Chinese Space Watch

DoctorEvil · Jun 17, 2021

I was reading the news yesterday and came across an article about China sending three taikonauts into space to construct China's version of the ISS. Naturally, my eye was drawn to the watches they were wearing on their left wrists and was wondering what it might be:

After doing some online research I found that it could be this watch (or a variant of it), the Fiyta Spacemaster:

Was wondering if any forum members have owned this watch and what was their experience with it. Is it well made? Is it accurate? Anyone know of what it's record in space is like? Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks in advance for your responses.

PS- Please forgive me if the quality of the images is poor, and please correct me if I have got the identity of the watch wrong.

dsio · Jun 17, 2021

They're doing an awful lot awfully quickly atm, the watch looks a. bit odd with the offset subdials like the movement is too small for the watch or something but you can see some Speedmaster vibes in it too, especially the spacemaster text which Omega has already used on the Z-33 and trademarked.

Trev · Jun 17, 2021

Also curious to hear more about this one.

Crazy that they've built a space station on their own (US refused to collaborate many times), and sent up 3 astronauts already. This is in addition to their mars rover and moon missions in the same year.

June 2021:

Scarecrow Boat · Jun 17, 2021

DoctorEvil
my eye was drawn to the watches they were wearing on their left wrists and was wondering what it might be

According to your picture

It is actually a variant of this watch by the same manufacturer

Fish70 · Jun 17, 2021

Is that like a Foo Fiyta?

DoctorEvil · Jun 17, 2021

dsio
They're doing an awful lot awfully quickly atm, the watch looks a. bit odd with the offset subdials like the movement is too small for the watch or something but you can see some Speedmaster vibes in it too, especially the spacemaster text which Omega has already used on the Z-33 and trademarked.

Yes, I did notice that the Spacemaster text does ape the Speedmaster's a bit. What I find interesting is that the minutes subdial is in 5 minute intervals for a total of 45 minutes, with highlights leading to the 30 and 45 minute marks. According to an article I read on Gear Patrol, it's because most tasks/experiments in space need to be completed in said timeframes. Also, the markings on the bezel are for tracking a total of 8 hours elapsed time. Apparently, that's the time limit for using the space suit during EVAs.

Yes, China is doing a lot very quickly at the moment. It seems to me that they are trying to catch up as fast as possible to the USA in space exploration (amongst other fields). It would not surprise me if one day they become the second nation on earth to put humans on the moon. They are the only ones who seem to have the money and the political will to do it.

DoctorEvil · Jun 17, 2021

Trev
Also curious to hear more about this one.

Crazy that they've built a space station on their own (US refused to collaborate many times), and sent up 3 astronauts already. This is in addition to their mars rover and moon missions in the same year.

June 2021:

Thanks for your pic and video.
Yes, it's crazy that the USA has failed to collaborate with China in space given that the USA and USSR collaborated with each other during the Apollo/Soyuz missions in the 1970s. And that was supposedly in the middle of the Cold War. But in a way I kinda understand why the USA may be reluctant to invite China to the party.. There's probably another Cold War going on right now between those two nations and the USA may be concerned that China may gain significant technological benefit from any sort of collaboration. It's a shame that nations can't put their differences aside and work together for the common good of all humankind.

DoctorEvil · Jun 17, 2021

Scarecrow Boat
According to your picture

It is actually a variant of this watch by the same manufacturer

Great spotting. Yes, you are indeed correct!
I've tried looking up the watch on Fiyta's website but can't find it listed amongst their current offerings. So, I suspect that the watch may be out of production. Any idea of the name or reference number?

JwRosenthal · Jun 17, 2021

DoctorEvil
It's a shame that People can't put their differences aside and work together for the common good of all humankind.

FIFY

Foo2rama · Jun 17, 2021

So apparently the real question is if China can keep it permanently manned. So far China has not shown the ability to keep that cadence of launches up. Apparently it seems to be a copy of Mir and the Russian habitation module on the ISS. It can dock multiple ships meaning in theory they can keep it continually manned.

