Earlier this year, IWC announced during a signature talk at Watches and Wonders in Geneva that they have entered into a partnership with SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission. Now, they are releasing four exclusive variations of a new pilot’s chronograph, featuring a watch for each of the four crew members.

The Polaris Dawn mission is tasked with conducting research to understand the effects of long-duration spaceflights on the human body as well as delving deeper into our own knowledge of human health here on Earth.

The four-person crew is expected to travel to 1,400 kilometers over five days, and they will attempt the first spacewalk funded by commercial interests. In addition to this science-enhancing work, the team will also be raising awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in their fight against childhood cancer and pediatric disease.

Jared Isaacman, who will serve as commander, stated, “On Polaris Dawn, we endeavor to achieve the highest Earth orbit ever flown in addition to conducting the world’s first commercial spacewalk. Alongside these important objectives, we will be supporting scientific research to advance both human health on Earth and our understanding of human health during future long-duration spaceflights.”

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn”

The case is crafted from a striking white ceramic that captures attention from any distance. At 44.5 mm, it offers impressive real estate for the wrist that is boosted by the ambitious chronograph design. The dial is a dark blue lacquer printed with a charming design of tiny stars and the mission logo. The rhodium-plated hands are substantial and stand out against the star-studded dial. The watch includes a day and date window at three o’clock and small hacking seconds as well as the chronograph function for hours, minutes and seconds.

The movement is the IWC manufactured caliber 69380, with automatic winding and a 46-hour power reserve.

Raising Awareness and Funds

There are four watches, and each caseback is engraved with the name of a different crew member from the four-person team of Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet, formerly of the United States Air Force, SpaceX lead space operations engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and mission commander, Jared Isaacman.

The four watches will travel with the team on their five-day orbit. Upon their return, the watches will be auctioned to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A previous auction with last year’s Inspiration4 mission raised 405,000 dollars from IWC’s watches, and resulted in a total of more than 240 million dollars of funding for the hospital, including donations from the public.

In our brief discussion with John Baum, philanthropy director for Polaris, he stated, “We also realize that we need to tackle the most challenging problems here on Earth which, for us, number one being childhood cancer. While IWC pilot’s watches will be utilized in orbit with a chronograph function, IWC has also made such an incredible donation by creating these watches, and then allowing them after they’ve been flown in space, to be auctioned off with the proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”

A Worthy Cause

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” is a striking sports watch with its stark white case and dark blue chronograph dial, paired with a matching white rubber strap with a unique leather inlay. However, it’s the team of caring individuals involved in this monumental task, both from IWC and the Polaris Dawn mission, that really shine. The awareness raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will bring much needed funding and attention to the cause of defeating some of the most heartbreaking diseases that affect millions of children around the globe.

The Polaris Dawn mission is designed to bring new information about our ability to travel through space for future generations, but it will also result in real momentum for those that fight to protect and heal our children here and now.

Interested parties can sign up for notifications on the auction here.

Tech Specs

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” Ref: IW389111

Movement: Self-winding caliber 69380; 46-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small hacking seconds, chronograph and day-date indicator
Case: 44.5mm; white ceramic with engraved titanium caseback; water resistant to 60m
Dial: Space-blue lacquered, printed with star-studded design and mission logo
Strap: White rubber with unique leather inlay; folding clasp
Availability: Four exclusive timepieces available at auction; date to be announced