Fortis Watches

Fortis Watches

If you like your watches with actual spaceflight credentials — not just “inspired by” — Fortis should be on your radar.

This is one of the few brands that can say, with a straight face: “Yeah, we’ve been to space.” And unlike most brands that lean hard on heritage

marketing, Fortis has quietly kept pushing forward — making rugged, purpose-built tool watches that actually get used.

A Little History

Fortis was founded in 1912 in Grenchen, Switzerland — and like a lot of brands from that era, it started with mechanical basics. But by the 1920s, they

were already innovating, producing one of the first mass-market automatic wristwatches (with Harwood).

Fast-forward to the 1990s, and Fortis became the official supplier to Russian cosmonauts. Their Official Cosmonauts Chronograph was certified

for space missions and worn on board the MIR space station and later the ISS. No, not a marketing collab — actual watches, actually used in orbit.

They’ve stayed independent, stayed technical, and stayed criminally underrated.

What Collectors Love

Fortis has a few key pillars:

  • Cosmonaut Chronographs — legit space watches with Valjoux 7750 movements, big legible dials, and real flight credentials.

  • Marinemaster — a beefy, no-nonsense dive watch line that leans more mission-ready than luxury yacht.

  • Flieger — pilot watches that are clean, balanced, and easy to wear, often with a modern twist on the classic Type B dial.

Collectors love Fortis because the watches are tough, reliable, and actually used in extreme environments — from space stations to fighter cockpits to

Arctic expeditions.

Plus, their modern design refresh? Sharp. Very sharp.

Why Fortis Still Matters

Because in a sea of overpolished desk divers and pilot watches that wouldn’t survive a hang glider ride, Fortis still makes tools.

The brand doesn’t chase collabs or influencer clout. Instead, they focus on function, legibility, and technical innovation. Their UW-30 and UW-50 c

alibers (built with movement partner La Joux-Perret) are seriously robust. Their casework is overengineered in the best way. And the vibe is more space

program than Swiss boutique.

They’re not trying to be pretty. They’re trying to be useful. And that’s what makes them cool.

What’s Out There Now

Fortis has recently retooled its entire catalog:

  • The new Stratoliner collection uses in-house tested spaceflight movements.

  • The updated Marinemaster models come in multiple sizes and strap configurations, with killer lume and 500m water resistance.

  • The Flieger F-43 Bicompax brings vintage styling with modern specs.

And they’ve kept the space program lineage alive — including continued work with space agencies and aerospace firms to build real mission watches.

Fed’s Take

I’ve always respected Fortis. They’re one of the few brands that doesn’t just talk about tool watches — they make them, and they put them in orbit.

I’ve sold a few Cosmonaut chronos and every time I pick one up, I think: “This is what a chronograph is supposed to feel like.” Big, legible, functional.

No fluff.

If you want something with real-world grit and zero hype baggage? Fortis delivers.

Check Out Our Fortis Inventory

Delray Watch is always on the lookout for unique Fortis watches — especially Cosmonaut Chronographs and Marinemaster models.

If you have a Fortis watch you’re ready to sell or trade – reach out. We’re always buying.

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