Saint-Petersburg, Russia. April 2024. Raketa Polar – a watch created specially for polar expeditions – is back in Raketa’s permanent collection with a new design.
The journey beyond the polar circle is thorny and difficult: it requires great strength and long distances travelled in extreme conditions, both by land and sea. Following its long tradition of making watches for polar explorers, Raketa has developed a model for people who are ready to set out to conquer these boundless spaces.
The 24-hour dial is essential for time-reading beyond the polar circles where polar day and polar night can last for up to 6 months each. Six lines divide the perimeter of the dial into 6 quarters (4 hours each) allowing each crewmember to keep count of his watches/shifts during maritime expeditions. Another unique feature of the dial is the special Superluminova coating that reminds northern lights. It covers the entire surface of the dial and hands, ensuring perfect legibility even in total polar darkness.
The solid and robust case, with straight facets and sharp angles, is particularly adapted to the rigours of polar expeditions. The design of this case is harmoniously completed with a stainless-steel bracelet emphasising the masculine character of this timepiece.
The rotating bezel is engraved and enamelled with the name of all the Arctic ocean seas and their respective time zones, which allows using the GMT function. This 24-hour watch with a rotating bezel can be also used as a solar compass both in the northern and southern hemispheres.
The back of the watch reveals the beautifully decorated automatic movement which is entirely produced by the Raketa Watch Factory in Saint-Petersburg. The finishing of the rotor is reminiscent of northern lights.
Each Raketa Polar watch has a certificate confirming its technical fitness for use in the harshest natural conditions of polar regions. The certificate is issued within the frame of the “Arctic voluntary certification system” by the Nizhny Novgorod Testing Centre.
The price
The cost of the watch is 2.000 EUR (VAT included)/ $2,930 CAD. For the comfort of our customers, Raketa watches are delivered worldwide free of charge by DHL directly up to their front door.
Specifications
Factory:
Raketa Watch Factory (Saint-Petersburg)
Movement:
Calibre:
2624A
Functions:
Automatic
Number of jewels:
24
Testing positions:
4
Average rate (s/d):
-10+20
Average running time (h):
40
Frequency/hour:
18.000 / 2.5Hz
Bi-directional automatic winding
Yes
Stopper of self-winding unit activated during manual winding:
A romantic restaurant opens in Outer SpaceStarting from 2025, it will be possible to propose during an intimate dinner in space. On board a space capsule lifted by a stratospheric balloon, lovers will have the opportunity to savor an exceptional meal prepared by a French Michelin-starred chef and served by an AI-powered robot.
The agency ApoteoSurprise, specialized in orchestrating extravagant marriage proposals in Paris, is launching a brand-new service priced at 750,000 euros/ $1.1 million cad, allowing the romantics of tomorrow to ask for their beloved’s hand at an altitude of 35 kilometers. Upon their arrival at the spaceport, a pilot will welcome the couple and invite them to board a spherical and futuristic space capsule equipped with top-notch amenities for their comfort. In the center of the cabin, a table will be elegantly set, reminiscent of the most refined Parisian restaurants. The lovers will be introduced to StellarEmbrace, the robot that ApoteoSurprise developed in collaboration with a British startup. Equipped with artificial intelligence, the robot will adapt to the emotions and desires of the couple, providing a truly unique interaction. From the moment they meet, StellarEmbrace will address the young woman by her name and, presenting her with a bouquet of roses, announce that a gourmet dinner for two in space awaits. Lifted by a helium-inflated stratospheric balloon, the pressurized capsule will then embark on a peaceful two-hour ascent, offering breathtaking 360° views of our planet through its immense windows. At an altitude of 35 kilometers, the space module will be above 99% of Earth’s atmosphere, allowing the couple to gaze at the curvature of the Earth, its blue halo, and the total darkness of space. Like only 600 astronauts before them, the lovers will experience the overview effect, a cognitive shift that will redefine their view of the world and connect them to all of humanity. The woman and her partner will take their seats at the table, and for three hours, the robot will serve them a five-course gourmet dinner with wines and champagne specially crafted for the occasion by a renowned French chef with two Michelin stars. A carefully selected playlist will accompany the culinary experience, featuring iconic tracks such as “Space Oddity” (David Bowie), “Across the Universe” (The Beatles), or “Walking on the Moon” (Police). Just before dessert, StellarEmbrace will playfully interrupt the tasting to inform the man that he has forgotten something important. The robot will promptly bring him a luminous box that a secret code will open. Suddenly, the suitor will remember the code and enter it. The box will split in two, revealing a luxurious case containing an engagement ring. The man will then propose to his beloved, sealing his love in the eternity of space. A little later, the capsule will begin its slow descent. After a two-hour journey, the betrothed will be back on Earth, discovering that the robot has recorded every moment of their voyage, from their arrival at the capsule to their tender farewells.
