On the 19th of November, Miss Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir began her solo South Pole expedition. Once to Antarctica, she stayed at the ALE camp for a few days for even further preparation for this immensely difficult expedition. The route is 1140 km and she can expect great headwind, difficult skiing conditions and zastrugi. Estimated number of walking days are 50 but to reach that goal she has to walk an average of 22 km per day. While on Antarctica you have to choose a time zone to live by and Miss Gissuardóttir will use Chile time.
Miss Gissurardóttir came to us for advice on a watch that would survive tremendous frost and extreme conditions. It's important to be able to tell the time while in Antarctica. The result was that Michelsen Watchmakers took on the task to make a special watch for her to use in the expedition to the South Pole, where it's common to have temperatures down to -50°C over the summertime.
The watch was designed with travelers and outdoor enthusiasts in mind. The watch features a 24-hour hand and a rotatable bezel that allows you to read three different time zones, two of which work simultaneously and the third one is used to figure out time difference. The watch case, made from high quality stainless steel, is tough and waterproof which suits outdoor enthusiasts very well. The white dial is very clear with big numerals and indexes and the hands are robust and black, which creates great contrast against the dial to maximize the clarity. The movement is automatic and was chosen specifically for this expedition because it is resistant to extreme cold, the metals contract and expand less with temperature differences than on normal watches and the oils can withstand up to -50°C, which makes the movement's accuracy more precise than on standard movements. The strap is made from nylon for maximum comfort, but it's also incredibly strong.
Fur any further information about Miss Gissurardóttir, e.g. her travel journal and equipment, we recommend the expedition's webpage, www.lifsspor.is. Although in Icelandic, you can use Google Translate.
Smelltu hér fyrir íslenska útgáfu.
