Extraterrestrial
HIGHLIGHTS:
WHY YOU'LL LIKE IT:
You've always looked at the sky and wondered where we came from. Surprisingly, the answers are found far closer to home.
The dial of this watch is a piece from the Muonionalusta meteorite, believed to be 4.5 billion years old. Recovered from along the border of Finland and Sweden, the patterns on this dial are formed by the slow cooling of Nickel-Iron crystals over millions of years in space. This pattern is impossible to reproduce on earth, so no two dials are alike. Yours is truly unique. What better way to celebrate the Indian space program's five decades?
The lightweight case is unmissable, machined from a single block of Grade 2 Titanium, and finished with a uniform micro-bead-blasted finishing for that avant-garde appearance. With a 100 meters water-tight case and a Swiss automatic movement, the Apogee checks several boxes for a sporty, futuristic watch with an incredible backstory that is sure to become the conversation piece of your group.
For 2021, we are producing 50 pieces of the Extraterrestrial. Because of the rarity of the material and challenges in manufacturing, we are unable to keep this model in stock permanently, but small batches could be made available in the future.
BACKSTORY OF THIS WATCH:
The foundations of the Indian space program were laid atop bullock-carts and bicycles, but with huge ambitions. The space program started amidst a harsh economic climate in the late 1960s. In just over fifty years, India is now part of - only a handful of - space-faring nations in the world.
With humble beginnings firing sounding rockets from a fishing village on the west coast of India, to sending rockets to Mars from Sriharikota on the east coast of India, the Indian space program remains a constant source of inspiration for a billion people.
An Apogee is the farthest point of a satellite's orbit. With this watch collection, we’ve pushed ourselves to our farthest point - with design, materials, and construction. This is our Apogee.
Why BWC?
Don't wear a watch, wear a story.
A mid-century inspired dress watch paying tribute to HMT, or a robust aviation watch paying tribute to the Indian Air Force, our collections tell stories that give you one more reason to wear a wristwatch.
They'll last you a lifetime.
A good wristwatch lasts a lifetime. So, we built them with the highest quality components - be it surgical grade stainless steel, Swiss automatic movements, or scratch-resistant sapphire glass, our wristwatches are built to last you many years.
Because we care.
High-quality wristwatch ownership is like car ownership. Be it your first watch, or subsequent purchases, they leave you with lasting memories. Your lifestyle changes with time, and so do your watch-wearing preferences. We understand your needs well - be it a strap replacement, out-of-warranty repair for an accidental drop, or just a regular service, we strive to provide you with a superlative ownership experience. Talk to our team, and you'll know the difference.
| Case: Grade 2 Titanium, Unibody construction, Micro-bead-blasted finishing |
| Inner Bezel: Bi-directional, second-time-zone bezel, operated by 2H Screw-down crown |
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Dimension: 40mm size, 44mm lug-to-lug, 12mm tall, 20mm lugs
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Crown: 4H push-and-pull with BWC logo
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Water Resistance: 100 Meters
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Caliber: Swiss Sellita SW200 Automatic, date at 6H position
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Power Reserve: 38 Hours
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Dial: Fumé dial, matte surface finishing, three-step construction
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| Lume: C3 Superluminova, Grade A |
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Crystal: Scratch-resistant flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
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Strap: G-Force Araminta genuine leather straps with Clemence pattern, quick-release pin
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Buckle: Grade 2 Titanium tang buckle,
Micro-bead-blasted finishing, with BWC logo
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What is a Meteorite?
Meteorites are space rocks that have fallen on Earth over thousands of years. The specific Meteorite of your dial is from Muonionalusta, along the border of Sweden and Finland. Most meteorites found on Earth such as the Muonionalusta, are ferrous (Iron based).
How we did it
We worked with Meteorite hunters to source pieces from the Muonionalusta meteorite. We then sent it to our manufacturing partners in Switzerland who cut the rock and processed it to our specifications to be used in our watch dials. Due to the rarity of this material and the challenges in manufacturing, we can only make small batches at a time.
Imperfections on the dial
Watch dials are made of brass using industrially perfected processes. Dials can be manufactured with high levels of tolerances with flatness, finishing, and cutting. Meteorite dials on the other hand, are cut from a raw Meteorites. These are not industrially produced raw materials, they're made of iron, and make it challenging to achieve the same levels of tolerances as our other dials.
We pay utmost attention to our dials, we lose 4-5 Meteorite discs for each completed Meteorite dial, making this process cumbersome. You may still find tiny imperfections on the Meteorite dials, especially with the flatness, and cutting around date windows etc. We ensure in our Quality Control process that these imperfections are not visible with naked eye, and may only show with microscopic examination.
Unique patterns
Muonionalusta meteorites consists of Nickel+Iron, the Widmanstätten patterns you see on your dial are unique (the criss-cross of lines), and are formed by a slow-cooling process that occurs over millions of years as the meteorite travels in space. This pattern is impossible to recreate on Earth, so no two dials will be alike.
Colour changes
Iron Meteorites like the Muonionalusta have a tendency to oxidise. Oxidisation will result in a colour change in the surface. This may not be uniform, and may happen only in specific areas or spots. Our opinion is that oxidisation only occurs if the material is exposed to the elements. Since the meteorite is encased in a water-tight case, chances of oxidisation are extremely low. Also, we coat the dial with a layer of electroplating to avoid oxidisation. Electroplating also gives the meteorite a shiny, reflective texture, also enhancing the look of the Windmanstatten patterns. It is still common for meteorite dials to develop a patina, browning, or spotting over many years of use.
Returns and Refunds
We will offer a Return and Replace your item if it is damaged or defective upon delivery. Please read our detailed returns and exchanges terms before placing your order.
Warranty and Service
All our watches are covered by our 24 month warranty, straps and accessories are not covered by our warranty. Please read our warranty and service terms to understand the warranty process.
Shipping
We offer free worldwide shipping for all watches. We ship from Bangalore once every week on Tuesdays via BlueDart for India, and FedEx for International orders. You will bear the customs duty in the country of your import. Please see our detailed shipping terms before placing your order.
Payments
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