Rolex Space-Dweller Tool Timepiece

[enjoythemusic]

Wish commercial travel outside of Earth's atmosphere coming to reality, how long until we see a Rolex Space-Dweller? What complication would be its' key feature after simple timekeeping?

[JRell]

Cool post. Maybe a Rolex version of the speedmaster man on the moon?

[slillestrand]

Agree, cool post.... Makes sense....commercial space travel will be here sooner than people think.... Rolex better get planning....the wait list for one will be similar to the wait list to take a ride

[jltait]

They would need a celestial complication

[Old Expat Beast]

https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-bl...e-dweller.html

[padi56]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Wish commercial travel outside of Earth's atmosphere coming to reality, how long until we see a Rolex Space-Dweller? What complication would be its' key feature after simple timekeeping?

The Explorer type watch has had quite a few names its its life including Space-dweller, some say it was introduced to Japan only in 1963 after the Mercury astronauts paid a visit now they would fetch in around $30000 plus. The explorer is one of Rolex longest production runs,a great Rolex classic.The vintage 1016 is now becoming very collectable and original dialled space-dwellers now telephone money.Now the large triangle at '12' was first used by Rolex on the mixed Roman and Arabic dials in the 1940s. Rolex registered the Explorer name before the Everest expedition in 1953.And the first Explorers 6350 model used what they call the large bubble-back 10-1/2" A296 movement.Most of the early 6350 dials were also unusual in the fact that they are honeycombed a Rolex first.In 1963 the Explorer changed again,and with a new 1560 cal movement it was renamed the 1016 and it became the longest running explorer from 1963 right up to 1989.But if space travel becomes common place would doubt if any mechanical watch would be used it would be digital.

Twenty six years without a much of a change ,the second version of the 1016 was really the second version of the 1560 calibre now called 1570 basically the same but now a hacking movement.Now these 15XX series movements IMHO are the finest Rolex has ever made.And around 1989 the Explorer disappeared from the Rolex catalogue but around 6 months was reintroduced,the new Explorer bearing the model 14270, sported a new case, dial, movement, and crystal. IMHO it was because of the Jackie Chan movies where he wears one, the Japanese market when crazy for Explorers,very much like Daytona fever today. And the Explorer at this time was very hard to get world wide just like Daytona today,at this time was changing hands for as much as double retail price.Now with these new modifications brought the Explorer in line with all the other Rolex models. And because the real cosmetics of the new watch was so much changed from that of the old one,like the 1016.Now the price in the vintage collectors market is going up and IMHO if you can get hold of a good 1016,IMO will only go up in serious value

And a few of the various names used by Rolex over the years Air Lion,Air Tiger,Airgiant,Airking,SpaceDweller,SkyRocket, Space Dweller, Speedking,Falcon,Orchid,Observatory,Tridor,Athlete ,Commando,Turtle Timer,Canadian,Empire, Oyster Lipton, Rolex Scientific,Rolex Everest,Tudor Advisor,Oyster Junior Sport, Oyster Raleigh, Oyster Commander, Oyster Recorda, Oyster Edison, Oyster Grenfell, Oyster Shipmate and Oyster Standard,and there are a quite a few more that I cannot remember now.
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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-bl...e-dweller.html

Originally Posted by padi56

The Explorer type watch has had quite a few names its its life including Space-dweller, some say it was introduced to Japan only in 1963 after the Mercury astronauts paid a visit now they would fetch in around $30000 plus. The explorer is one of Rolex longest production runs,a great Rolex classic.The vintage 1016 is now becoming very collectable and original dialled space-dwellers now telephone money.Now the large triangle at '12' was first used by Rolex on the mixed Roman and Arabic dials in the 1940s. Rolex registered the Explorer name before the Everest expedition in 1953.And the first Explorers 6350 model used what they call the large bubble-back 10-1/2" A296 movement.Most of the early 6350 dials were also unusual in the fact that they are honeycombed a Rolex first.In 1963 the Explorer changed again,and with a new 1560 cal movement it was renamed the 1016 and it became the longest running explorer from 1963 right up to 1989.But if space travel becomes common place would doubt if any mechanical watch would be used it would be digital.

Twenty six years without a much of a change ,the second version of the 1016 was really the second version of the 1560 calibre now called 1570 basically the same but now a hacking movement.Now these 15XX series movements IMHO are the finest Rolex has ever made.And around 1989 the Explorer disappeared from the Rolex catalogue but around 6 months was reintroduced,the new Explorer bearing the model 14270, sported a new case, dial, movement, and crystal. IMHO it was because of the Jackie Chan movies where he wears one, the Japanese market when crazy for Explorers,very much like Daytona fever today. And the Explorer at this time was very hard to get world wide just like Daytona today,at this time was changing hands for as much as double retail price.Now with these new modifications brought the Explorer in line with all the other Rolex models. And because the real cosmetics of the new watch was so much changed from that of the old one,like the 1016.Now the price in the vintage collectors market is going up and IMHO if you can get hold of a good 1016,IMO will only go up in serious value

And a few of the various names used by Rolex over the years Air Lion,Air Tiger,Airgiant,Airking,SpaceDweller,SkyRocket, Space Dweller, Speedking,Falcon,Orchid,Observatory,Tridor,Athlete ,Commando,Turtle Timer,Canadian,Empire, Oyster Lipton, Rolex Scientific,Rolex Everest,Tudor Advisor,Oyster Junior Sport, Oyster Raleigh, Oyster Commander, Oyster Recorda, Oyster Edison, Oyster Grenfell, Oyster Shipmate and Oyster Standard,and there are a quite a few more that I cannot remember now.
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Fantastic info Adam and Peter

[envuks]

Would it need to be manual wind?


Would a self winding watch work the same in zero gravity?


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[garyk]

Why not a watch like my 60s Bulova Astronaut?





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[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by envuks

Would it need to be manual wind?


Would a self winding watch work the same in zero gravity?


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Not wishing to be pedantic here, but space is not devoid of gravity. Far from it, it's full of it.

For instance, gravity at the altitude of the ISS is only 10% less than it is at sea level. Astronauts float because they are in free fall, not because there is no gravity.

As for whether or not the self winding mechanism would work, I believe it would, just not with the same efficiency as on terra firma.

[envuks]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Not wishing to be pedantic here, but space is not devoid of gravity. Far from it, it's full of it.

For instance, gravity at the altitude of the ISS is only 10% less than it is at sea level. Astronauts float because they are in free fall, not because there is no gravity.

As for whether or not the self winding mechanism would work, I believe it would, just not with the same efficiency as on terra firma.

Thank you and makes total sense


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[macrowatch]

Earth time vs space time in like in Lange1 config would be my vote!

[ras47]

Omega owns the space angle, Rolex owns auto racing. For Rolex to climb back into the game they'd need to do something bold, like when they stole diving from Omega by giving COMEX free watchers by the hundreds. Their entry in the qualification trials for a NASA astronaut watch failed during testing. But they've had decades to toughen up their watches and produce something that can compete. The question is, does Rolex want to invest the time/capital to produce a new model that is, at best, a "maybe"?

Fratello on the Qualification Trials by NASA