Fortis served as the official timekeeper for the Mars simulation experiment "Ahmadi 18," conducted by the Austrian Space Forum (a private organization that collaborates with space experts, researchers, industry, and government) in the Dhofar region of southern Oman in February 2018. The Dhofar desert, the country's largest special administrative region, is covered with sand and rocks, and its undulating, hilly terrain closely resembles the surface of Mars.
Not only did Fortis serve as the official timekeeper for Mars-like tests and demanding missions under these conditions, but it also produced the official watch for the mission crew, the "Official Cosmonaut Amadi 18." This model is based on Fortis' Official Cosmonaut. The stainless steel case is finished with a black PVD coating to prevent strong reflections. The "Amadi 18" logo is engraved at the 9 o'clock position on the dial, and the hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hands, as well as the indexes, are coated with Super-LumiNova to ensure visibility in dark places.
Fortis unveiled this and other new models at its headquarters in Grenchen during Baselworld, and the model is scheduled to go on sale in the fall of 2018.
