Starfield’s Collector’s Edition watch is the perfect tribute to one crucial spacefaring tradition

Today, July 20, marks the 54th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and man’s first steps on the Moon. There is a lot of technology, science, and innovation to be thankful for in our ability to make that giant leap, and I think it’s fitting that Starfield is paying homage to one of those innovations, one of the oldest when it comes to spaceflight, with its Starfield Edition. collector’s

When Apollo 11 went into orbit, it had three human crew members. But along with the names of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, one more name was burned into the annals of history at that time: that of the omega speedmaster.

The Speedmaster, or Speedy for short, has since become an absolute synonym for moon landings and space travel in general. At the time of the development of the Apollo Program, NASA made a key decision: its astronauts should be equipped with personal watches to ensure that the mission stays on track, even if some of the timing mechanisms built into the modules fail. And so, the search for a space-capable watch began.

However, they did not just need an old watch. Whatever was chosen needed to be super accurate and resistant to the extreme changes in temperature, humidity and gravity that would be encountered on the mission. NASA invited brands to launch, and several did.

One brand disconcertingly tossed a pocket watch, which would have inevitably floated away, annoyingly, as soon as gravity eased. Offerings from other brands (including Rolex’s) failed during NASA torture tests. Initially designed as a sports and racing chronograph, Omega’s Speedmaster surpassed them all.

NASA had a couple of modifications they wanted Omega to make, but ultimately it was a modified version of this watch that went into space. and the moon Neil Armstrong left his Speedmaster inside the module as a backup, because the module’s electronic timer had failed; claiming the need and usefulness of disconnected analog clocks for the mission. Also, knowing that Texas time wasn’t exactly key on the surface. However, self-proclaimed ‘watchmaker’ Buzz Aldrin brought his to the surface, making his particular Speedy the first watch worn on another celestial body.

After the Apollo 11 mission, the Speedmaster continued to be used for many years. When Apollo 13 was at risk of being trapped in space, a crewman’s Speedmaster was used to time critical burns to adjust the craft’s trajectory to ensure they returned to Earth (as later dramatized by Hollywood). Most recently, the Speedmaster broke a new space record in 2012, spending nearly 900 consecutive days in space on the wrist of Russian Gennady Padalka aboard the ISS.

This association has endured. I personally bought a Speedmaster due to my nerdy interests in sci-fi and spaceflight. The caseback of my particular model is proudly embellished with the words “NASA FLIGHT QUALIFIED FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS – FIRST WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”. Someone else I know who is also aware of this story is a Todd Howard. The head boss and creative lead at Bethesda Game Studios has worn a Speedmaster during various promotional beats for Starfield, including the release date reveal.

This is all why the choice to pack a watch in Starfield Collector’s Edition it’s so perfect. And for my money, much more shocking and real than a statue, helmet, or even the replica of Pip-Boy from Fallout 4. The Starfield Watch not only appears in the game, but is intrinsically linked to a vital piece of the history of space travel And one that Howard is clearly intimately familiar with.

Sure, a much cheaper smartwatch with what appears to be a fairly low-resolution screen isn’t a real match for a Swiss chronograph, but realistically this is a collector’s edition of video games; you will never get an everyday piece. And anyway, it’s a lovely idea. Very often these collector’s editions are relatively useless; things you stick on a shelf or in the attic to collect dust. This is something you can wear, and something based on true history as much as Starfield universe lore.

I hope it avoids the quality pitfalls some older Bethesda CEs have fallen into, because if it does, this could be one of the nicest collector’s edition items I’ve ever seen.

Pre-order Starfield today or gear up with discounted Game Pass codes

Starfield will launch exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PC (Windows) on September 6, 2023. Pre-order your copy of Bethesda’s upcoming action RPG from the links below and get ready for the next galactic adventure.

Players who pre-order the Premium Edition can play Starfield before September 1. That’s five days before it hits Game Pass! PC gamers who want to upgrade their PC can also get Starfield free when you buy select AMD Ryzen processors, AMD Radeon graphics cards, or a gaming system containing both.

Alternatively, you can play Starfield on Game Pass on day one. Our store here at VG247 currently offers a 5 percent off Game Pass codes and Xbox credit – just redeem the code “VG247” at checkout. The code is good through July 31, so buy now to save money on a discounted Game Pass membership or Xbox credit if you’re buying Starfield from the Xbox Store.