Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622 Pilot's Watch
Starting from 699 €The Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622 is an automatic watch designed as a tribute to the Apollo 11 mission and the American conquest of space. Its name evokes lunar gravity, 1.622 m/s², and its originality lies in a sapphire crystal chamber at 3 o’clock, which holds certified lunar meteorite dust or the imprint of Neil Armstrong’s footstep. Assembled in Belgium by the Liège-based house, it comes with a Japanese or Swiss movement, a steel or titanium case and a NASA logo visible on the caseback. Part memorial object, part everyday watch, it speaks to enthusiasts of space, history and watchmaking charged with symbolism.
Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622 pilot's watch
Founded in 2013 in Liège by Sébastien Colen, Col&MacArthur has carved out a singular specialty: designing commemorative watches that each contain an authentic artefact linked to a historical event. The Belgian house assembles its pieces in its own workshop, in Belgium, and turns each model into the vehicle for a precise story, made tangible by an object you can observe on the wrist.
The LUNAR 1,622 belongs to the INTERSTELLAR universe, dedicated to space exploration. It is the second watch in the line, after the RED 3,721 and its Martian meteorite dust, and was launched on Kickstarter on 4 October 2023. Its name is no catalogue reference: it takes up the value of gravity at the Moon’s surface, 1.622 m/s², the environment in which the Apollo astronauts operated.
For it is indeed Apollo 11 that this watch celebrates. The mission’s name, its date, Neil Armstrong’s initials and his famous line about one small step and one giant leap all appear on it. The dial’s edge numbers the successful Apollo missions, in gold for those that landed on the Moon, in white for the orbital flights. On the back, the watch displays NASA’s “Meatball” logo, created in 1959, an emblem of American space exploration whose use has been authorised by the agency. More than a pilot’s watch in the strict sense, the LUNAR 1,622 is a watch of tribute to the conquest of space, designed to carry on the wrist a tangible fragment of this human and scientific adventure.
Technical specifications Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622
- Brand: Col&MacArthur
- Model: LUNAR 1,622
- Indicative price: From €699
- Movement: Japanese or Swiss automatic
- Calibre: Miyota 8215 or Sellita SW200-1
- Diameter: 43 mm
- Thickness: 12 mm
- Water resistance: 10 ATM
- Materials: 316L steel or titanium
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Dial: Black or silver
- Strap: Black leather or stainless steel
- Warranty: 2 years
- Box contents: Case, certificate of authenticity, warranty, instructions
The Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622 space watch
The LUNAR 1,622 is recognisable first by its distinctively shaped case, designed to house a sapphire crystal chamber at 3 o’clock. This is where the watch’s signature element sits: NWA 11515 lunar meteorite dust, discovered in 2017 in Northwest Africa and supplied by MSG Meteorites, a British company licensed by the IMCA. This material has been certified by the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, and every watch containing it comes with a certificate accompanied by a spectrometric analysis. The Explorer variant replaces this dust with the imprint of Neil Armstrong’s footstep, reproduced on the sapphire crystal in the same location.
The dial, offered in black or silver, brings together references to Apollo 11 and the programme’s colour coding for its missions. The 43 mm diameter case adopts a matte black finish, in 316L steel on the version with the Japanese movement or in titanium on the Swiss version. On the back, a sapphire caseback reveals NASA’s “Meatball” logo, whose use has been authorised by NASA. The whole retains a strong presence on the wrist, but its register remains that of a memorial object rather than a cockpit instrument. Each example is numbered, reinforcing its character as a collector’s piece. The watch is aimed at those who want to wear a piece of space history every day, with a traceable and documented artefact.
Automatic movement and construction of the LUNAR 1,622
Beneath the dial, the LUNAR 1,622 offers two mechanical approaches. The entry version relies on the Miyota 8215, a Japanese automatic calibre with 21 jewels offering a 42-hour power reserve. The titanium Pioneer version adopts the Swiss Sellita SW200-1, fitted with 26 jewels, beating at 4 Hz and displaying 38 hours of autonomy. It is also this version that carries the strongest collector appeal, with a run limited to 2,025 numbered pieces, a nod to the Artemis III mission. The Miyota version is also numbered, but its production is not limited. Both share the same diameter and the same tribute to Apollo 11: only the movement, the material and the production run differ.
