Moon Missions Told Through Time

Humanity’s fascination with the Moon has shaped some of the most defining moments in modern history. NASA’s Apollo program created the milestone of putting the first humans on the lunar surface. Since then, many nations have pursued their own space programs, advancing science, engineering, and exploration.

 
India has become one of the world’s leading spacefaring nations. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began with humble beginnings: transporting rockets on bicycles and bullock carts. Decades later, the organisation is known for achieving complex missions with precision, efficiency, and innovation. 

When NASA used the Saturn V, one of the most powerful rockets ever built, ISRO approached the Moon differently. Chandrayaan-3 relied on the LVM3 M4 rocket: smaller and cost-efficient. Instead of raw power, the mission used a gravity-assist trajectory to slingshot itself toward the Moon. This method was both strategic and resourceful. 

The result was historic. India became the first country to land successfully on the lunar south pole. The landing site, Manzinus, now carries more meaning than a coordinate; it represents India’s capability and spirit.

In 2023, we introduced Manzinus I, the first watch featuring Cerasteel™ — a lightweight white ceramic-steel composite developed through extensive research. Its unibody form has a matte white finish that resembles the lunar surface, and the dial features a rare meteorite disc positioned at 6H. 

The dark dial represents the shadowed crater zones near the Moon’s south pole: regions where water ice was confirmed by Chandrayaan-3’s rover. 

Following this, Manzinus II was designed as a tribute to that successful landing. It uses a matte black Cerasteel™ case. The dial and meteorite placement remain consistent with Manzinus I, but the colour palette reflects the final mission outcome and engineering mindset. 

Both watches extend beyond tribute pieces. They bring iconic mission details to the wrist through material, form, and thoughtful design. 

In 2021, the Apogee Collection was launched to mark 50 years of ISRO and India’s achievements in space. The collection represents Indian innovation and engineering through watches that draw from real missions, real materials, and real milestones. 

A key signature of the collection is meteorite. Working with meteorite watch requires knowledge, stability treatment, and careful finishing. Over the years, we’ve developed deep expertise in integrating meteorite into watch design. This includes the Karman Line – the first Apogee watch tested for space qualification. Extraterrestrial – featuring the original grey Muonionalusta meteorite dial with a natural Widmanstätten pattern. Muonionalusta is considered one of the oldest meteorites found on Earth. Its crystalline pattern is a natural fingerprint formed over billions of years in space. 

Beyond missions, the Apogee line also draws inspiration from astronomical phenomena such as Supernova, Earthshine, and Horizon, continuing the storytelling of space through design. 

The Apogee collection is more than storytelling. With the space-qualification testing performed for Karman Line, this collection represents a watch built with purpose-designed not just to honour missions, but capable of surviving the environments that inspired them. For collectors, this brings a unique feeling: the watch is built ready for space.

 
At Bangalore Watch Company™, every watch collection represents a piece of modern India, whether it’s space, cricket, outdoors, or an aviation watch. The stories are inspirational and real, the engineering is intentional, and these Indian watches are built to translate heritage into meaningful, wearable objects.

 
The Moon missions changed what the world believed was possible. Today, those milestones continue to live on, not only in science and engineering but also on the wrists of those who appreciate the story. 

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