As a reference...
Here's an overview of Automatic wristwatches used in space, both intra- & extra-vehicular

1965 August 21 to 29
Charles Conrad wore his personal Glycine Airman Automatic pilot wristwatch during Gemini V mission

1966 September 12 to 15
Charles Conrad wore his personal Glycine Airman Automatic pilot wristwatch during Gemini XI mission. As Richard Gordon performed two spacewalks, due to the open design of the Gemini capsule, Conrad's Glycine Airman was directly exposed to outer space during approximately 2 hours 45 minutes !

1973 November 16 to 1974 February 8
Skylab-4 astronauts wore Automatic chronographs onboard NASA's first space station:
Gerald Carr wore a Movado Datron Automatic chronograph
William Pogue wore a Seiko 6139 Automatic chronograph

1974 August 26
Soyuz 15 cosmonaut Gennadi Sarafanov wore an Omega Speedmaster Mark III Automatic

1994 September 9
Soyuz TM-19 aka Mir-16 cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Yuri Malenchenko were the first to wear & spacewalk test the Fortis Cosmonaut's Lemania 5100 chronograph during 2 EVAs totalling 11 hours 7 minutes...

Photos of all these missions can be found at:
https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive

 

I still wish someone would find 'the watch' belonging to a certain Mr Aldrin.....(well NASA)

I do like the Seiko 6139.

 

@Omegafanman
Upon Your remark, we might have to add the Omega Speedmaster Mark III Automatic, as worn on Soyuz 15 in August 1974
( and Mark III Big Blue version as worn during Soyuz 33 training in 1979 )

 

Thanks for the tips … I think a 1040 movement is ahead on my list / shame that did not get airborne

 

This was part of a collection recently inherited, as I understand this model was taken into space by the first Russian astronauts?

 

33 mm Strela "Arrow" manual winding chronograph was worn by early cosmonauts... issued 1964 onwards to cosmonaut team.
However, during the very first March 1965 spacewalk, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov wore the Strela chronograph underneath his Berkut spacesuit...
The Russian-made white/cream "Strela" is considered the Soviet Russian equivalent of the Swiss-made Omega Speedmaster...
Not an automatic watch as there's no rotor
.

 

Thanks Phil, I think it’s a cool watch and one I will keep, probably replace the broken strap with a strapping type!

 

There's a story about one of Cosmonauts on an EVA realising he didn't have a hammer, but needed to bang in a rivet. Rather than ending the EVA and needing to go back out later, he took off the Fortis on the outside of his suit, and used it to hammer in the rivet

I just picked up this LE from 2006; titanium, Lemania 5100. It's huge but light...

 

Nice watch indeed

 

August 1965, Gemini V pilot Charles Conrad wore an automatic Glycine Airman GMT pilot watch... besides two NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster chronographs... Conrad also wore it on Gemini XI in September 1966 and it became only the second watch make directly exposed to outer space! His personal Glycine Airman watch spent over 10 days in space...
.

 

Warning, thread drift combined with internet rumor:

There is some discussion about whether Leonov wore a Strela Cyrillic or Sekonda marked brand. The Russian space museum displays a Poljot Strela chronograph claimed to be owned by Leonov. This is also said to not be his actual watch but "similar." The discussion recognizes that the Russians did provide the Poljot Strela chronograph to their pilots, with the Sekonda intended for the foreign market. In the Soviet era there was a perception that foreign products were superior to Soviet made objects. Consequently, some pilots purchased or were gifted Sekondas as they were perceived to be superior even though they were essentially the same. It is understandable that Russians are proud of their space heritage and would prefer that Leonov wore a Russian branded watch rather than a watch for a foreign market, thus the watch chosen to be displayed in the museum.

I have a Sekonda that was gifted to a Russian major by his comrades. The inscription doesn't indicate what branch of service. I recognize that this shows that I am predisposed to believe the story that Soviet pilots could have worn Sekondas.

This conjecture is based on a couple of data points. Leonov's actual watch that he wore during the walk is not found. Sekondas were also worn by pilots. Because Leonov's watch was under his suit, the photos of Leonov in space don't identify his watch, which leads to fact-finding (aka speculation.) I am not aware of anytime that Leonov himself identified his specific watch.

I would enjoy any feedback, including claims of bias and rumor mongering. I hope not because I think this has merit. In any case I am interested in learning more as I also love this discussion of watches used in space.

My inscribed Sekonda:

 

Senior Lieutenant Yuri Gagarin was the first person to orbit the Earth in space on board of Vostok-3KA in Aril 12, 1961. The entire mission lasted 108 minutes, and Gagarin’s capsule completed one orbit of the Earth. Strapped to Gagarin’s wrist throughout the mission was a simple 17-jewel Sturmanskie. Not an automatic, but mechanical tiny 33 mm watch. I think it makes sense to mention this time piece in this thread.

 

Amazing story, thank you for sharing. The inscription reads “To the major Tichomirov G. K. from friends and comrades in arms. May 1966”. I think I saw a photo of Leonov wearing a watch similar to Poljot Strela with white dial. Could you show the face of your watch?

 

Would love to.



Of all the many watches I have purchased, this one kept me up at night the most. It was more than I wanted to spend but the inscription and the aged dial struck me. It wasn't a perfect dial but I prefer it's appearance.

I was told it was serviced and the crown appears new to me. I haven't opened the back.

It is one of my favorites.

 

Here's my Poljot, one of my favorite watches.

 

Interesting to see this topic going towards the very first watches worn in space... a topic dear to my heart
Indeed Yuri Gagarin wore a manual-wind 17-jewel Shturmanskie pilot watch (33 hours power reserve) strapped over his left forearm as we assume the SK-1 spacesuit came with the latest version of that Russian-made watch. (as a Lieutenant he got a 15-jewel version).
Here's one my Gagarin slides:
.

 

While on Voskhod-2, both cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Pavel Belyayev wore a white cream dial chronograph underneath the Berkut spacesuit.
A Russian-made 33 mm dial Strela "Arrow"chronograph, the Russian equivalent of the Speedmaster, issued to cosmonauts 1964 onwards...
Updated & time corrected footage of the March 18, 1965 spacewalk shows no wristwatch over Leonov's forearm, so the Strela "Arrow" chronograph sat underneath the outer layer, and more probably completely underneath the sleeve of Leonov's spacesuit.
In fact the watches can be best seen during search & rescue effort color TV footage as the crew landed in the inhospitable forests of Upper Kama Upland, west of Solikamsk at the flanks of the Ural mountain range.
Here's one of my Voskhod-2' slides: showing Belyayev
.

 

More wristwatch-wise stories ( & Omega in the ) Russian space program stuff:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/hidden-gems-from-the-russian-space-photo-archives.65152/

 

And back on topic... Automatic wristwatches in spaceflight :
Two automatic chronographs worn during the 16 November 1973 to 8 February 1974 Skylab-4 mission
.

 

Wow, what a treat today! SpeedyPhill Thank you!

I hope this thread continues, it is a pleasure to learn more on the space theme. Here's Pogue collectors guide

I am after 1974 specimen of 6139-6002, let me know if any of you has one and is willing to part with.