The two frontiers
Since the dawn of time, man has sought to understand his environment in order to better control it. At RALF TECH, we used to say that the ocean floor was the final frontier. And it's still true. The oceans - or the world ocean - regulate over 80% of the earth's climate. They play a major role in the Earth's temperature. And the ongoing exploration of the oceans will certainly enable us to preserve our planet for a little longer, in good conditions.
But over the last 50 years, man has also set out to conquer space. The stratosphere, then the Moon and now Mars... From a frontier that is always partly inaccessible, the Ocean, to a frontier that is always infinite, Space, like the meeting of these two worlds on the line of a furtive horizon, RALF TECH and CNES invite you on an extraordinary journey with the new SPACE MILLENIUM.
With SPACE MILLENIUM, for a short while, RALF TECH leaves behind the ocean, the last frontier for human beings, and takes to the skies to reach space. SPACE MILLENIUM symbolizes the meeting of these two worlds and two French players with shared values.
CNES & RALF TECH
CNES, a public industrial and commercial establishment, proposes France's space policy to the public authorities and implements it in 5 major strategic areas: Ariane, Science, Observation, Telecommunications and Defense.
RALF TECH is a French watch brand offering watches imagined, designed and assembled in France. The brand already equips over 100 elite and special forces units worldwide. RALF TECH products embody the values of authenticity, reliability, self-improvement and adventure.
CNES & RALF TECH have decided to combine their excellent know-how to offer a series of watches adapted to space conditions and the needs of astronauts. SPACE MILLENIUM is the first of these.
SPACE MILLENIUM
A spectacular 100% new organic design.
A good recipe can be improved, but its base must remain the same. With this in mind, the aesthetic perception of the WRX had to remain unchanged. This was achieved, with the recognizable semi-cushion shape and strong, taut lines inspiring confidence and power. But, with the need for lightness linked to the cost of sending objects into Space, the formula had to be renewed and/or improved. The SPACE MILLENIUM therefore retains the overall shape of the WRX, well known to the brand's enthusiasts, by reimagining it. With grade 1 titanium (T35 Aéronautique) and a sculpted, hollowed-out case, the SPACE MILLENIUM's organic design becomes extraordinary in the truest sense of the word, saving 105 grams compared to a WRX, dropping from 200 to just 95 grams while maintaining a strictly identical size.
A 100% new composite dial.
The new SPACE MILLENIUM features a new dial. In the same weight-saving spirit, the new composite dial is now available in a honeycomb pattern. Spectacular effect, weight saving, enlarged indexes, the dial is a work of art in itself. Thanks to these technical specifications, readability is excellent by day and visibility exceptional by night.
An innovative movement... even better.
Developed in Switzerland for our company, the RTE001 movement uses a micro-hybridization system. It combines precision, reliability and energy savings. Built on the mechaquartz base of the hybrid movement equipping previous generations of WRXs, the RTE001 movement reduces the number of moving parts and simplifies quartz power supply as much as possible.
It can run for up to 100,000 hours, or almost 12 years, whereas most movements offer a power reserve of 40 hours for automatics and around 2 years for traditional quartz. Enough to go to Mars, stay there for a few years and... come back!
An exclusive sealing system.
The new SPACE MILLENIUM features a “case back” with an innovative “encapsulation” system. This innovation seals the back of the watch to the case, guaranteeing optimum water-resistance. Only RALF TECH has the special tools needed to open and close the case back on this new model, ensuring that the original water-resistance is maintained, overhaul after overhaul.
Innovative straps.
Directly derived from space research, the CNES bracelet manufactured by the French company BOUVERET makes the watch suitable for normal wear under or outside a flight suit. Made from ballistic nylon and lined with a Velcro system, it allows each wearer to adjust the strap millimetrically. This bracelet is accompanied by 2 others, a sand-green zulu and the brand's usual black silicone, best suited to scuba diving.
Spectacular technical features !
Ultra-light case in aeronautical titanium, the thickest scratch-resistant sapphire crystal on the market (for a production watch) with a thickness of 5.9mm, case middle 10mm thick in certain strategic places, wide straps held in place by anti-pull-off threaded rods, ceramic bezels, guaranteed water-resistance to 1000 meters... The SPACE MILLENIUM is intrinsically a high-performance tool.
Operating in a maximum operating range from -50° to +55°, its resistance to shock and vibration is exceptional. With 12 years of power reserve, its autonomy reaches record levels. Its new dial makes it ultra-readable. These technical features, validated by weightlessness tests carried out in March 2024 with the first production models, represent the sum total of all RALF TECH's expertise in association with CNES.
Assembled in France, the new SPACE MILLENIUM should logically become the benchmark in “space watches” for professionals and the discerning public alike. Its unrivalled performance and design should finally win over enthusiasts of alternative watchmaking. The new SAPCE MILLENIUM will be available from June 20.
Ecological and social.
The threats to the environment and the over-exploitation of our planet's natural resources call for a global strategy of sustainable development. As a “Climate Space Agency” with an ambitious CSR strategy, CNES is making a growing contribution to the fight against global warming. Its recognized expertise in Earth observation puts France at the forefront of this battle in Europe and around the world. RALF TECH, strengthened by its marine and underwater origins, is proud to support CNES in its efforts to preserve our planet in general and our oceans in particular.
RALF TECH and CNES also attach particular importance to civic values. For each watch sold, €100 will be donated to the Fondation Ailes de France, of which CNES is already a partner. As part of its annual Bourses ESPACE program, the Fondation Ailes de France funds projects by students from a wide range of educational backgrounds who wish to enter the space industry. The aim is to promote space among young people, facilitate their integration into the professional world, and help French talent in the sector to emerge.
