Orbital Chronograph
In late 2023 I got an email from someone expressing interest in purchasing one of my second edition Model 255 watches. It came from an individual who works for a government agency best known for putting brave souls on top of missiles and blasting them outside of earths atmosphere.
That agency is NASA.
In my reply to this astronaut I suggested, rather ambitiously, that if something I made was going get hurled into space and spend eight months aboard the ISS, it might as well be something special. Thus began a five month exchange of notes discussing functionality needed, design ideas and prototyping.
The watch we ended up with was a bespoke three dial chronograph sculpted from titanium. It’s going to be called the Orbital Chronograph and It’s a project I couldn’t miss out on and one which I’m very proud of.
The Orbital Chronograph will be released in two versions. The first, a Flight Version is limited to three pieces and has been fit specifically to the mission. All extra material in the case has been carved out to reduce overall mass and special seals are used to reduce outgassing potential in a closed environment. Flight Versions are limited to three pieces.
Standard Version will be a limited release of 9 pieces and will have a less weight reduction to the case, standard o-ring seals and slightly modified strap lug dimensions to fit larger wrists than the flight version.
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6al-4v titanium case bead blasted for added surface toughness and a satin finish.
Titanium Hands with ceramic coating.
Titanium unibody dial with movement holder built in.
7mm Titanium Screw Down Crown with triple o-ring seals.
Titanium Pushers, 18-8 springs, double o-ring seal
Domed 33mm x 1.5mm AR Coated Sapphire crystal in front. 28mm x 1mm Sapphire Crystal in Back.
ETA 7753 Augotmatic Movement.
Super-Luminova lume in hands and dial hour markings.
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38mm Case Diameter
20mm Strap
47mm Lug to Lug
12.5mm Case Thickness
46 hour power reserve
Calibrated to +/- 7seconds/day
Water resistance checked to 100m
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Your watch will ship with a FKM (Viton) Vulcanized Rubber band. Ask about color options at time of ordering.
Custom engraving between lugs or on the case back are optional.
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As a single human watchmaking factory the delivery time of your timepiece is somewhat flexible. I’m slowly streamlining the process of standardizing parts and tools to speed up the manufacturing but even still, expect three months from order to delivery. Maybe less. Maybe a lil bit more. I’ll keep you in the loop.
A 1/4-20 Stainless screw began its life as a part of a Space-X launch tower and watched as a rocket blasted into the heavens. The little screw dreamed that she too would fly one day. Transformed into a pair of chronograph buttons and fitted to the Orbital Chronograph, that dream is coming true. When you wish apon a star :)