On the wrist, the case measures 12 mm thick for a 20 mm lug width, proportions that remain well controlled for a 43 mm diameter. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal, while the screw-down caseback contributes to a water resistance of 10 ATM, suited to everyday life without claiming any diving credentials. The black leather or stainless steel strap closes with a double deployant clasp, adjustable from 180 to 220 mm. The LUNAR 1,622 is therefore not a tool watch in the military sense. It bets on symbolism, the traceability of its artefact and an automatic movement, in a package designed to be worn rather than stored away.
Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622 pilot's watch: a tribute to Apollo 11
The Col&MacArthur LUNAR 1,622 pairs a 43 mm, 12 mm thick case, in 316L steel or matte black finished titanium, with an automatic Miyota 8215 or Sellita SW200-1 movement. Protected by a sapphire crystal and a screw-down caseback, it offers 10 ATM water resistance. Its sapphire chamber at 3 o’clock contains NWA 11515 lunar meteorite dust or the imprint of Neil Armstrong’s footstep, while the caseback reveals the NASA logo. Supplied in a case with a certificate of authenticity and an explanatory booklet, it comes with a 2-year warranty.
Movement
The LUNAR 1,622 is offered with two automatic movements. The steel Japanese version carries the Miyota 8215 calibre, mounted on 21 jewels and fitted with a 42-hour power reserve. The titanium Pioneer version switches to the Swiss Sellita SW200-1, with 26 jewels, beating at 4 Hz and offering 38 hours of autonomy. In both cases, the watch winds itself through the motion of the wrist, with no battery to replace, which suits a piece meant to be worn regularly.
Diameter and materials
The case measures 43 mm in diameter for 12 mm of thickness, with a 20 mm lug width. It is made of 316L steel or titanium depending on the version, always with a matte black finish. Its distinctive shape allows it to house the sapphire crystal chamber placed at 3 o’clock. The dial comes in black or silver, and the crystal is sapphire, as is the caseback window that reveals the NASA logo. On the Pioneer version, the caseback is in sandblasted titanium.
Water resistance
The LUNAR 1,622 claims 10 ATM of water resistance. This level relies in particular on a screw-down caseback, which ensures a solid seal at the rear of the case, and on the protection of a sapphire crystal on the dial side. This figure covers everyday use, but the watch was not designed as a diver: it makes no claim to any diving-specific equipment. It remains above all a watch paying tribute to the conquest of space, meant to accompany everyday life.
Accessories
The watch is supplied on a black leather strap or, for an additional €90, on a stainless steel bracelet. The Pioneer version also offers a titanium option, priced €200 higher. The closure is secured by a double deployant clasp, adjustable from 180 to 220 mm in length. The case contains a certificate of authenticity, the warranty and an explanatory booklet on the watch’s symbols. Versions containing meteorite dust add an MSG Meteorites certificate and its spectrometric analysis.
Warranty
The LUNAR 1,622 comes with a 2-year international warranty. It covers manufacturing defects for 24 months from the date of purchase. The watch is assembled in the brand’s workshop in Belgium. The warranty is included in the case, alongside the certificate of authenticity and the explanatory booklet, allowing the documents attesting to the watch’s origin to be kept together. For versions containing lunar dust, the MSG Meteorites certificate completes this dossier.
Col&McArthur Montre LUNAR 1,622 The pros
and cons
- Certified lunar meteorite dust
- Detailed tribute to Apollo 11
- Authorised NASA logo on caseback
- Choice between Miyota and Sellita
- Pioneer limited to 2,025 pieces
- Imposing 43 mm diameter
- Miyota version not limited
- Large price gap between versions
- Design not very versatile
Prices and technical specifications are subject to change. Content and photos are not contractual.
