Louis Moinet in memory of Apollo-Soyuz

Following on from SpaceWalker, the satellite tourbillon dedicated to Alexey Leonov’s 1965 space mission, Louis Moinet is now unveiling a second creation commemorating the great Russian cosmonaut’s 1975 Apollo-Soyuz adventure – the first joint space mission between the Soviet Union and the United States of America.

Soyuz 19 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, and Apollo from Cape Canaveral, Florida, before the two met up for mankind’s first ever rendez-vous in space.

The event stands out as an oddity for historians and space buffs alike. Apollo and Soyuz were space travel codenames in the USA and the former USSR respectively – and in 1975, the world was in the throes of the Cold War. The two superpowers were opposed in every way, not least in a frenetic space race. How could the two self-declared enemies establish an alliance at the heart of one of their arenas of conflict? Enter Alexey Leonov.

The cosmonaut was to change the face of the world at precisely 7.20pm on July 17th 1975. Both spaceships were docked in space and only the hatch of Soyuz 19 separated it from Apollo. In opening the hatchway, Alexey Leonov also opened up a new world of peace and cooperation; his first interstellar handshake with Commander Thomas Stafford was an unforgettable moment.

Louis Moinet is proud to be celebrating this achievement in the conquest of space – and, more importantly, in human relations – with a timepiece called Skylink, recalling the link that was quietly forged between two men, each representing their nations, in the depths of space. This very limited edition of 19 white gold, 19 rose gold and 75 steel watches comes on a dark blue or black strap. The numbers are a tribute to 1975 – the year of the Apollo-Soyuz mission. The dial of each piece bears an authentic reproduction of Alexey Leonov’s signature.

May 08, 2018