Detroit is perhaps more well-known for its once-prosperous automobile manufacturing industry than its hand in the space race. But many might not know that Motor City’s very own “Detroit Three” — General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler — made serious contributions to the advancement of space exploration, a feat Shinola hopes to spotlight with the new Mooncraft Monster: Apollo 11 Edition. Shinola enthusiasts might already know that the Monster Diver was the first Shinola watch with an automatic movement. Now, with the release of the Apollo 11 Edition, it’s also home to the brand’s first manual wind chronograph and with a rather patriotic color palette to boot.
How were America’s biggest automobile manufacturers involved with space travel, anyway? As the story goes, the aerospace division at Chrysler helped develop the rockets used to launch Apollo shuttles into space. At the same time, General Motors had a part in designing the lightweight Lunar Rover vehicle astronauts would use to navigate the Moon’s surface, and Philco-Ford, a subsidiary of Ford, made the mission control consoles. That’s impressive enough, but what does it have to do with Shinola? The relatively new company, founded in 2011, set up shop in Detroit and has seemingly been dedicated to the struggling city’s regrowth ever since, whether it be through manufacturing jobs at the company’s Detroit headquarters, watches named after the Great Lakes, or via the new Apollo 11 model that pays tribute to the city’s contributions to space exploration.
Every ounce counts when successfully launching shuttles into space, so it makes sense that Shinola would choose a lightweight material for a watch dubbed the “Mooncraft.” The lunar rover, an actual, bonified Mooncraft, was made from aluminum alloy 2219 tubing, and while that material wouldn’t be practical for a wristwatch, brushed titanium seems to be the next best choice for this watch. The metal is resilient and inherently more contemporary. Still, design elements like the retro font for “mechanical” at 6 o’clock, mushroom-shaped pushers, boxy sapphire crystal, and muted red, white, and blue hues remind the wearer that this Shinola is also very much vintage-inspired.
The case measures 43mm in diameter and 14.95mm thick with 22mm lugs. The matching three-link bracelet is made of brushed titanium to match the case and features slightly rounded links and a convenient deployant clasp decorated with that famous Shinola lightning bolt logo. The case also boasts a push-down crown and 100 meters of water resistance. For comparison, the current-production Monster GMT also has a 100-meter depth rating, while the three-hand models are waterproof to 300 meters. Shinola also furnished the case with an exhibition-style case back, giving us a clear view of the custom black ruthenium-plated Sellita SW510 M b 23-jewel movement, which boasts a 58-hour power reserve. All watches are assembled in Shinola’s state-of-the-art watch factory. Hence, the distinction “BUILT IN DETROIT” on the case back.
Surrounding the case is a unidirectional bezel with a blue aluminum insert. Compared to the other Monster Dive watches in the brand’s catalog, it appears as though the bezel is thinner, and the 60-minute graduations are smaller, perhaps to accommodate the tri-compax dial. The sub-dials are slightly recessed, and the dial has a delicate sandblasted sunray texture that reflects the light as the wrist moves. The sporty red elements and creamy white 60-minute track inscribed with “Apollo 11 — July 20, 1969” in red text complete the Apollo-inspired aesthetic Shinola was going for with this edition of the Monster.
With its interesting back story and shiny new manual-wind chronograph movement, the Shinola Mooncraft Monster Chrono is arguably one of the brand’s best new offerings. The limited-edition watch is produced in quantities of just 500 and comes with special packaging to highlight Detroit’s storied Apollo heritage. Considering the watch’s limited quantities, new movement, and special, vintage-inspired design, the premium over other models in the Monster collection seems justified at $3,995 USD. The Mooncraft launched on July 16th and is now available to purchase online. For more information, please visit the Shinola website.
