When it comes to watching design inspiration, there’s no better muse than space exploration. Whether it’s the stars or the process of getting to the great beyond, the concept of space and innovation has created plenty of watch designs in recent years. While it seems as if every company has a space-inspired design, none has quite the personal connection as Shinola. In their newest release, Shinola has crafted the Mooncraft Monster Chrono 43mm, which was inspired by the Apollo missions and includes significant details that give a nod to Detroit’s role in the process. Not only does this limited edition watch come with plenty of style, but it’s accompanied by history and detail unlike none.
The Detroit – space connection
While everyone knows the importance of cities like Houston and Cape Carnival in space exploration, there’s far less talk about how Detroit fits into the picture. Since Detroit is the hub of automobiles, there’s no doubt that three of the biggest car makers in the country lent a hand in many of the major space events. With the Mooncraft Monster Chrono 43mm, Shinola hopes to give credit to all of the workers, engineers, and specialists who used their expertise to help get men into space. Those involved included Detroit Ford workers who lent a hand on Houston’s control consoles for the Apollo 11 mission. On behalf of Chrysler, the aerospace division worked on the engines that lift early vehicles in Cape Carnival and helped develop the Saturn I and Saturn IB rocket’s first-stage power plant. As well, General Motors helped to develop the lightweight wheels for the Lunar Rover vehicle as part of the Apollo 15 mission. In total, almost 400,000 Detroit workers lent a hand in one way or another to make history.
Mooncraft Monster Chrono 43mm at a glance
With lightweight titanium metal, the Mooncraft Monster contains a rhodium-plated manual-wind chronograph movement, the first for Shinola. The watch also comes with a blue aluminum bezel and three subdials. The details come in a patriotic red, off-white, and blue, completing the outer design. A transparent caseback allows wearers to take a peek at the watch’s distinct yellow and black ruthenium-plated mechanics. As a special detail, the Apollo 11 name and date are etched onto the matte blue dial.
With plenty of small details to marvel at, there’s no denying that the Mooncraft Monster Chrono 43mm is a one-of-a-kind American design. As a watch itself, the piece comes with the high-quality craftsmanship of Shinola. However, the key appeal of the piece comes in the commemoration of such an important date in history. Those looking to purchase will need to act quickly, as Shinola only plans to release 500 pieces of this watch. At a $3,995 price, this Mooncraft Monster is history at your wrist.
