Top 5: Moon and Space Watches
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Introduction
There is no denying that space watches provide watch brands with an irresistible marketing angle. A watch that has travelled to the moon or into space has an indelible allure for watch collectors. What is the pinnacle of adventure if not deep into the unknowns of outer space" The watch companies know it, and if any of their watches have an association with space exploration, it?s likely you will too.
Yet these watches somehow transcend the empty promises of magazine marketing. Rigorously tested to survive the extreme conditions of space travel, these watches are built to survive in mission critical situations, from the deep vacuum of space to the harsh cold of the lunar surface.
Colonel Pogue wearing the Seiko 6109 aboard the NASA Skylab The trials were designed to literally test the watches to destruction. Exposing timepieces to massive oscillations in temperature (93ºC to -18ºC), massive forces up to 40Gs, corrosive oxygen environments, humidity, noise and vibration ? literally everything that could potentially damage a watch was loaded into this battery of tests. Few watches survived, but those that did were made official equipment for the various worldwide space organizations.
Some are widely known, like the iconic Omega Speedmaster and its role in the NASA led moon landing. Others are less recognized, like the Seiko 6139 worn by Colonel Pogue on the Skylab in 1973. With their fascinating stories, ?space watches? are a collectible and...
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