Do you remember my review of the Raketa Space Launcher? You can read it again here.
Well, at that time I was not aware of the small Swiss watch company Werenbach, which has in their collection several models of watches—and what is important—almost all models have the entire dial made of some part taken from a Soyuz space rocket. Only the cheapest quartz models have just a small piece of the dial made from Soyuz parts. So my statement that the Raketa Space Launcher is the cheapest way to reach the stars was not entirely correct—you can find a cheaper automatic watch with a space rocket part, or a much cheaper quartz watch with a (very) small rocket part, right here: https://www.werenbach.ch/en/shop/
Of course, I checked all models in every detail while considering a purchase. Among all the models, the most intriguing were the B.T.O. Superlative models from the Soyuz 02 collection. Why? Well, let's start from the beginning.
B.T.O. stands for "build to order", meaning that every watch is made according to the buyer’s personal wishes. Each piece is configured via a configurator (at least in my case, the configurator worked great in German language selection but failed in English). Since the dials are cut directly from the rocket, every dial is unique, each marked with scratches and traces from the rocket’s journey to space and back.
So the most important phase in the configuration process is to choose which particular dial you want. To make the selection at least a bit easier, Werenbach created six sub-collections in advance, marked B.T.O. I to B.T.O. VI. Each sub-collection has a dial made from a different part of the rocket and, consequently, a different base color of the dial.
The material for all watches from the Soyuz 02 collection comes from the Soyuz MS-09, which was launched on 6 June 2018 at 13:01 UTC. The Werenbach team collected the material two days later in the Kazakh steppe. To better understand where the dials for versions I to VI are cut from, I found a photo of the rocket online. So, let’s begin:
-
B.T.O. I – Grey – Inside of the booster (green part in the photo)
-
B.T.O. II – Olive Green – Outside of the booster
-
B.T.O. III – Orange – Outside of the booster (cladding)
-
B.T.O. IV – White – Firing section (top of the rocket)
-
B.T.O. V – Blue – Firing section – Russian flag from the top of the rocket
-
B.T.O. VI – Red – Firing section – “SOJUZ” signature from the top of the rocket
So, the first three versions come from the booster parts, while the last three originate from the second-stage section.
As a consequence, dials made from booster parts reached "only" 45 km, while those from the last three versions soared over 85 km above Earth. Naturally, I opted for one of the latter. Higher is better, right? :) So I went through all the dials still available within versions IV, V, and VI. I was looking for a dial as "ruined" as possible, full of scratches and with a unique appearance. I couldn’t find any appealing white dials, and I was a bit hesitant about the Russian flag (plus the choice had been reduced to a single dial that was more white than blue), so red—with more than 20 dials available—became the obvious pick. The options ranged from almost entirely white with just a small red spot, to fully red; and from heavily scratched to barely marked at all. After several rounds of choosing, I settled on this one:
The next step in the configuration process is choosing the case. I had three options: steel, black PVD-coated steel, and a special version made from rocket material—specifically, the steam turbine of the rocket. You don’t need to guess which one I chose, right? Rocket steel, of course. Only after receiving the watch did I realize just how lucky I was—I happened to be the last customer to get this case version (my case is numbered 50/50). So if you try the configurator now, the rocket steel case is no longer available.
After selecting the case, the next decision was choosing the badge for the left side of the case. Again, the options included standard steel, black PVD steel, or white rocket material taken from the top of the rocket.
My decision is more than obvious from the picture.
This is the final phase where “rocket” parts are available for selection. From this point on, you only choose from the standard options. The next step is selecting the color of the hands (silver or black)—I chose silver. Then comes the choice of strap type and color: textile, leather, rubber, or steel bracelet. I had quite a dilemma here. On one hand, the watch looks very sporty, but it can also easily be worn as a dress watch. I was certain that the bracelet wasn’t an option—mainly because it’s only available in standard steel or PVD steel, both of which differ in color from the rocket steel case. In the end, I went with rubber, which is generally my favorite anyway.
And here is the result of the described selection process—my own unique Soyuz 02 B.T.O. Superlative (version VI).
