The new Fortis B42 Black Mars 500 model is the German-based “Swiss watch” brand’s another attempt to monetize its long-standing partnership with the Russian Roscosmos Federal Space Agency that dates back to 1994.
It is equipped with the same ETA 2836-2 self-winding caliber built on 25 jewels and featuring a simple calendar function with current date and day of week indicators located at 3 o’clock. We have already seen the movement in the recent Hamilton Khaki Pilot automatic watch as well as in the last year’s TAG Heuer Aquaracer 500M Calibre 5 diving watch.
Its generous 42 mm case is, too, made of black PVD-coated high-grade titanium and features an AR-treated sapphire crystal as well as a transparent display case back.
What is different, is the color scheme, which is almost identical to that of Mars itself. The deep blackness of its dial and case is accented with luminescent orange for the hands and Arabic numerals. The black leather strap is also stitched with contrasting orange.
Although on the promotional photos the Fortis B42 Black Mars 500 looks rather bleak and not very interesting, it really kicks some butts in real life making you really want one.
The good news is that Fortis is going to limit the watch’s production at reasonable 2012 models, so most of us won’t have any trouble at all as to getting of these toys on our wrists. The price of the timepiece is still unknown, but thought to be in the $3,000 range.
Fortis B42 Black Mars 500 Limited Edition men’s automatic watch specification:
when in the year 2030 the first crew will leave to the red planet the stage was set by the ambitious research projects of today to commemorate this european-russian mission aiming at the simulations of a real flight to planet mars the limited edition was issued .
