Fortis
Introducing the Fortis AMADEE-20 Chronograph
The First Fortis in Space
The first Fortis watches in space were worn by the EUROMIR 94 crew on a 1994 space mission launched by the Russian Space Agency, Roskosmos. The three crew members wore the 38mm Fortis Cosmonauts Chronograph powered by the legendary Lemania 5100 movement. During the 169-day mission, the watch was tested during multiple EVAs in open space, withstanding the harsh conditions with no effect on its accuracy. Cosmonauts Chronograph was flown on several space missions to MIR space station (1994 – 1998) and ISS (1998 – 2003).
ISS Mission
In 2003, Fortis launched the new and improved version known as the B-42 Official Cosmonauts Chronograph. The significance of “B-42” is partially derived from the WW2 German B-Uhr watches – “Beobachtungsuhr” or observation watch, and the 42 was the case size of the chronograph. The larger case made the handling with space gloves easier and improved legibility of the dial. The tachymeter bezel of the previous model got replaced with a count-up bezel featuring a 0-60 scale, allowing cosmonauts to set time frames and keep track of elapsed time during EVAs more easily. Fortis also coated the dot on the sweep-second hand with Super-Luminova for low visibility in space. The B-42 chronograph is powered by the UW-50 caliber and used in ISS missions to date.
A Fortis ad from 1953
The first Fortis Cosmonauts Chronograph watches were worn by the EUROMIR 94 crew on a 1994 space mission launched by Roskosmos
AMADEE-20 Mars Mission
That brings us to the present time, where Fortis is now involved in the Mars exploration exercise. AMADEE-20 is a Mars analog simulation taking place in the Negev desert in Israel this Fall, between October 4th until the 31st, 2021. The project is managed by the Austrian Space Forum and hosted by the Israeli Space Agency. A crew of six astronauts will emulate selected aspects of a human Mars mission for four weeks in the Ramon Crater, in the Negev desert, which acts as a topographic and geological model region for the Red Planet.
The mission control center in Austria will support the crew by mimicking the “ground segment” of an actual Mars mission. According to the project partner, University of Bremen, this mission is aimed to study equipment behavior involving the simultaneous deployment of instruments and robotic vehicles with humans-in-the-loop, including research-grade spacesuit simulators.
Made in partnership with the Austrian Space Forum, the AMADEE-20 chronograph will be worn and tested by the analog astronauts during their mission in the Negev desert, and by the mission control in Innsbruck, Austria.
Fortis AMADEE-20
Fortis has created the AMADEE-20 chronograph in partnership with the Austrian Space Forum. The watch will be worn and tested by the analog astronauts during their mission in the Negev desert, and by the mission control in Innsbruck, Austria. Fortis has painstakingly designed the chronograph with each part of the watch serving a purpose for the mission.
The AMADEE-20 chronograph, developed in consultation with the astronauts, has a 44mm sandblasted titanium case with a custom Mission Control Bezel (MCB) also in titanium. The triple gasket screw down crown system provides the watch 200-meter water resistance rating. The dial has a mission-centric configuration with a large 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock (Grand Counter), a subtle small running seconds in the shape of a star at 9 o’clock, and chronograph seconds hand in the blue AMADEE-20 mission color. The dial is a soft matte grey color which Fortis calls as Stardust grey. The dial is coated with applied numerals and indices and filled with Super-Luminova. There is an applied mission patch at 6 o’clock. The embossed circular lines on the right side of the dial mirror the axis of Mars and bring into focus the day and date functions.
The AMADEE-20 has a 44mm sandblasted titanium case with a custom Mission Control Bezel (MCB) also in titanium.
The watch is powered by UW-50 automatic movement
The watch has an applied mission patch at 6 o’clock and embossed circular lines on the right side mirroring the axis of Mars.
Fortis has painstakingly designed the chronograph with each part of the watch serving a purpose for the mission.
Tech Specs
Dial: Stardust grey
Movement: UW-50 automatic, 48 hours power reserve
Strap: Titanium Block Bracelet with Slide Clasp (additional: Hook Strap)
Price: 3,800 Euros
For more information visit the Fortis website.
