Destination Mars, With The Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Amadee-20 (live Pics & Price)

A new space race is springing up. Humanity is returning to explore the heavens and the upcoming destination is Mars. Known for crafting rugged tool watches, Fortis has been supporting the Austrian-led Amadee Mars simulation programs for several years now. The Amadee-20 is an integrated Mars analogue field mission in the Negev Desert, Israel. A small field crew of highly trained astronauts with spacesuit simulators will conduct experiments preparing for future human and robotic Mars exploration missions. And there is a special edition watch dedicated to the mission. Meet the Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Amadee-20.

Following the Amadee-18 edition, the new Fortis Amadee-20 is a rugged, solid utilitarian chronograph presented in a monochromatic grey attire. As you would expect for any item built for space exploration, this special edition watch exudes robustness… If it is based on the brand’s classic Cosmonaut watch, it comes with several original features and upgrades. Fashioned out of lightweight yet durable sandblasted grade 2 titanium, the 44mm case is fitted with a “Mission counter” rotating bezel, which can be used as a countdown (hence the reverse minute track). It also features two triangular indexes with luminescent pearls to keep track of the 10-minute delay in communication between Mars and the Earth. 

The new anthracite grey dial of the Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Amadee-20 features two distinct finishes. The left part is brushed while the right part is textured. The applied numerals accentuate the sense of depth. The abundance of luminescent material on the markers and hands ensures optimal legibility in all conditions. At 12 o’clock, the size of the 30-minute chronograph counter has been extended to the max. The two arrows framing the day-date display show the direction to rotate the crown to adjust each indication. Last, the patch of the mission is emblazoned at 6 o’clock.

Flip the watch over and the screw-down caseback is engraved to illustrate “the next giant leap” that represents Mars landing. The screw-down crown is fitted with a 3-gasket system and the water resistance is rated 200m, very comfortable for a pilot’s oriented watch.

The Amadee-20 edition, like most Fortis Official Cosmonauts, is powered by the self-winding Fortis UW-50 calibre, based on the tried-and-tested Sellita SW-500 with cam-level architecture. The chronograph indications include a central second hand and a 30-minute counter. As mentioned above, there is also a day-date indication. Beating at a frequency of 4Hz, it boasts a power reserve of 48 hours.

The Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Amadee-20 is fitted with a robust three-link titanium “block” bracelet. Just like for the new Fortis Flieger, the safety folding buckle features a practical extension mechanism. The screwed lugs offer additional security. With the 7750 inside, the case is not particularly thin but the use of lightweight titanium offers good wearing comfort. Last, the watch also comes with a cool Amadee-20 hook strap by Nick Manckey. 

The Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Amadee-20 is released as a special, non-limited edition. It will be priced at CHF 3,600 or EUR 3,800. For more details, please visit www.fortis-swiss.com.