CIGA Design Moon Walker First Step Edition

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Neil Armstrong spoke those words on 21 July 1969. CIGA Design built a watch around them. The Moon Walker replaces the Blue Planet's rotating Earth with the lunar surface and puts a miniature astronaut where traditional hands should be. The figure floats above the dial, marking time as it orbits—exactly as Armstrong orbited above the Sea of Tranquility.

The dial recreates the Moon's topography using NASA's ultra-high-resolution imagery and 0.03mm CNC micro-engraving. Every crater, ridge, mare—from Tycho to Copernicus, the Sea of Tranquility to the Ocean of Storms—rendered with geographical accuracy. Hidden within the surface at 0.67°N, 23.47°E (Apollo 11's landing coordinates): Armstrong's bootprint, laser-engraved at 0.01mm precision. Invisible to the naked eye, visible under 10× magnification. Also hidden: the exact moment of touchdown. Secrets reserved for the wearer.

The astronaut itself required over five hours of hand work. Precision-cast copper, sandblasted, vintage silver-coated, hand-polished. Every detail of the suit faithfully reproduced—textured layers, iconic contours, raised arm serving as the time pointer. Only 30% of castings meet quality standards. Time is indicated through CIGA's Asynchronous-Follow Technology: the hour disc rotates 30 degrees whilst the minute ring spins 390 degrees. When the astronaut aligns with an hour marker, the minute track reads "00."

Forty-six millimetres with no traditional lugs. High-gloss titanium keeps weight manageable despite 17.05mm thickness. The dramatically domed sapphire crystal creates depth—looking into the dial feels like peering down at the lunar surface from orbit. Display caseback shows the Swiss-made CD-09 automatic movement (Sellita SW200-1 base modified with CIGA's display technology): 28,800 vph, 41-hour power reserve, 26 jewels. Caseback engraved with Armstrong's words. Fifty metres water resistance.

Black fluororubber strap with titanium butterfly clasp. Despite the substantial case size, the lugless design keeps lug-to-lug measurement identical to diameter—wears smaller than 46mm suggests. The titanium construction and flexible strap make daily wear surprisingly comfortable. Luminous markers ensure legibility in darkness. Book-style packaging with recycled materials.

CIGA Design doesn't make traditional watches. They make mechanical sculptures that happen to tell time. The Moon Walker continues the Blue Planet's philosophy: take a concept everyone knows, render it with obsessive detail, use unconventional timekeeping to emphasise the visual. It's not subtle. It's not understated. It's a floating astronaut on your wrist. Sometimes that's exactly what you want.