When four astronauts board the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule this week, set to complete the first private commercial spacewalk, each will carry an IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” on their wrists.
Bringing them to an altitude of 435 miles — the highest since the Apollo missions — the crew will return home with more than just a historic flight under their belts, but also the highest-flown watches in history.
Upon the completion of the estimated five-day journey in orbit, the four chronographs will be auctioned in December 2024 by Christie’s, with funds given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Each watch includes a 44.5-millimeter case of white ceramic with a dark blue lacquered dial printed with stars.
On the titanium case back, each of the four chronographs features an engraving with the name of one of the four Polaris Dawn crew members. Alongside Jared “Rook” Isaacman, who serves as the mission’s commander, the crew consists of retired United States Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kidd” Poteet and SpaceX Lead Space Operations Engineers Sarah “Cooper” Gillis and Anna “Walker” Menon.
Space-related watches are nothing new on the auction scene. Most commonly associated with Omega — the first watch worn to the moon. Buzz Aldrin’s lost Speedmaster has been called the most important wristwatch of the 20th century.”
Other watches with astronaut provenance have generated extraordinary prices, such as early astronaut Wally Schirra’s 18k solid yellow gold Speedmaster presented to him at a gala dinner in 1969, which sold for $1.9 million in 2022 via RR Auctions.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.