ATOWAK explores the next frontier as inspiration for horological exploration with new Mars Age collection

Andrew O'Connor

• ATOWAK draws inspiration from Mars exploration to develop its Mars Age model series.
• The central module completes one revolution every 120 minutes, while the Mars hour disc also rotates on its own axis.
• The ATOWAK Mars Age Origin Grey and Transverse White are slated for limited batch productions, and the Phantom Violet is a limited edition of 102 pieces. 

Space exploration has been a rich source of human fascination for centuries, from Galileo Galilei’s first use of telescopes for astronomical observation in 1609 to humanity’s current endeavours to journey to farther destinations within our solar system. Space exploration and watches go hand in hand, as our system for measuring time fully relies on the Earth’s rotation around the Sun, and the Speedmaster’s role in the Apollo missions sealed the deal.

While Omega has Earth’s Moon exploration covered, other brands have been looking ahead to the next frontier: Mars. Endeavours to explore worlds beyond our own serve as a source of great inspiration for ingenuity and creativity.  ATOWAK is no stranger to creative time displays with its watches, and it has drawn inspiration from these extraterrestrial aspirations to develop its latest Mars Age model range.

Front and centre for these new models is a creative time display, with the Mars disc displaying the hours and the rocket hand and double-ended hand displaying the minutes. At the centre of the dial is an M-shaped seconds indicator, a component that rotates continuously, providing the dial’s source of motion.  The Mars disc’s outer ring carries 12 hour markers, while the upright triangle on the dial points to the current hour. The indices for the hours feature SuperLuminova, and laser micro-engraving recreates the Martian surface, including Valles Marineris. The minutes are displayed via the rocket ship and compass-shaped hands.

The 60-minute scale is printed around the periphery of the upper portion of the dial, and the current minutes within an hour are indicated by the minute hands. As one hand moves across the scale, the other rotates into position to indicate the next 60 minutes, forming what ATOWAK calls the “Spacecraft Relay” mechanism.

This operation also drives the entire display to rotate around the dial, completing one full rotation every 120 minutes. As the display rotates, the Mars disc’s outer hour scale remains consistently aligned. Earth and its moon are also along for the ride. The Earth sphere is laser-micro-engraved with continental outlines and features a luminous “AK” logo. A 3mm polished black jade sphere symbolising the moon is placed alongside the Earth.

Powering this display is the calibre AK-08BA, featuring a self-developed module over a Sellita SW200. The movement operates at 28,800 vph, has a 38-hour power reserve, and has bi-directional winding that improves winding efficiency by 30%. The Phantom Violet model features a grade 5 titanium main plate for the module, treated to provide the iridescent appearance. The Origin Grey and Transverse White feature a brass module mainplate.

The case for the ATOWAK Mars Age models is made of carbon fibre for the Phantom Violet and Origin Grey models, and fibreglass for the Transverse White model. The outer layers of the case feature luminous particles, making the cases glow in low light. All models have case inserts and the caseback is made of titanium. The titanium inserts on the side of the case have brushed planes with mirror-polished edges that define the shape.

The 40mm-wide case measures 47.2mm lug-to-lug, 14.4mm thick, has a 24mm lug width, and is 50 metres water-resistant. The dial is covered with a double-domed sapphire crystal with 6 layers of anti-reflective coating, and a 9mm sapphire window in the case back reveals part of the movement. The case back features engraved depictions of Earth and the Valles Marineris relief on Mars. Each model comes with a hybrid nylon-and-leather strap, colour-matched to the case, and a titanium pin buckle.

The Phantom Violet model is a limited edition of 102 pieces, a tribute to the difference between a full day on Earth and on Mars. As measured on Earth, a full rotation of Earth is completed in 24 hours, whereas a full day on Mars (also called a Sol) takes 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35 seconds, a 2.7% difference compared to Earth’s rotation. As a Sol is 102.7% of an Earth day, ATOWAK decided to make this special edition model a run of 102 pieces.

ATOWAK Mars Age pricing and availability

The ATOWAK Mars Age collection is now available. The Origin Grey and Transverse White models will be produced in phased, limited drops, with no fixed production quantity, and are not intended for long-term continuous production. The Phantom Violet model is limited to 102 pieces. Price: US$3,380 (Origin Grey and Transverse White), US$3,980 (Phantom Violet)

Brand	ATOWAK
Model	Mars Age Origin Grey, Transverse White, and Phantom Violet
Case Dimensions	40mm (D) x 14.4mm (T) x 47.2mm (LTL)
Case Material	Carbon fibre (Origin Grey and Phantom Violet) Fibreglass (Transverse White)
Water Resistance	50 metres
Crystal	Double-domed sapphire crystal, 6-layer AR coating
Dial	Openworked
Strap	Nylon-Leather hybrid strap, colour matched to model
Movement	ATOWAK AK-08BA, Sellita SW200 base, automatic
Power Reserve	38 hours
Functions	Rotating time display with hours, minutes, and seconds
Availability	Phased production for Origin Grey and Transverse White models. Phantom Violet limited to 102 pieces.
Price	US$3,380 (Origin Grey and Transverse White) US$3,980 (Phantom Violet)

Made in partnership with ATOWAK. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.