Fortis has a reputation for going where no watch has gone before. Ever since some of the original Mercury astronauts chose to wear the Fortis Spacematic watch, the brand has been a favorite among aviators and astronauts. There are Fortis watches on board the International Space Station. Fortis has been the official timepiece of the Russian space program since 1997 and all cosmonauts and astronauts leaving the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia still receive a Fortis watch as part of their official space equipment. Fortis still has the distinction of being the first watch worn in open space, after a Fortis watch was worn outside the spacecraft on an early Russian spacewalk.

To celebrate these unique achievements, Fortis is having an equally unique contest during their 100th Anniversary year. From September 1st, 2012 through March 31, 2013, Fortis is inviting anyone who has ever thought about space and space travel to submit their ideas and artistic expressions to the world’s first Zero-G Space Art Contest.

The winner of this unique contest will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to leave planet earth and experience the incomparable feeling of weightlessness on board a special parabolic aircraft flight that simulates the sensations of orbital flight. The lucky winner will accompany scientists from the German Sport University of Cologne on board a specially equipped Zero-G aircraft as they explore the sensations of weightlessness. The winner of this unique contest will also be equipped with the same Fortis B-42 Official Cosmonauts Chronograph worn by astronauts on the International Space Station.

Anyone over the age of 18 can enter the Fortis Zero-G Space Art Contest by submitting their original artwork or videos to the Fortis Space Art Gallery. Winners will be determined by a vote of the online community. Get your friends to vote for your entry, because the entry with the most votes wins. There is even a prize for voting, since everyone who votes in this unique contest will be entered in a special drawing to win a second Fortis B-42 Official Cosmonauts Chronograph. The more votes your entry receives, the closer you are to a weightless parabolic flight on board the Zero-G aircraft. Almost any original drawing, photo, painting or video related to your thoughts and feelings about space is eligible for this special celebration of 100 years of Fortis innovation.

Source: Gevril Group - Fortis