by Yanni Tan
Photo: John Kraus
Following the successful completion of the Polaris Dawn mission, IWC Schaffhausen’s four custom-designed Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” watches, which accompanied the crew on their five-day journey on the highest Earth orbit ever flown, have also safely splashed down.
Launched on September 10 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this groundbreaking mission aboard the Dragon spacecraft is the first of three in the Polaris Program.
Operated by SpaceX, this private programme is headed by billionaire-entrepreneur Jared Isaacman of payment company Shift4. It seeks to demonstrate important operational capabilities that will help further human space exploration to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” watches are a donation by the Swiss maison to fund-raise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. (Photo: IWC)
With the first commercial spacewalk accomplished, among other goals, the programme will culminate in the first human spaceflight on SpaceX’s Starship, the world’s first fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo.
The watch floats in space, accompanying the crew on humanity’s march towards advancement. (Photo: Polaris Dawn crew)
The timepieces are crafted with a case of white ceramic, a signature of IWC’s materials expertise. Created by combining zirconium oxide with other metallic oxides, it is shaped into a “green body”, machined, and then sintered at extremely high temperatures in a kiln. An extraordinarily scratch-resistant and remarkably light material, ceramic is perfect for a watch that can withstand the extreme conditions of space travel.
The dials, which are lacquered in space-blue, come adorned with countless stars. Stop times of up to 12 hours are displayed in two totalisers at 9 o’clock and 12 o’clock, while the small seconds display at 6 o’clock features the Polaris Dawn mission patch. Each features the engraved name of its assigned crew member on the titanium caseback.
The custom-designed ceramic watches, strong enough to withstand space travel, each bear the name of its assigned crew member on the titanium caseback. (Photo: IWC)
In a philanthropic endeavour, the watches will be auctioned at Christie’s New York this December, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, this world-leading medical institution develops cutting-edge treatments for the most challenging childhood cancer and other paediatric diseases.
This exceptional event unites the spirit of exploration with the commitment to a noble cause, reinforcing IWC’s dedication to human advancement and future generations’ well-being.