Scarecrow Boat · Jun 17, 2021

DoctorEvil
Great spotting. Yes, you are indeed correct!
I've tried looking up the watch on Fiyta's website but can't find it listed amongst their current offerings. So, I suspect that the watch may be out of production. Any idea of the name or reference number?

The watch is from the early 2000’s as seen by the date in the caseback (below)(and watermark stamp in the left), so it’s definitely not part of their current line up. Here is a picture of the caseback though.

Trev · Jun 17, 2021

Foo2rama
So apparently the real question is if China can keep it permanently manned. So far China has not shown the ability to keep that cadence of launches up.

Why would they not be able to keep it permanently manned?

DoctorEvil
It would not surprise me if one day they become the second nation on earth to put humans on the moon. They are the only ones who seem to have the money and the political will to do it.

They're planning to build a lunar base with Russia. 😀

Also:

DoctorEvil · Jun 17, 2021

JwRosenthal
FIFY

Yes, thank you.
I think you got my meaning but I just didn't phrase it quite right 😀

pdxleaf · Jun 17, 2021

Trev
Why would they not be able to keep it permanently manned?

They're planning to build a lunar base with Russia. 😀
Also:

Interesting. Consistent with Russia leaving the ISS, the ISS reaching it's limit, the USA drifting with no clear strategy (the Moon!, Mars!, Commercial sub-orbit!, Space Force!, We still go to space?!!).

Russia has experience and knowledge, China has financing, technological and manufacturing ability, strategic direction. If they don't have a mission (including female) on the moon within a decade it'll be more surprising than if they do. Maybe five years?

Hey @Walrus, remember your thread about picking up a Chinese watch overseas and question about their quality? What do you think about these Fiyta? I wouldn't mind one myself.

DoctorEvil · Jun 18, 2021

Trev
Why would they not be able to keep it permanently manned?

They're planning to build a lunar base with Russia. 😀

Also:

A research station on the moon? Wow, that is really ambitious. The technical challenges of constructing the station, crewing it and then sustaining it would be enormous. It's going to take a lot of ingenuity and creative thinking, not to mention money. And if the US decides to start it's own project too (as mentioned in your article) then this could open up a whole can of worms with regards to territorial rights, resource exploitation etc. Kinda reminds me of the sci-fi novel/movie Dune. Imagine if the UN secretary general (emperor) tells the US and China: "The House which harvests the most spice has control of Dune. There are no restrictions or rules of engagement." 😜

ghce · Jun 18, 2021

Wow wow and wow again, thanks very much for this thread! I will be buying one of those next time I am in China ( the watch, not the space station)
Would love to book a flight at the same time, I do have some contacts that could help .....😝

SpeedyPhill · Jun 18, 2021

These MoonwatchUniverse slides 161-164 of our Spacefarers' wristwatches lecture can be found elsewhere on the forum, but here's the update:
.

Foo2rama · Jun 18, 2021

Trev
Why would they not be able to keep it permanently manned?

They're planning to build a lunar base with Russia. 😀

Also:

The article I read was discussing how China has never been able to do more than 1 manned launch a year. The Shenzou system has not yet flown at a tempo to keep it permanently manned let alone more than 1 flight a year.

I wish them all the luck don't get me wrong.

Also a sort of list of the watches Fitya sent to space

http://www.fiyta.com/aboutbrand/hangtian.html

Also they appear to have shops in France but no where else outside of China.

DoctorEvil · Jun 18, 2021

SpeedyPhill
These MoonwatchUniverse slides 161-164 of our Spacefarers' wristwatches lecture can be found elsewhere on the forum, but here's the update:
.

Thanks for your post. That's great info.
By the look of things, there isn't just one Chinese space watch but at least three different types. This is different from NASA practice during the Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs where there was only one approved watch for use on EVAs (Speedmaster Professional). Also, I read in another article somewhere that tne Chinese space watches sold to the general public are smaller (44mm case daimeter) compared to the ones the taikonauts use. Again, this is different from NASA and Omega where the general public can buy the exact same watch that the astronauts use.

Omegafanman · Jun 18, 2021

Interesting to see how this all develops.
Modern case backs are interesting.