UNIMATIC and Massena LAB have introduced the UNIMATIC x Massena LAB Modello Uno U1-SPG “NASA Artemis” Limited Edition. It honours decades of human space exploration and its future, especially the upcoming NASA Artemis manned mission to the moon slated for launch in April 2026. If all goes as planned, the Artemis II mission will be the first manned lunar mission after the Apollo program of the late 1960’s – early 1970’s.
“The Artemis II mission will mark the first crewed mission in the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, a next-generation heavy-lift rocket designed to carry astronauts to the moon and, eventually, Mars. The upcoming crewed moon missions (Artemis II, III, and IV) will venture into the uncharted lunar South Pole region, paving the way for humanity’s first permanent space station on the Moon’s surface.”
Key Features
Image: Dial has a lot of depth.
Function are hours, minutes, seconds, and GMT.
Image: A lot of lume, including the bezel.
Matte black dial. It features matte black ladder phantom hour and minute hands, reverse lollipop seconds hand, and a skeletonised arrow tip on the GMT hand. Classic NASA “worm” logo, 12 hour-markers, 24-hour GMT scale, and hands feature Super-LumiNova GL light “old radium.”
Powered by Seiko NH34A, an automatic movement which drives the hours, minutes, seconds, and GMT. Jewels: 21. Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz). Power reserve: 42 hours.
Image: “Anti-corrosive Cerakote™ coating, ideal for protection against harsh environments and widely used in the aerospace industry. Burnt orange hue inspired by the new SLS rocket used in the NASA Artemis missions.”
Case is made from 316L stainless steel and features a burnt “Artemis” orange Cerakote coating. Diameter: 40 mm. 41.50 mm with bezel. Thickness: 13.20 mm. Lug width: 22 mm. Bezel is mono-directional (120 clicks) and features Cerakote armor black coating. Dial side features a 2.50 mm double domed sapphire crystal, with interior anti-reflective coating. The alchemical sun 8 mm screw-down crown features Cerakote coating.
Image: “Artemis, the Greek goddess of the Hunt, is a fitting symbol for NASA’s first crewed Moon missions since the 1970s. After all, according to Greek mythology, Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo, after whom the historic Apollo program was named – the very mission that first brought humankind to the Moon in 1969.”
Caseback is made from stainless steel and features an engraving of the NASA Artemis logo. Water resistant up to 300 metres.
Watch comes with 2 nylon straps: Burnt orange strap with burnt orange (Cerakote coating) buckle, and black with burnt orange (Cerakote coating) buckle.
Our Thoughts
This watch speaks to me, more specifically to the child in me. NASA may be American, but its appeal is universal. As a child growing up in 1980’s India, I was obsessed with space exploration, both manned and unmanned. My uncle used to gift me books (including a few rare ones) on space travel and aviation. This led me to collect books on space exploration as I grew older. In addition, I have seen countless documentaries and movies on space exploration. It takes little to convince me to glue my eyes to a TV (or smartphone screen) to see a rocket launch, a space capsule heading to and docking with the International Space Station, and anything else the cameras are able to beam back. My dad often reminisces about hearing Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon (21 July 1969) on radio. I look forward to seeing the crew of Artemis take their first steps on the lunar surface on TV.
Image: Big, bright, and orange.
Kudos to William Massena of Massena LAB and Giovanni Moro of UNIMATIC for collaborating on this bright orange watch with a wonderful story that has just brightened my day. For those who love space exploration, don’t miss this one.
Additional Details
Name: UNIMATIC x Massena LAB Modello Uno U1-SPG “NASA Artemis” Limited Edition
Price: United States Dollar (USD): 1,295
Limited edition of 99 individually numbered pieces. Sold out. Please visit the Massena LAB website to join the waitlist.
Watch comes with a “UNIMATIC tough case, embroidered NASA patch, warranty card with unique ID seal, and a two-year warranty.”
UNIMATIC watches are made in Italy.
Please visit both the Massena LAB and UNIMATIC website and Instagram page for more information.
Our earlier coverage on Massena LAB collaborations includes the Albishorn X Massena LAB Maxigraph and Vulcain Nautical Legacy Massena LAB.
