Tom Austin To commemorate 55 years since the 1969 Moon landing, Fratello collaborated with customization manufacturer IFL Watches to create the Moonlander CasiOak. IFL Watches brought the concept to life by pairing a Casio 2100BB-1AER with a meticulously hand-painted dial that depicts a star-studded outer space backdrop, including a detailed moon and the Apollo 11 lunar lander.
At Time+Tide, we love collaborations. As watch enthusiasts, we all love G-Shock, and for some reason, we love anything moon-related. Our colleagues at Fratello realized this and decided to collaborate with prolific customization company IFL Watches to create a watch that celebrates all of this. The result was the IFL Watches x Fratello CasiOak Moonlander, a celebration of our love of watches, G-Shock, and the 55th anniversary of the 1969 moon landing.
Most watches that existed at the time of the moon landing were either very formal or highly technical tools. Of course, we all know which watch is primarily associated with mankind’s first trip to the moon. So, if you were to make the first trip to the moon today, the watch that would accompany you on that journey would likely be a G-Shock. In fact, many G-Shocks were worn on the wrists of astronauts aboard the space shuttle in the 1980s and 1990s. No other watch is as durable, hardwearing, or strong as the G-Shock, and it has more features than a Swiss Army knife, so it made sense that Fratello would use a G-Shock to celebrate mankind’s greatest achievement.
The base watch is a powerful “CasiOak” Casio G-Shock 2100BB-1AER with a carbon core and black ion-plated stainless steel exterior, with 200 meters of water resistance and approximately three years of battery life. The watch’s features are the same as every other CasiOak, including five daily alarms, a world timer, a 1/100th second chronograph timer, and of course shock and vibration resistance. The outer bezel, like the resin version of the watch, has the brand name and functions engraved into the surface, which IFL painted Moondust Grey as a custom touch.
But this is just the tip of IFL’s customization, because it’s the dial that grabs the most attention. First, it’s airbrushed with a deep black and blue base color, then the stars and galaxies are hand-painted. To create the starry sky effect, the paint is splashed in just the right way, with great care and intent. And once satisfied with the effect, the dial artist gets to work on the arduous task of depicting the Apollo 11 lunar lander, nicknamed the Eagle. However, the moon itself is a bit more stylized, but no less fascinating. The inner chapter ring insert is also finished in Moondust Grey, completing the look. Completing the watch is a comfortable resin strap that contrasts beautifully with the watch’s outer metal case.
Fratello x IFL Watches Casio G-Shock CasiOak Moonlander Price and Availability
The Fratello x IFL Watches Casio G-Shock CasiOak Moonlander is available to order from the Fratello Shop website. It is limited to 111 pieces. The pre-order period will last only one week, starting Tuesday, August 27th. Orders are expected to be delivered within three months, so be quick. Price: 980 Euros (approx. $1,100 USD)
Brand Casio G-Shock Model G-Shock CasiOak Moonlander Fratello x IFL Watches Reference 2100BB-1AER Case Size 44.4mm (width) x 11.8mm (thickness) x 49.3mm (length) Case Material Carbon core, ion-plated stainless steel outer case Water Resistance 200 meters Crystal Mineral glass Dial Hand-painted Moon and Apollo 11 Lunar Lander Bracelet Resin, steel pin buckle Movement Casio 5611 module, quartz Power Reserve 3 years Functions Analog and digital time, automatic calendar, 5 alarms, 31 time zones, 48 city world timer, stopwatch, 24-hour countdown timer, light Availability Limited edition of 111 pieces Price €980
US$1,100