Again, I apologize for the German text in the picture, but the configurator in the English version simply didn’t work properly, so I had to use the German site. Still, I’m sure you can understand it and also see how expensive each option was (the image shows additional costs compared to the “standard” selections included in the base price of the watch).
Now that we know which watch is the subject of this review, let me finally begin reviewing it. All my comments regarding the general impression and other details are strictly related to the exact watch shown in the picture. Different combinations might result in a completely different general impression and essentially a totally different watch!
Let us start with the basic information: the official case diameter is 41mm; however, my own measurements show that the minimum diameter is 42mm (top to bottom) and 43mm left to right without the crown protector, and 44.5mm with the crown protector. Before purchasing, I was concerned that 41mm might be a bit small for my wrist, but the actual dimensions make this watch larger than expected. The inner dial diameter is 35mm, the height is 9.7mm, lug width is 20mm, L2L is 47mm, and the weight is 85g. As you can tell from the dial diameter, the watch also doesn’t look small visually. In terms of appearance on the wrist, it wears more like a 44mm watch. Additionally, the dial ends with a 3D minute ring, which further enhances the impression of a larger watch (see the picture on the right). Nevertheless, the relatively short L2L makes it comfortable to wear.
The front glass is sapphire, while the glass on the back is just hardened mineral—an unnecessary cost-saving, in my opinion. Okay, it's true that the caseback is less exposed to potential scratches, but if the watch falls, mineral glass can easily break.
Declared water resistance is 10 ATM (100m), which is quite sufficient for normal water activities like swimming and snorkeling. I would just feel more comfortable if the watch also had a screw-down crown.
The dial is very busy, full of text in different colors. I have never had a watch with so much text on the dial.
The base plate of the dial is not smooth but features a light relief pattern all over. This pattern is not easy to capture in photos, but it can be seen in the picture on the left. Then there is a large Werenbach logo, followed by the Soyuz 02 model designation. On the left side, there is additional description of the model (“Superlative Automatic”). The lower part of the dial is filled with a picture of the Soyuz rocket, a description of which part the dial was cut from, and the coordinates of the launch site in Baikonur. Add to that a (very small) date window, scratches scattered all over, two main colors, hour indexes, and an inner ring filled with text about the time the rocket takes to reach orbit — really a lot is happening on this dial.
The strange thing is — and I can hardly believe I’m writing this — that this overcrowded dial does not bother me at all and doesn’t ruin the look of the watch. I simply can’t figure out how such a crowded dial manages to work so well. The fact is that much of the text is printed in a barely visible color (the light grey “Superlative Automatic,” the rocket image, and the coordinates are hard to see, as well as the white “Orbit” on the inner ring). Then, the dial is scratched all over, and the text adds to the “scratch” effect. Finally, the dial remains generally “clean” without any hour numbers — just indexes. All these factors together probably help the dial function just fine. But, of course, this is my subjective opinion, based more on seeing the watch on my wrist than just looking at pictures.
What I don’t like very much is the fact that the date is white on a black background. I would rather have a white background with dark silver (e.g., the same color as the hands) date digits. Plus, the date window is too small for my taste. On some dates, the digits touch the edge, and you have to turn your wrist to find the position in which the date is clearly visible.
Let's move to the back plate. There is also a lot of text, but that is normal, common, and expected. I will just point out the "Soyuz mat," which is written only on the rocket steel cases. The rest of the text on the inner ring is self-explanatory. On the outer ring, there are the serial number of the rocket steel case (50/50), B.T.O., year of production (2022), and the 10 ATM marking.
The pictures of the back also reveal that the watch is powered by the less known Swiss automatic movement Soprod Newton. I must admit that, even though I have or had a really ton of watches, this is my first watch with a Soprod Newton movement. That makes this watch even more interesting to me, and this "unknown" movement was an additional reason why I chose the Superlative model. Namely, not all Werenbach models use Soprod (some use STP 1-11, some Sellita 200...).
Werenbach on their web pages introduce the Soprod Newton as: "The Newton is a new movement by Jura-based movement manufacturer Soprod and is incorporated into our rocket watches in the high-end ‘Top-Flight’ version (superior quality). It distinguishes itself from the competition with high precision values and a ‘bridge’ above the balance – a feature usually reserved for Swiss luxury watches in haute horlogerie. The bridge increases the shock resistance of the movement." Declared precision of the movement is very good, +/- 4 seconds daily. I have of course checked this and the results are the following.
