Neil Armstrong wore an Omega Speedmaster during the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, marking the first time a watch was used on the lunar surface. In the early 1960s, NASA tested chronographs from several brands, including Rolex, Longines, Hamilton, and Bulova, under extreme conditions. The manually wound Speedmaster was the only watch to pass every test, earning its place as NASA’s standard-issue chronograph and later the nickname “Moonwatch.”

William Pogue wore his personal Seiko 6139-6002 during the Skylab 4 mission in 1973. The watch was not issued by NASA but brought privately, making it the first automatic chronograph worn in space. Its yellow dial and Pepsi bezel made it highly legible in orbit. The story later turned the model into the Seiko “Pogue,” now a cult favorite with several modern reissues.

John Creighton wore a G-Shock DW-5600 during the STS-36 Space Shuttle mission in 1990. The model is one of the few digital watches certified for use aboard both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. It was likely chosen for its shock resistance, simple quartz movement, and long battery life of around seven years, making it a low-maintenance, high-reliability tool in orbit.

Edgar Mitchell wore his personal Rolex GMT-Master 1675 during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971, and it later became one of the few watches known to have flown to the Moon. The “Pepsi” bezel GMT tracked time zones and shows evidence of space use in photos from pre-launch and aboard the Command Module. In 2024 the watch sold at auction for $2,163,199, underlining its rarity as a Moon-flown chronometer.

Many watches have flown in space, but there is still only one “Moonwatch”: the Omega Speedmaster. During Apollo 14 in 1971, Edgar Mitchell wore his Speedmaster 145.012 during lunar surface operations. The reference was one of the last Speedmasters with the calibre 321 movement which i know as the "moon movment". Fun fact: Mitchell was also known to wear a Rolex GMT-Master, likely kept under his suit during the mission.

During Apollo 15 in 1971, Commander David Scott wore a NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster, which failed during the second moonwalk when the hesalite crystal detached. For the third and final EVA, Scott switched to his personal backup watch, a Bulova chronograph. This made the Bulova the only privately owned watch worn on the lunar surface, later earning it the nickname “Lunar Pilot.” It is now one of Bulova's best sellers.

Bill Nelson is seen wearing a Casio digital watch during the STS-61C Space Shuttle mission in 1986. While it resembles an F-91W at first glance, the curved case suggests it is a different Casio model rather than the flat-sided F-91W. Regardless of the exact reference, Casio digital watches were already known for accuracy, durability, and long battery life, making them a practical and trusted choice for spaceflight environments.

In December 2021, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa spent 12 days aboard the ISS after paying around $80 million for the mission. On his wrist was a Richard Mille RM 27-02, likely the most expensive watch ever worn in space, valued at roughly $800,000. The flight also served as preparation for Maezawa’s now-cancelled dearMoon lunar project.

During Gemini 4 in 1965, Ed White became the first American to perform a spacewalk, wearing two Omega Speedmaster 105.003 watches. both was worn on his left wrist. This mission marked NASA’s first operational use of the Speedmaster and the legendary calibre 321 movement in space, setting the foundation for the Moonwatch era that followed.

During STS-51 in 1984, astronaut Richard O. Covey wore a Seiko 6139 automatic chronograph in space. This marks the second documented Seiko 6139 flown on a Space Shuttle mission. Unlike NASA-issued Speedmasters, the Seiko was a personal watch, valued for its automatic movement and clear chronograph layout. The 6139 remains notable as one of the earliest automatic chronographs to reach orbit.

On the left, Pete Conrad wears a Glycine Airman alongside an Omega Speedmaster. On the right, Richard Gordon is seen wearing a Speedmaster. Conrad flew with the Airman during Gemini 11 in 1966, where the watch was exposed to the vacuum of space during a spacewalk. Designed for pilots, the Airman used a 24 hour dial and rotating bezel to track multiple time zones. While Omega was NASA-issued, astronauts often wore personal watches they trusted.

In 2005 Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi flew STS-114 wearing the Omega Speedmaster “Moon to Mars,” a familiar tool watch with a bit of extra flair. During the mission, Noguchi completed three spacewalks totaling just over 20 hours outside the shuttle. Despite the special dial, this was still very much a Speedmaster doing Speedmaster things: timing EVAs, surviving vacuum, and proving once again why the model keeps getting picked for serious work in orbit.