mercury mission in 1963, and Bulova, which despatched a prototype chronograph to the moon (opens in new tab) with Apollo 15 commander David Scott in 1971, each have lengthy histories offering the space program with timers and timing gadgets to be used on NASA’s earliest satellites and human spacecraft.
The totally digital Accutron Astronaut was the primary American-made watch to fly into space, whereas Bulova Accutron clocks had been a part of the instrument panels on Gemini capsules. Bulova Accutron tuning forks had been used to “slice” starlight into scanning patterns for the Apollo navigation system, and Bulova Accutron timers helped management the science experiments left behind by the astronauts on the moon.
Associated: The Apollo Program: How NASA sent astronauts to the moon
“There isn’t a denying the excellent historical past of each Accutron and Bulova with the U.S. space program,” Jeffrey Cohen, president of Citizen Watch America, mentioned in a press release. “The importance of the connection and particularly the tuning fork expertise led to the creation of the Accutron model because the standalone model it’s immediately.”
Quite than use a steadiness wheel mechanism as virtually all timepieces earlier than it, the Accutron was the primary to efficiently make use of a battery-driven tuning fork that delivered extra correct time preserving. With its excessive frequency, it may face up to excessive G-acceleration and the acute temperatures related to high-altitude flights. As such, the Accutron Astronaut turned the U.S. Air Pressure’s selection for its pilots flying the X-15 experimental rocket plane.
In celebration of its space historical past and because the first in a brand new collection, Accutron has created its new Astronaut mannequin based mostly on the 1968 “T” model. The 2023 version, which is restricted to solely 300 items and retails for $3,500 every, is Swiss made and encompasses a 41mm chrome steel physique and a partial exhibition case again to view the inner motion. The dial is fitted with Tremendous-LumiNova fingers and markers to boost its perform in low mild, and the watch brings again the Day/Night time bezel as was a part of the unique classic design.
The brand new Astronaut forgoes the tuning fork mechanism that made it well-known, as a substitute utilizing a extra fashionable Swiss Sellita GMT mechanical motion.
Bulova can be persevering with to construct upon its “Archive” collection with two new fashions of the Lunar Pilot (opens in new tab), a chronograph based mostly on the prototype it secretly flew to the moon on Apollo 15. The watch turned solely the second model to be worn on the lunar floor, after the crystal on David Scott’s NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster was misplaced throughout a previous outing.
The genuine Apollo 15-flown Bulova chronograph bought for $1.6 million at a 2015 auction (opens in new tab), which led to the corporate producing new fashions. The newest “Lunar Pilot” watches, which value $895 every, are the primary to copy the precise dimension (43.5mm) of the moon-flown watch and are available in two colours — one with a two-tone blue and white dial and the opposite in basic black, representing the unique.
For extra details about the 2023 edition Astronaut (opens in new tab) or Lunar Pilot (opens in new tab) watches, see the listings on Bulova’s web site.
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