New Delhi, April 6 -- When the Atemis II launched on 1 April for a trip to the moon and back, it marked the first time in 54 years that a crewed mission set off to travel to Earth's satellite. Nasa's Apollo 17 mission in 1972, which put two American astronauts on the lunar surface, was the closing chapter of that particular era of manned space exploration.

And although the crew of Artemis II will only be doing a flyby-it is slated to occur on 6 April-there is one piece of historical continuity with 1972 that is still present and correct: the watches that the astronauts are wearing.

Crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are all sporting the Omega Speedmaster, a watch that is indelibly etched into the ...