About ApoteoSurprise: ApoteoSurprise is a high-end agency specializing in the organization of spectacular marriage proposals in Paris. Founded in 2006 by the aeronautical engineer Nicolas Garreau, the company offers 30 turnkey proposal packages online. These include the appearance of Cinderella’s carriage with a magical slipper, a shower of 1000 roses covering a yacht during a dinner cruise, the sending of a messenger dove to one’s beloved, a limousine tour with a super-bright declaration of love displayed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and starting from 2027, a romantic voyage around the Moon. Available at prices ranging from 290 euros to 125 million euros, ApoteoSurprise’s extravagant engagements have enchanted over 2000 lovers in its 17 years of operation. This includes celebrities such as heads of state, Hollywood actors, television stars, or players from the FIFA World Cup.
“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature”
In 2014 my overall goal to capture a tornado in Ontario was once again successful, on July 7th I teamed with Scott Burlovich of Restless Skies photography and his chase partner Harry for the day and we set out to capture some pulse storms that were flaring up in the afternoon, most of these cells were just rain makers but on the way back to my home I had noticed a wall cloud that was lit up by the sun, we pulled off to the side of the road directly South of Norwich and briefly documented a EF0 tornado in a farmers field before it lifted causing no damage since it was in a dry field. This was my only tornado of the year, in a busy season. I did however get to document several gorgeous storm cells throughout the year, including several beautiful stacked shelf clouds and a great Wall cloud early in the season that brought golf ball sized hail to the area.
A Wall cloud in SW Ontario approaches my location as the RFD cuts around with hail starting to fall.
In 2015 I hope to achieve a few goals, one of which is to capture yet another tornado in this province, hopefully just like 2014 in an open field away from any properties. I also have set my sights on some goals with lightning and capturing it in a different perspective, I can’t go into much detail but it will be a stunning sight if I can achieve it. As far as how I believe the season will go, I do believe it will be a slow start, April and May will bring the return of storms, but I don’t expect anything too severe until June and July once the humidity and warmth really have a chance to build in. I do however once again stress to leave chasing to the pros, if you’re interested in storm spotting, please look into Canwarn, the more spotters in the province the quicker warnings can be issued thanks to verified ground reports.
I will be working alongside another photographer and storm spotter this year, Scott Burlovich of Restless Skies, please feel free to check out his amazing work at restless-skies.com and give him a follow on twitter @restless_skies , you can also follow my journey for the year at Lightningfastphotography.com or on twitter @spencersills. I also want to send my best wishes to David Chapman for a great 2015, and as always look forward to meeting him in the field under the Meso, stay tuned for more updates and stay sky aware this summer!
Part Two
Another winter has come and gone, although perhaps slower than a lot of us would like. At least this means that the storm season is once again upon us in Ontario. As usual, Brian Chapman and I, a father and son chase team, will be back out on the roads looking for the best images of lightning and searching for Ontario’s tornadic super cells.
We will also be in close communication with our good friends and fellow chasers, Spencer Sills and Scott Burlovich, as we tend to share a lot of information about the biggest potential storms before we go chasing. You’ll notice when you look through their photography collections that they are a couple of the best for chasing down the biggest storms in our province.
You might be curious on what we do when it comes to chasing the actual storm. Brian’s job is to be the driver. This is his first priority. Once we are parked and in a safe but photographic position for the storm, he is our main videographer. As for myself, I choose where I think the biggest storm will form from looking at weather models that meteorologists use as well as talking to fellow storm chasers in the area. I am also the main photographer. I do some video work and navigate us to the most photogenic side of the storm. This is usually right next to the most dangerous part of the storm but still in the safest position possible.
Rapidly Rotating wall-cloud photo being documented by Brian Chapman)
In the past 2 years, our team has seen and recorded a number of funnel clouds, 2 confirmed tornadoes and 4 waterspouts. One of the tornadoes was near Arthur, Ontario on August 7, 2013 and the landspout tornado was near Listowel, Ontario on May 14th 2014. The Arthur tornado was a really great one to document. It lasted for close to 15 minutes and we were able to see it from start to finish. The best part about it was the fact that no one was injured and it caused very little damage. Those are the kinds of tornadoes we love to see because they allow you to enjoy the pure power and beauty that they possess but without injuries or major destruction.
