Feel free to join the SWFG - Space Watches Facebook Group where I'm sharing all my articles and photographs on this subject Omegaforums even has a dedicated topic on these LeCoultre astronaut watches: https://omegaforums.net/threads/want-to-see-a-real-astronauts-watch.72729/
@J!m Nothing special Just clear photos of each-and-every Mercury astronaut wearing the bespoke black 24 hours dial LeCoultre wrist watch. As we're talking about the early NASA space program here... (Photo: NASA) .
February 1962, US Marine Corps LtCol John Glenn wearing the 24 hours dial LeCoultre wrist watch. (Photo: NASA) .
In February 1961, the NASA STG - Space Task Group announced that 3 Mercury astronauts were selected for special training to become the first US astronaut: USMAC LtCol John Glenn, USAF Capt Virgil Grissom and US Navy LtCmdr Alan Shepard. No wonder Alan Shepard became the most photographed of the Mercury 7 astronauts in Feb-May 1961 time period. April 1961, "Mercury 7" astronauts Virgil Grissom and Alan Shepard at the launchpad, both wearing the 24 hours dial LeCoultre "astronaut watch". (Photo: NASA) .
And Donald "Deke" Slayton wearing the 24 Hours dial LeCoultre "astronaut watch" during the MR-4 mission, July 21, 1961. (Photo: NASA) Omegaforums even has a dedicated topic on these LeCoultre astronaut watches: https://omegaforums.net/threads/want-to-see-a-real-astronauts-watch.72729/ .
And finally Wally... Walter Wally Schirra and Virgil Grissom at Mercury Launch Control in May 1961... The 24 Hours dial LeCoultre "astronaut watch" with distinctive bracelet. (Photo: LIFE) .
Indeed the late 1950s bespoke 24 hours dial "LeCoultre" article itself is superb, as are the LeCoultre Quartermaster versions, but MoonwatchUniverse' article on the "65th anniversary of the Mercury 7 receiving these time pieces" will be interesting with some rarely seen photographs...
Remember these "LeCoultre" 24 hours dial watches were the very first astronaut watches, even before they received the Accutron pilot watches. Sorry, already revealed way too much on OF... Aficionados know where to find (much) more ! (Photo: NASA) .
A bit of an exclusive preview "" First Watch "" 65 years ago... NASA procured the very first astronaut watches! In September 1959 the close cooperation between the NASA Space Task Group and an important wrist watch brand was fulfilled by the delivery of bespoke 24 hours dial anti-magnetic stainless steel wrist watches for the "Mercury 7" astronauts. How and why this was accomplished can be read soon in another MoonwatchUniverse article on wrist watches in spaceflight.... (Screenshot: MoonwatchUniverse) .