Remember the U.S. Space Force? It Has An Official Watch Now

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In late December 2019, the U.S. Space Force was established—much to the delight of comedy writers everywhere. Barely two years later, deep in the pandemic, the branch decided it needed a watch. How relatable! Over the course of the next two years, the USSF and the Norwegian watchmaker Micromilspec worked together to develop a watch specifically designed for the folks operating in what Donald Trump once referred to as “the world’s newest war-fighting domain” (space).

So what does a watch designed for these new-age warriors look like? Well, it looks a lot like a straightforward—though surprisingly cool—watch. There are two versions of the new piece: one for service members and USSF personnel, and another for civilians. The former is completely matte black across its bracelet, case, and dial, with plenty of nods to the USSF. On the dial is the branch’s logo, a trio of stars set across an orbit pattern the USSF uses, and its motto “Semper Supra,” which is Latin for “Always Above.” While the service-member-only version approximates the awesome eeriness of a black hole, the civilian watch features a more standard stainless steel case and a gray-blue dial. Both styles are available now for $1,500. “The U.S. Space Force Watch is ready to handle any challenge on Earth and beyond,” Micromilspec said in a statement.

Micromilspec specializes in these types of special-order military watches, having previously developed timepieces for Canadian, Norwegian, and French military units, as well as something called the Asymmetric Warfare Group, a now-inactive U.S. Army anti-terror division Outside of military operations, the microbrand also produces custom watches for clients like Manchester City striker (and fellow Norwegian) Erling Haaland.

As far as style is concerned, it’s been a hit-or-miss few years for newly designed space gear. Elon Musk wanted his SpaceX spacesuits to resemble tuxedos, but wound up instead with boxy coveralls that made his astronauts look like cardboard cutouts. Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, meanwhile, outfitted their space explorers in dweebish blue jumpsuits. NASA was more successful in overhauling its spacesuit, thanks to a bit of Hollywood magic. Axiom, the company responsible for NASA’s redesign, worked with Esther Marquis, the costume designer for the Apple TV+ science-fiction series For All Mankind. Point is: developing cool-looking apparel and accessories for space travel is no ea