RALF TECH X CNES COLLABORATION

A good recipe can be improved, but the base must remain the same. Based on this premise, the aesthetic perception of the WRX had to remain unchanged. This has been achieved, with a semi-cushioned shape that is instantly recognisable and strong, taut lines that inspire confidence and power. But, with the need to be as light as possible, given 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, which is well known to fans of the brand, but has been re-imagined. With grade 1 titanium (T35 Aerospace) and a sculpted, hollowed-out case, the organic design of the SPACE MILLENIUM 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.

The new SPACE MILLENIUM has a new dial. In the same weight-saving spirit, the new composite dial is now available in a honeycomb pattern. With its spectacular effect, weight savings and 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.

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 WRX, the RTE001 movement reduces the number of moving parts and simplifies quartz power supply as much as possible.

It has a power reserve of up to 100,000 hours, or almost 12 years, compared with 40 hours for automatic movements and around 2 years for traditional quartz movements. Enough to go to Mars, stay there for a few years and then come back!

The new SPACE MILLENIUM features an innovative ‘encapsulation’ system for the case back. This innovation makes it possible to seal the back of the watch to the case, guaranteeing optimum water-resistance. To ensure that the SPACE MILLENIUM can be serviced safely, only RALF TECH has the special tools needed to open and close the case back on this new model, guaranteeing that the original water-resistance is maintained, time after time.

A direct product of space research, the CNES bracelet manufactured by the French company BOUVERET allows the watch to be worn normally under or outside a flight suit. Made from ballistic nylon lined with a Velcro system, the strap can be adjusted by millimetres. This strap is accompanied by 2 others, a sandy green zulu and the brand’s usual black silicone, which is best suited to scuba diving.

An ultra-light case in aeronautical titanium, the thickest scratch-resistant sapphire crystal on the market (for a mass-produced watch) at 5.9 mm, a case middle 10 mm thick in certain strategic places, wide straps held in place by anti-pull-off threaded rods, ceramic bezels, guaranteed water-resistance to 1000 metres… The SPACE MILLENIUM is intrinsically an ultra-high-performance tool.
Operating in a maximum operating range from -50° to +55°, its resistance to shock and vibration is exceptional. With a power reserve of 12 years, it has record-breaking autonomy. And its new dial makes it extremely easy to read. These technical characteristics, validated by weightlessness tests carried out in March 2024 with the first production models, represent the sum total of all the RALF TECH expertise associated with the CNES.

Assembled in France, the new SPACE MILLENIUM should logically become the benchmark in ‘space watches’ for professionals and the discerning public. Its unrivalled performance and design should finally win over fans of alternative watchmaking.

The threats to the environment and the over-exploitation of our planet’s natural resources require the implementation of a global sustainable development strategy. As a ‘Climate Space Agency’ with an ambitious CSR strategy, CNES is making a growing contribution to the fight against global warming. With its recognised expertise in Earth observation, France is now 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 desire 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 Ailes de France Foundation, of which CNES is already a partner. As part of its annual Bourses ESPACE programme, the Ailes de France Foundation funds projects by students from a wide range of educational backgrounds who wish to study space-related subjects. 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.