The watch industry has had strong ties with space exploration ever since Day 1. From the Omega Speedmaster’s lunar landing to Fortis accompanying cosmonauts aboard the Mir station, it’s become clear that humans need timepieces when voyaging into the unknown just as much as we do down here. Now IWC Schaffhausen is writing the next chapter in that story, partnering with Vast — the California-based space habitation company — as the official timekeeper for Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station set to launch in 2026.
From Aviation to Orbit
IWC has nearly a century of experience building pilot’s watches, so the jump to space isn’t as wild as it might seem. The brand already cut its teeth on commercial spaceflight with the Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions, gaining field data on how mechanical watches perform in microgravity. But this partnership with Vast formalizes those efforts into something much more ambitious: developing actual spaceflight-ready prototypes that will be tested under the same rigorous conditions as critical Haven-1 hardware.
At Vast’s Long Beach headquarters, IWC’s prototypes will face simulated launch vibrations and material compatibility assessments. The watches (no specific models announced just yet) are designed to keep time here on Earth, serving both practical and emotional purposes for individuals separated from home during extended missions.
The Crypto Connection
Vast itself is an interesting player in the space race. Founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb — the entrepreneur behind the now-defunct Mt. Gox exchange and Ripple cryptocurrency platform — the company is bankrolled by McCaleb’s considerable crypto fortune, estimated north of $2.5 billion. This time around, he’s funding artificial gravity space stations, with Haven-1 as the proof of concept before larger modules follow. The station will host private astronauts and government missions alike, functioning as both a research lab and manufacturing facility.
This marks Vast’s first brand partnership, reflecting the growing commercialization opportunities in low-Earth orbit as the ISS nears its retirement in 2031.
Engineering Philosophy
IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr emphasized that this collaboration will be different from other watchmakers dabbling in space due to the engineering focus and pushing mechanical watchmaking into an environment that wasn’t designed for it.
The partnership positions IWC to potentially challenge Omega’s decades-long dominance as the space watch. There’s also talk of future in-space manufacturing at Haven-1 Lab, so we could also soon see the first watches actually built in space.
Spec Sheet
Watchmaker: IWC
Model: TBA
Space Station: Haven-1 Lab
Expected Launch Date: 2026
Pricing & Availability
While no specific watch models or prices have been announced, the collaboration is now official as of September 2025, with Haven-1’s launch targeted for 2026.
Recap
IWC x Vast Official Timekeeper Haven-1 Lab Space Station
IWC just became the official timekeeper for Vast’s Haven-1, the first commercial space station launching in 2026. The real kicker is they’re hinting at eventually manufacturing watches in orbit.
