Swatch Takes Bioceramic Into Orbit With New NASA Space Collection
The watches take their inspiration from astronauts’ space suit wardrobe.
Swatch’s latest collection celebrates the innovation of NASA with its own space-age Bioceramic case material.
Three of the five Space Collection watches take their inspiration from the various uniforms worn by the agency’s intrepid astronauts, matching the hues of the suits with its soft-touch Bioceramic, which is two-thirds ceramic and one-third bio-sourced plastic, derived from castor oil.
The 47mm Big Bold Chrono Extravehicular takes its cues from NASA’s iconic white spacesuit, first worn in 1983 by NASA astronauts Story Musgrave and Donald Peterson. Even the watch’s glass is formed of bio-sourced plastic.
The collection’s second watch, the 47mm Big Bold Chrono Launch, reflects NASA’s Advanced Crew Escape Suit which astronauts wear on their ascent into space and is known as the Pumpkin Suit for its bright orange hue.
The central seconds hands of both these chronographs do not rest at the usual 12 o’clock position, but instead 10 seconds prior, representing the final countdown to lift-off.
Big Bold Jumpsuit meanwhile references the “everyday go-to blue jumpsuits astronauts wear for press conferences or working in the NASA facility” with a crown positioned at the two o’clock.
The final two watches in the collection are Take Me to The Moon “New Gent”, with a transparent case, and Space Race “Gent”, with a mirror-effect silver-coloured dial.
Prices are not yet available, but the Space Collection drops via Swatch on June 3, with a complete set available from June 5.
Elsewhere in watches, Urwerk retires its UR-105 with final tantalum edition to make way for new watches.
