Space was one of the dominant themes of Watches & Wonders, and one watchmaker who took to the theme with gusto was Bremont. Not only is the brand’s hero release, the Bremont x Astrolab Supernova Chronograph, a lunar-looking watch, but the brand proudly proclaims that it will be the first British watch on the moon.

Before we talk about the watch itself, let’s address this latter claim. How is Bremont getting to the moon? Well, the watchmaker has partnered with a company called Astrolab, which aims to send a series of uncrewed rovers to the moon’s surface, with the intention of undertaking a series of experiments geared towards giving us a better understanding of the moon’s surface, making eventual human exploration of the Moon a little bit easier. The first such rover, cutely named FLIP, or (less cute) the Flex Lunar Innovation Program, is slated to be dropped off by a SpaceX launch vehicle later this year. FLIP will, all things going according to plan, land near the lunar poles, drive around, conduct experiments, and generally see the sights on its Kevlar tyres, sourcing power from its vertically aligned solar array. Attached to FLIP, on a special tile, will be the Bremont Supernova Chronograph, where it will undergo tests relating to temperature, vibration, shock and electromagnetic interference testing. All this is well and good, but we suspect that a not insignificant part of this testing process is simply to be able to say you’ve sent a watch to the Moon, which, honestly, is valid.

How about the watch itself? Visually, the silhouette of the Supernova is similar to the Terra Nova, except this 41mm integrated design, cased in 904L steel and black ceramic, is more angular than its earthbound contemporary, though still using the Trip-Tick case construction the brand is famous for. One key example of this change is the 10-sided faceted ceramic bezel, a design which flowed through to the dial, where the angle of each hour radiates out from the centre of the dial, in a complex (and luminous) display inspired by solar sails. In daylight, it’s a pretty enough pattern, and feels technical and vaguely spacey. But it’s at night that the design really shines (literally and figuratively).

The calibre is the BC77, based on the dependable SW500, and it’s rated at 100M of water resistance, not that there’s anywhere close to that much water on the moon, but for us earthbound wearers, the piece of mind is worth it. On top of that, there’s a version with a rubber strap — but honestly, we’d go with both as there’s a quick-release system.

Tech Specs: Bremont x Astrolab Supernova Chronograph

Movement B77AC, automatic, 62 hours of power reserve
Function Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph
Case 904L stainless steel and black ceramic, 41 x 48.7 x 14.4mm, water resistant to 100M
Dial Black filled with white SuperLumiNova
Strap Integrated steel bracelet or rubber strap