Another thing that was interesting with the tornado that hit near Arthur was the fact that it tried to form a second tornado at the same time the first one was on the ground. If that funnel had reached the ground, it would have been called a satellite tornado. They are typically smaller and weaker but not always. In Pilger, Nebraska in 2014, two EF-4’s were on the ground at the same time. Sadly they hit a town, killing 5 people and injuring 19. Those are the days I dread as a chaser and hope I never see first hand. As for the second funnel near Arthur, it didn’t quite have the energy to make it the rest of the way to the ground. This probably wasn’t such a bad thing with so many people focusing on the main, larger tornado just to its north.
A Funnel Cloud
Fortunately, a lot of Ontario’s tornadoes hit open areas that cause little to no damage. There have been some exceptions, as the tornadoes that hit both Durham, Ontario on August 20, 2009 and Goderich on August 21, 2011 showed, both killing one person in each of them. That is why many storm chasers as well as dedicated weather enthusiasts in our province have a direct line to Environment Canada that allows us to contact them when we see threatening weather approaching the area we are in. It can help Environment Canada confirm what they are seeing on radar so that they can issue the proper watches and warnings accordingly. Refer to Spencer Sills’ Part One above for more details on how you can become a spotter. Lightning will also be a big focus for our team this year. We continue to work to get lightning photos as close as possible in order to capture the positive leaders that come up to meet the main negative current coming down from the cloud. The leaders can come from the ground, hydro poles, houses and even people.
Although this may be risky and dangerous, we have worked out ways to minimize the risk to us. We stay in the car when lightning is close with the windows up. We also won’t park under a tree, not so much from the fear of a direct lightning strike but in case lightning hits and splits the tree causing it to fall on the vehicle. I remember seeing one like that when I was young and it has had an everlasting impression on me. One of the first big wind storms I chased along Lake Erie on November 1, 2013 knocked down a tree onto a woman‘s car and unfortunately she was in it and was killed. So debris is always a concern and something to be very aware of when it comes to storm chasing.
Twenty-seven thousand athletes ran the last Boston Marathon. However, one man ran it four times … four times in one day. David Clark is a former 320-pound alcoholic who was also addicted to painkillers. He’s been sober for nearly a decade and credits extreme endurance sports for his path to recovery in his bestselling autobiography, Out There: A Story of Ultra Recovery.
Clark runs with purpose and his 24 hour, 17 minute Quad Boston (104.8 miles) was no exception. He began his quad marathon in downtown Boston where he ran for people struggling to overcome addiction. Then he ran to the finish line for people who have conquered addiction. Then he ran back to the start line for the families of addicts and finally he ran his official race in memory of a Boston girl who died last year of a drug overdose.
While Clark’s life story is about his addiction, his lessons learned easily transfer to others, providing inspiration to never give up despite life’s challenges. “Healthy mind and body is where I found peace,” says Clark. “My hope is that people are able to see, through my story, that there are no boundaries to what we can achieve.”
David Clark is a running coach, sponsored runner, inspirational speaker, and gym owner. Prior to running his Quad Boston, he has competed in some of the most difficult endurance races on the planet. David is considered an elite athlete and is well respected in the national running community.
Marshall Ulrich, extreme endurance athlete, speaker, and author of Running on Empty: “[The book] …is as jarring and intense as it is motivating and uplifting.”
Ross Harrington: “…raw and riveting—a real-life “Rocky” story about a guy who just refused to give up. David Clark pulls no punches in telling us what he’s been through, and it will be a long, long time before I get this book out of my head.”
Marlin Keesler “The Reluctant Runner”: “To say David Clark’s story is inspiring would be an understatement. His personal narrative is so captivating, gripping, and energizing it compels one to revisit abandoned aspirations and to get out and achieve them…”
Dean Karnazes, endurance athlete and NY Times bestselling author: “David Clark has overcome adversities most of us can’t even begin to fathom. Morbidly obese, hopelessly addicted to drugs and alcohol, he not only turned his life around but went on to complete the world’s toughest footrace, the 135-mile Badwater ultramarathon. Inspiring and engaging, [the book] is a dramatic story about dealing with profound difficulties and having the strength and courage to persist, endure and prevail no matter how badly the odds are stacked against you.”
Justin McCune: “If nothing else David tells his story with an air of honesty not often seen! His story will take you to rock bottom of alcohol addiction, and lift you back up to the essence of living for the moment!”
Charlie Engle, athlete and author: “David has an undeniable energy as both a runner and a sober man. He sets a stellar example for anyone who wants to take charge of their own life and make a difference in others’ lives. He is all out, all the time. I love this book.”
