Hands-On: the Xeric Artemis Chronograph

Picture this: You’re playing Thursday night trivia and the DJ asks which watch was first worn on the moon. The softball question generates bar-wide high fives as everyone celebrates their collective awareness of Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster that forever married watches and space travel into pop culture lore. Less than a year after we took our first small steps on the moon, the Apollo 13 mission sought a return to our celestial stomping grounds. Once again, a watch stole our collective attention, this time as part of the ill fated Apollo 13 mission. The world heard the phrase “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” and held its collective breadth as the safe return of three astronauts packed into a Lunar Module 200,000 miles from earth became dependant on their ability to precisely time a 14 second burn of the module’s thrusters – a task achieved with a NASA qualified Omega Speedmaster.

John F. Kennedy famously declared that we choose to go to the moon not because it is easy, but because it is hard. While nothing about the nearly tragic Apollo 13 story makes this land-loving watch nerd want to get a closer view of the stars, others feel inspired to embody Kennedy’s words and to keep pushing farther… 586 times farther, to be exact. Kicking off this exciting new phase of space travel is NASA’s Artemis Program, which will bring a new generation of astronauts to the moon with new technology to be used on the quest for Mars.

The Watch

Watch collectors looking to celebrate the connection between horology and space travel have more options than ever. NASA watches are having a bit of a moment, with everyone from G-SHOCK to awake getting in on the fun. Unlike other brands making one-off limited editions, Xeric has made space travel a core part of their DNA, dedicating an entire section of their catalog to all things NASA, from a $1500 Tumbler to $300 semi-sweeping quartz options speckled with glowing stars. Their new Artemis Chrono line stays true to this trend of offering affordable and fun space themed watches and ambitiously comes in seven colorways. Yes, seven.

I was immediately drawn to two of these: the subdued silver dial and icey blue bezel of the Insignia model as well as the Afterburn- easily the most eye-catching of the entire collection with a bold dial that transitions from cherry red to deep maroon depending on the light. For a collection inspired by our eventual journey to the Red Planet, stealing the show with a red dial only seems appropriate. These two variants demonstrate both ends of the collection’s spectrum, from subtle to downright vibrant, with something for everyone in between, including an all black case (with a matching bracelet) featuring bold red and blue accents. On each version, the chronograph subdials are recessed, tastefully (arguably more so than the 4:30 date window) tucked into their respective radial brushed sunray dials.

Every Artemis Chrono shares identical specs, with the exception of case finishing on the black and gray versions. Measuring in at 40mm with a comfortable lug to lug of only 46mm, the NASA Artemis Chrono will feel at home on most wrists. At 12.6 mm thick, it will feel familiar to chronograph wearers, being slightly thicker than the Brew Metric (another fan favorite microbrand using MecaQuartz movements) but slimmer than the 14.44 hockey puck that is the Tudor Black Bay Chrono. The Seiko VK63 MecaQuartz movement inside the Artemis Chrono is the key to this watch’s functionality. A MecaQuartz movement featuring a ⅕ chrono second hand, the VK63 is a hybrid movement that offers the accuracy and ease of quartz along with the satisfying experience of operating a mechanical chronograph. This is good news for those of us that find watching a second hand’s immediate return to zero even more satisfying than a crispy rotating bezel.

While chronographs are as practical as they are fun (how do people cook without these if the stove only has one timer?) tachymeter scales have always struck me as comparatively impractical. Yes, I understand the historical connection between this mysterious scale and watches, but let’s be honest that most wearers are as likely to use their tachymeter as they are to test the limits of the Rolex Sea-Dweller. Acknowledging this precious real estate is more for show than function, Xeric opted to splurge for a glass-coated bezel and prioritized clean lines and color. 

If a brand cares enough to modernize a historically bland complication, you can safely count on a caseback that doesn’t cut any corners either. Again, Xeric delivers, this time with a dimensional Orion capsule sculpted into each individually numbered caseback. Other notable nods to space travel include NASA’s insignia prominently displayed at the 12:00 and an additional Orion capsule forming the shape of the impressively lumed hour hand.

As a self-admitted bracelet skeptic, I’ve accepted that not all brands understand the Gravity of ensuring their bracelets possess The Right Stuff to offer a Stellar strap on par with the watch it accompanies. Forced movie references aside, I found the wearing experience of the Artemis Chrono to be generally positive, enhanced with a uniformly finished and well-articulating seven-link design. The only component that felt slightly Alien (OK, I’ll stop now) is the considerable force required to secure the clasp, and the audible snap that follows. To be fair, a sub $500 watch will always have concessions, and I view a sticky clasp as nothing more than a minor annoyance. With comfortable dimensions, a sapphire crystal and a more than sufficient 10 ATM of water resistance, the Artemis Chrono is a watch capable of being a daily wearer, meaning that operating the clasp could be a rare occurrence. For those looking to switch things up, the Artemis Chrono is prepared to accommodate existing strap collections with a lug width of 20mm and quick release spring bars.

Final Thoughts

I recently reviewed Bravur’s Team Heritage collection and found myself enamored with the subtle nods to cycling culture that catered to cycling enthusiasts, but didn’t alienate those that simply want a solid watch and could care less about the sport. While Xeric’s NASA references are anything but subtle, I think their new Artemis Chrono collection finds a similar balance. Afterall, It doesn’t require an obsession with The Apollo missions to appreciate a colorful and practical chronograph, especially if it costs less than $500.

Watches and space travel are both pushing boundaries right now. As the watch industry enjoys a period of progress and transformation, the leaderboard for who currently makes the thinnest, most accurate and most water resistant watches is currently in flux. Just like we don’t need watches to be thinner than a credit card, humans don’t need to keep pushing the boundaries of space exploration. But humans aren’t ones for being told no. As we curiously and stubbornly continue to go where no man has gone before, I think it only makes sense to commemorate these achievements with the tool that has been dutifully strapped to mankind’s wrist since our first small step on the moon. Sized for everyone, priced to be accessible and with a variety of thoughtful colorways, it’s hard to argue against joining in the celebration with the Xeric Artemis Chrono. Xeric