My phone app measured a constant overrun of +12 to +15 seconds in all positions of the watch (so no positional error). The same results were obtained by wearing the watch for three days in a row without taking it off the wrist. Results are: Day 1: +12 seconds; Day 2: +13 seconds; Day 3: +12 seconds. I can conclude that in fact the Newton works very consistently with almost no daily variations or position variations; however, the movement will have to be calibrated by a watchmaker.
Manipulation of the watch function is "standard" and almost the same as we are used to, for example, on ETA 2824. Position 1 of the crown sets the date, position 2 sets the time and in position 2 the second hand stops. Declared power reserve is 44 hours; I did not check this.
The crown is, of course, signed.
I must point out the excellent lume on the hands. It’s very bright and lasts for a really long time. What I also like is that the lume isn’t scattered all over but only where it should be — almost the entire length of the minute and hour hands, with just very small lume spots on the second hand and at 3, 6, and 12 o’clock (two spots at 12, to be precise).
I also like the overall design of the hands. The hour and minute hands are classic yet very reliable. You always know the time at a glance—no confusion there. The second hand has a nice arrow design.
As I mentioned earlier, the watch fits great on my wrist. One reason is the very reasonable 47mm lug-to-lug size, but another important factor is the brilliant rubber strap. This is definitely one of the best rubber straps I have ever worn. It is extremely soft, quite thin, and hugs the wrist very naturally. I do wonder how long this strap will last, though. To be honest, I’m a bit worried it might not be very resistant. Softness may come at a price. I just hope I’m wrong.
Let me just add that this watch is a real eye-catcher. I’ve received many positive comments from friends about how great it looks. When I explain the story behind the watch—usually answering why the dial is partially white and partially red—the reactions become even more enthusiastic.
The watch comes in a leather box—no extravagance here. For such a unique watch, you might expect something more elaborate, but the box serves its purpose well. A nice touch is that the plate from which the dial was cut is included. You also receive a certificate confirming that the dial is from the Soyuz rocket, along with a very basic instruction manual. Again, it does what it needs to do, but nothing more. It’s clear Werenbach chose to reduce costs by keeping the packaging simple.
While I received a certificate of origin for the dial, I did notice the absence of any certificate for the case and plate. It seems the box and documents are the same for all Werenbach watches, but considering the B.T.O. models offer additional Soyuz parts that arguably deserve certification, this feels like a missed opportunity.
After receiving my watch, I contacted Werenbach and they admitted they could have done better with the certificates. They explained that rocket cases have the "Sojuz mat." engraving on the back, and the plate itself clearly shows its origin from the Soyuz rocket.
This leads me to their customer support, which was excellent. For all my questions before and after the purchase, I received prompt and personal responses directly from the founder and CEO of Werenbach. He was always available for phone calls as well. I genuinely got the impression that every customer is important to him.
I even made an unusual request—to receive photos of my watch during the assembly process. And here they are! I’m happy to share this short photo story showing how my watch was put together.
The watch is delivered worldwide by UPS free of charge. I can only say the user experience is perfect.
As for the price, the configurator already revealed the range for my watch. I chose all the most expensive options except the bracelet (which would add about 200 EUR compared to the rubber strap). The cheapest possible combination starts at 2033 EUR (all prices are before taxes and duties, as the watch is exported from Switzerland). Considering the unique materials and story behind it, I find the price more than fair.
If that’s out of reach but you still want a watch with a rocket dial, check out other models. Older versions made from Soyuz MS-02 parts start from around 780 EUR. And if you register on their site, you can get an additional 10% discount.
My final verdict is clear: for watch and space enthusiasts who want something truly special, I highly recommend Werenbach. If you want a unique timepiece made just for you—one that’s unlike any other in the world—go for one of the B.T.O. versions. You really can’t go wrong.
P.S. Of course, I had to check everything about the Soyuz flight, and I found an official video of it. If you’re curious, take a look at how my watch made its journey into space.
Add comment
Comments