In a world-first partnership, Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen has announced its role as the Official Timekeeper of aerospace company Vast, the team behind Haven-1 – the world’s first commercial space station. The state-of-the-art, human-centric station is set to launch as early as 2026, ushering in a new era of space exploration.
This collaboration aims to enhance the durability and performance of mechanical watches on Earth, while extending their reliability to the harsh environment of space. It also marks a natural evolution for IWC, which began its pioneering work in aviation almost a century ago and has already flown timepieces on nine space missions.
Unlike the International Space Station, which is reaching the end of its lifetime, Vast is pioneering a new chapter: a human-centric station designed, built and operated entirely by a private company. CEO Max Haot said: “We’re building the most innovative space station in the universe. This isn’t an artist’s rendering – this is the actual design, being executed and built right now.”
For the first time, IWC will design experimental timekeeping technology specifically for space, with prototypes undergoing the same rigorous testing as hardware bound for Vast missions, including Haven Demo and Haven-1. Discussing the partnership, IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr described: “Watches have already flown on nine space missions, so this felt like a natural fit. At IWC, we thrive on challenges like this – pushing timekeeping into a whole new frontier. During future long-duration missions, a mechanical watch showing Earth time can also be the object that emotionally connects astronauts to their home.”
Before Haven-1’s debut, Vast is readying Haven Demo – an in-orbit testbed launching later this year – a critical step toward bringing permanent private space habitats online. Haven-1 itself will host up to four astronauts for stays of 30 days, giving crews access to the Haven-1 Lab: a unique platform to conduct scientific research, technology development, and in-space manufacturing that will benefit life on Earth and support long-term exploration of space.
Haot explained that timekeeping is fundamental to training and operating in space, saying: “To have the chance to work with IWC, a company that shares our obsession with precision and design – is so exciting.” He continued: “Both Vast and IWC master complexity and make it human and intuitive. That’s what excites us about this partnership – it’s about shaping life in space in a way that looks and feels inspiring.”
The partnership fuses innovation in design, engineering and human ambition, marking the beginning of a new chapter in how we live – and keep time – beyond Earth.
