Wally Schirra — watch collection

About Wally Schirra’s watch collection

Wally Schirra was a decorated NASA astronaut and test pilot who flew on multiple space missions during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. As command pilot of Apollo 7 in October 1968, Schirra led the first crewed Apollo flight following the Apollo 1 tragedy, a mission critical to the success of the lunar program. His career in aviation and space exploration spanned decades, making him one of the most experienced pilots of the early space age.

The Wally Schirra watch collection centers on a single but historically significant timepiece: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6240 in stainless steel. Schirra wore this chronograph during the Apollo 7 mission in October 1968, a detail captured in archived NASA photographs showing the steel watch on his left wrist as he stood beside the spacecraft in his flight suit. This sighting represents one of the earliest documented instances of a Daytona in spaceflight, predating the broader association between Rolex and astronauts that would become more common in subsequent Apollo missions.

The Ref. 6240 represented Rolex's racing chronograph line during the 1960s, chosen for its precision timing capabilities and robust construction. Schirra's selection of this model reflects the practical requirements of NASA operations, where reliability and accuracy were paramount. The documented presence of this watch during Apollo 7 contributes to the Daytona's legacy as a tool watch trusted by professional pilots and astronauts during the space program's most critical period.