Unimatic and Massena LAB look to keep a good thing going with a new collaboration that returns to the NASA theme, this time in the form of the UT4-SPT “NASA Artemis II”. The new watch picks up on a theme first seen in the U1-SPT released earlier this year, and here things are simplified with a time-only, quartz powered approach. In total, this is a more straightforward concept that dials up the charm with a bezel-less case allowing the burnt orange Cerakote to take center stage. Like the original, the watch takes inspiration from NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) orange core stage, which is, in reality, a spray-on foam insulation that darkens when exposed to sunlight. But the result is a strong visual identity nonetheless.
Artemis II will be the second launch of the SLS rocket, and the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft, which was developed for the Artemis missions. The launch has undergone several delays, and at present is set to launch sometime early 2026. When it does, it will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a free-return trajectory to the moon and back to earth. It will be the first time humans have ventured beyond low earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. Artemis II is an important step in our eventual planned return to the lunar surface, which is set to take place with Artemis IV, currently scheduled for late 2028. The end goal is to lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars.
So how does the watch fit into all this? Well, I wouldn’t look for it on the wrists of the astronauts, but it will allow you a small display of enthusiasm for the mission, and the cause of returning humans to the moon. Cool watches in space have certainly been a trending subject recently thanks to NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who has been spotted wearing his Rolex watches (Submariner and Daytona) on the ISS as recently as this year. It would seem that a certain flight certified watch is no longer obligatory for NASA astronauts. How that factors into missions such as Artemis II and beyond is yet to be seen.
The UT4-SPT seen here is a familiar frame from Unimatic and Massena LAB, with a 40mm steel case that’s received a full burnt orange Cerakote. The watch is fit to an orange nylon strap to crank up the effect. The dial is light grey with oversized, dark orange lume used at the hour markers and the hands, with a NASA worm logo rendered at six o’clock. It’s simple, but powerful, and the aesthetic also serves as a callback to historic NASA suits.
Inside sits Seiko VH31A quartz movement that is nested within Unimatic’s in-house King Red 360° protection system. The whole thing can take a serious knock or two, and boasts a 300 meter depth rating. It might be tempting to view this watch as pure novelty at a glance, but it’s got plenty of field-ready features to back it up as a serious tool watch. The UT4-SPT “NASA Artemis II” will be available from both Unimatic and Massena LAB for a 48 hour pre-order window beginning today, and will be priced at €595. Unimatic / Massena LAB
Leave a Reply