It Came from Outer Space: Hands-On with the Zodiac x Watches.com Super Sea Wolf Meteorite Limited Edition
Pardon the irresistible pun, but this limited-edition collaboration is simply out of this world!
Meteorites are magical. To get to our planet, these billion-year-old space rocks had to break off from an asteroid, fly across the cosmos, survive the fiery fall through our atmosphere, and then land in a farmer’s field or desert so that some intrepid rock collector can eventually dig it up.
How meteorite dials find their way to our wrists is equally intriguing.
The majority of the meteorite that has fallen to Earth is ferrous, composed of metals like nickel and iron. And besides the fact that cutting one up into wafer-thin slices to make dials is a finicky process, ferrous materials? Not so great for unprotected watch movements. So, meteorite timepieces are rarer – and pricier – than your average watch.
That is why we’re excited about the new Super Sea Wolf Automatic Space Gray Meteorite Limited Edition made by Zodiac in collaboration with Watches.com. It is a great-looking, solidly built, and, most importantly, an accessibly priced timepiece.
Luckily, Watchonista got a chance to go hands-on with this stellar watch. Here are our thoughts.
Star Man
Surprisingly, making dials from meteorites wasn’t popularized until the 1980s or early 1990s. The combination of kamacite and taenite, two materials not naturally found on Earth, create a wonderful, crystalline surface known as the Widmanstaetten Pattern.
Even in the 2020s, the brands that are best known for embracing meteorite dials tend to operate in the upper strata of the watch world. Happily, Watches.com and Zodiac have teamed up to make a more down-to-earth edition.
Watches.com is known for representing a selection of eye-catching watches. Not only that, but the online retailer has been a long-time cheerleader of Zodiac. For instance, back in 2019, they teamed up to produce a one-of-a-kind Zodiac x Watches.com Super Sea Wolf Meteorite. And now it’s back!
Intergalactic
Throughout its long history (the brand is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year), Zodiac has pursued precision and craftsmanship while exploring the use of new materials.
With this second edition of the Limited Super Sea Wolf Meteorite, the meteorite used on the dial was crafted from a single Muonionalusta Meteorite that crashed in the Norrbotten region of Sweden approximately 800,000 years ago. Cuts from this particular space rock feature a unique pattern of iron and nickel that looks amazingly extraterrestrial. It’s hard not to stand in awe before something that was already billions of years old before it crossed the universe and into Earth’s atmosphere.
It’s the details that complete the Super Sea Wolf Meteorite’s contemplation on time. Using the classic Super Sea Wolf design as a starting point, grace notes include Super-LumiNova-coated hands and markers that are easy to read even under the darkest of night skies.
A 40mm in diameter, 13.9mm thick, with a space gray stainless steel DLC case, it is not only hard-wearing, but the finish also serves as an excellent backdrop for the patterns of the dial. The whole package is completed with a brushed five-link space gray stainless steel butterfly-clasp bracelet.
Finally, the whole Super Sea Wolf Meteorite universe is set in motion with a Swiss-made STP 1-11 automatic calibre.
Pricing & Availability
The Zodiac x Watches.com Super Sea Wolf Meteorite is limited to only 182 units and is available exclusively at Watches.com. It is priced at $1,795.
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell)