polaris dawn crew and john williams photo credit polaris dawn crew

IWC Sent Four Customized Ceramic Chronographs Out of The Stratosphere. Here’s What Happened Next.

IWC sponsored the Polaris Dawn mission – the farthest from Earth any humans have traveled since the astronauts of Apollo 17 set foot on the Moon – and this December, the watches from the mission are heading to auction for a worthy cause.

By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large

The Polaris Dawn commercial human spaceflight, supported by IWC Schaffhausen, returned safely to Earth on September 15. While in space, the four-person crew conducted research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health.

Four space-themed chronographs, IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” (Ref. IW389111), also rocketed into the stratosphere with the crew.

This December, these personalized timepieces are set to be auctioned by Christie’s to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Mission Possible

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the Polaris Dawn mission to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:23 a.m. ET on September 10, 2024. Five days later, the Falcon 9 safely splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:36 a.m. ET on September 15.
 

This mission was the second in IWC’s partnership with SpaceX and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman – the first, 2021’s Inspiration4, raised $405,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the leading institutions treating the toughest childhood cancers and pediatric diseases.
 

While the Polaris Dawn Mission lasted only five days, crew members Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Isaacman, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon completed a slew of objectives related to the possibility of future long-duration missions. They tested new spacesuits, conducted research to advance human health on Earth, and completed the first-ever commercial spacewalk.
 

The long-term implications of commercial space travel are huge, and the team’s pioneering efforts will likely influence the design of future spacecraft and operational capabilities that will help further human space exploration to the moon, Mars, and more.

Spaceship Superstars

Beyond the practical scientific objectives set out for the crew and the funds to be raised for St. Jude’s in December, there was another mission at hand: the Harmony of Resilience.

Inspired by the universal language of music, crewmember Sarah Gillis brought her skills as a violinist to the table, making a recording of her playing the violin during the mission in space that was transmitted to Earth via SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.
 

Gillis’ interstellar performance was not only used to test communication from space but also meant to send a message inspiring those fighting against childhood cancers and diseases.

In addition, mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon offered a unique experience for the children of St. Jude right from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. She read from her book, “Kisses from Space,” to her two children and patients from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
 

Afterward, the kids had a chance to ask the Polaris Dawn crew members questions about space and their mission.

To Infinity and Beyond

The stellar crew members of the Polaris Dawn mission weren’t the only stars of the show. IWC’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” (Ref. IW389111) was also an important member of this spaceflight.
 

The unique combination of ceramic and titanium materials – along with the IWC-manufactured, precision-engineered Caliber 69380 automatic chronograph movement featuring 242 components and offering a 46-hour power reserve – make these ultralight, 44.5mm Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Polaris Dawn” (Ref. IW389111) models particularly well-suited for space.
 

However, the white case and dark blue lacquered dial, printed with a starry sky pattern and The Polaris Dawn mission logo, make this edition just as attractive to earth-bound stargazers. Additionally, each crew member’s name is engraved on the caseback, which makes the stories behind them even more captivating.
 

This quartet of watches will be auctioned to raise funds for the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The “Dawn of Time” auction will take place at Christie’s in New York City on Wednesday, December 11th. For more information, head over to IWC’s website.

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