This is the IWC Pilot Chronograph ‘Polaris Dawn’ and it is going to space.
In March 2023, four of these IWC Chronographs will be worn by the crew that will reach orbit aboard a SpaceX shuttle.
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IWC teamed up with SpaceX, the spacecraft manufacturer founded by Elon Musk, to develop a limited-edition timepiece that can survive in space.
The 44.5mm case is made using a combination of white ceramic and zirconium.
Meanwhile, the caseback is made from titanium.
And each caseback is engraved with the name of one of the four crew members.
Having said that, the real star of the show here is the dark blue lacquered dial.
It is adorned with white stars and in addition to that, it features the mission logo at the 6 o’clock.
The dial definitely stands out even from afar.
Upon their return to Earth, all four watches will be auctioned to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
There’s no pre-auction estimate but there is, however, a precedent.
Last year, four IWC Pilot that joined the Inspiration4 mission, the first all-civilian space trip to orbit, were sold for $405,000 in total.
About IWC
IWC was founded in the United States in 1868 but it is based in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
It is currently owned by Richemont, the same company that also owns Panerai, JLC, Cartier and Montblanc, among others.
The watchmaker is often associated with the Big Pilot, a large, easy-to-read timepiece designed for aircraft pilots.
In 2004, IWC signed a multi-year partnership with Mercedes-AMG and their collab is still ongoing.
In fact, just earlier this year IWC unveiled a Pilot Chronograph Edition Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1.
