The Unimatic x Massena LAB U1-SPG “NASA Artemis” Limited Edition

Moon exploration has been a source of inspiration for generations, back in the 1960s with the Apollo Program. Of course, things stopped in 1972, but mankind is once again on its way to step foot again on the Moon’s surface, as NASA is preparing the Artemis program. Intended to reestablish a human presence on the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission, and to establish a permanent base on the Moon to facilitate human missions to Mars, the first crewed Artemis launch is expected to take place in April 2026. To pay tribute to the pioneering spirit of the NASA Artemis campaign, Unimatic and Massena LAB are joining forces again (not their first time) with the launch of the very orange U1-SPG “NASA Artemis” Limited Edition. 

The Artemis II mission will mark the first crewed mission in the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, a next-generation heavy-lift rocket designed to carry astronauts to the moon and, eventually, Mars. The upcoming crewed moon missions (Artemis II, III, and IV) will venture into the uncharted lunar South Pole region, paving the way for humanity’s first permanent space station on the Moon’s surface. And for the record, Artemis is a fitting name for NASA, as according to Greek mythology, Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo… And, as you might have seen, the Space Launch System rocket bears a pretty unique, bold burnt orange colour. Now you know where the inspiration for this new Unimatic x Massena LAB comes from.

The watch is based on the Modello Uno GMT, sharing the same architecture and movement, but designed with bright colours and specific markings. The 40mm steel case, which measures 41.5mm at the bezel, is coated in burnt orange Cerakote inspired by the vibrant hue of the SLS rocket used for the Artemis missions. Cerakote is a durable, anti-corrosive, ceramic-based coating, ideal for protection against harsh environments (hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale), and widely used in the aerospace industry.

The case is completed by a 120-click unidirectional bezel with a 60-minute scale and a screw-down crown in contrasting charcoal Cerakote coating. The back is solid steel, screwed and decorated with with NASA Artemis seal engraving. Note that this Unimatic x Massena LAB U1-SPG NASA Artemis, despite being inspired by space exploration, is a real dive watch with 300m water-resistance and a thick, 2.5mm sapphire crystal on top. This also explains the relative thickness of 13.2mm.

The dial, proudly signed with the vintage worm NASA, is all about legibility, with a matte black base and large painted hour markers in beige Super-LumiNova. The black hands are generously filled with the same luminous paint. Being a GMT watch – note that it’s an office GMT, with the 24h hand set independently – it features a 24-hour scale on the periphery (also lumed) and a large, arrow-shaped dual-time hand.

Inside the case, keeping things accessible, is a Seiko NH34A movement – essentially the same movement as found in the Seiko 5 Sports Style GMT. This automatic office GMT movement runs at a 3Hz frequency and stores about 42 hours of power reserve. It is equipped with a stop-seconds function. The U1-SPG NASA Artemis is delivered with two straps – an orange nylon strap with nylon keeper, a steel pin buckle with burnt orange Cerakote coating, and an additional black nylon strap with nylon keeper.

A limited edition of 99 pieces, sold exclusively by Massena LAB at massenalab.com as of now, the Unimatic x Massena LAB U1-SPG NASA Artemis Limited Edition is priced at USD 1,295. It is presented in a tough case with an embroidered NASA patch.