Watchmaking was well established in the USSR. In Soviet times, there were a dozen factories that annually produced hundreds of watch models. Most of the models had a unique design and were not inferior in quality to Swiss models.
After the collapse of the USSR, most of the factories ceased to exist, and some watch brands have become rarities today.
"Navigation"
The legendary Soviet watch worn by Yuri Gagarin during his first flight into space. “Shturmanskie” watches have been produced since 1949 at the Kirov Watch Factory. At first, the watch was supplied to graduates of the flight academy along with their diploma, and then became available to everyone. “Sturmanskie” performed well in space, withstood overloads and became famous throughout the world. Revive a popular brand men's watches in 2002 the Volmax company was able to do so, which is still engaged in their production.
"Beam"
The Luch watch is a mechanism highest quality, a super-thin body and the dream of any Soviet intellectual. The Minsk Watch Factory has been producing watches since the middle of the last century. In 1974, Luch were awarded a certificate at the Leipzig Fair for their sophisticated design and excellent workmanship. The watches of the same name are still produced by the Minsk factory today. Today, some copies of "Luch" are coveted exhibits among collectors around the world.
"Victory"
The history of this watch is fully embodied by its name. The first Pobeda watch was released in 1946 in honor of the anniversary of the victory in the Second World War. The watch is part of the “Victory” series created by Stalin after the end of the war, which also included the legendary Soviet car of the same name. There is still debate about which factory was the first to produce the first watch: Kirov or Penza. Whatever it was, Pobeda enjoyed enormous popularity both in the Soviet Union and abroad for many years.
"Seconda de lux"
In 1966, an export version of the “Polyot” watch was released under the “Seconda” brand. This model was originally created for sale abroad and was not presented on the domestic market. Nevertheless, soon the “Seconda de lux” model of mechanical watches appeared on the shelves of Soviet stores. The watch is also known for being awarded as an award for achievements in the field of science and culture.
"Zarya"
The history of the Zarya watch dates back to 1935, when the Soviet leadership decided to start producing women's wristwatches. Women's models produced under the Zarya brand had a sophisticated design and a smaller case size. In order to reduce the clock mechanism by almost half, new production was established at the plant and American machines were purchased. Except women's watches, in Soviet times several male Zarya models were also produced. Most watches were mechanical, but Zarya was also produced with automatic winding.
"Gull"
The “Chaika” watch was manufactured at the Uglich watch factory since the mid-1950s. Before this, the factory specialized in the production of jewelry and needles for gram records. According to Novate.ru, during the Soviet era, “Chaika” watches were extremely popular both in the country and abroad. The “Chaika” differed from other models of Soviet watches in its Swiss design, and therefore was not cheap. The factory that produced “Chaika” still exists today, producing wristwatches, jewelry and decorative elements.
"Rocket"
The legendary Soviet watch “Raketa” was manufactured at the oldest watch factory in Russia, Petrodvorets, since the 1960s. “Raketa” is one of the few Soviet watches that were presented in more than 25 countries. The watch was distinguished by a wide selection of models with various scales for engineers, polar explorers and even for the blind. The “Rocket” was manufactured with a mechanical mechanism, self-winding, and later in electronic version. Leonid Brezhnev regularly wore the Raketa watch, made entirely of gold.
"Glory"
The history of the Slava brand dates back to 1924 and the 1950s, when the Second Moscow Watch Factory began producing models of mechanical and electronic wristwatches under this brand. The Slava model with a silver case and sapphire crystal was especially valued. Even now, watches under the Slava brand have not lost their popularity and are leaders in sales volume in Russia.
"Flight"
Fashion watches under the Polet brand have been produced by the First Moscow Watch Factory since 1964. Many people mistakenly believe that Gagarin flew into space with this watch on his wrist, which in fact was just a publicity stunt. “Poljot” was actively used by military sailors and pilots, as well as during polar expeditions. Over more than 50 years of history, the watch has not lost its glory and quality. Today, watches under the Polet brand are presented in more than 50 countries around the world.
"Electronics"
In the USSR more popular Classic mechanical watches were used, but closer to the collapse of the Union, electronic models also gained widespread popularity. Watches of the “Electronics” brand, produced by the Minsk Integral watch factory since 1973, were in particular demand. In design, the “Electronics” models were sometimes similar to japanese watch“Casio” always has its own flavor.
Before the 1917 revolution in Tsarist Russia The watch industry was well developed. Its main feature was that it was mainly an assembly plant made from foreign parts. Watch movements were produced in Switzerland, Germany and France, and then supplied to Russia. The largest watch traders and manufacturers in Russia - the trading houses of Pavel Bure, Heinrich Moser and Victor Gaby - had plans to open full-fledged production facilities in our country. However, the revolution of 1917 and the devastation that followed did not allow them to be realized.
The new Soviet government nationalized all enterprises and property of watch companies. On their basis, as well as at the expense of smaller private enterprises, the Watch Agency was formed as part of the Supreme Council national economy(VSNKh). In 1920, it was transformed into Gostrest Tochmekh (State Trust for Precision Mechanics). However, the authority of pre-revolutionary brands was so great that even in the 20s, the nationalized Moser factory continued to produce watches under this brand. Famous poet V.V. Mayakovsky by order of GUM created several advertising slogans and posters dedicated to Moser watches:
A man with only a watch.
Only Moser watches.
Moser is only at Gum's.
…
The most businesslike
the neatest one,
get one in Guma
Moser clock.
By the mid-20s, the stocks of parts and mechanisms confiscated from the previous owners had run out. Components for watches, which Soviet industry urgently needed, had to be bought for gold abroad.
The first watch factories
In 1927, it was decided to create its own watch industry. Negotiations with leading manufacturers in Europe ended without results. Only in 1929 was it possible to purchase equipment from two bankrupt factories in the United States.
The equipment of the Duber Hempton factory was intended for the production of pocket and wrist watches. On its basis, work began in Moscow in September 1930 1st State Watch Factory. On the equipment of the Ansonia plant in 1931, also in Moscow, 2nd State Sentinel The plant began producing alarm clocks, wall clocks and electric clock systems. From this time on, the rise of the USSR watch industry began.
Watches “Made in the USSR”
Watch production in the USSR overcame the difficulties of the 1930s, withstood the most difficult conditions of the Great Patriotic War and post-war devastation.
Watch production from 1940 to 1970
By the middle of the 20th century, the country had own production full cycle, in many ways not inferior foreign analogues. The number of watch factories grew, production capacity. The priority task was to provide watches to industry, so the shortage of watches for the needs of the population was eliminated only in the 60s.
It should also be noted that despite the efforts made, the country could not do without foreign watch technologies. The world's leading manufacturers refused to cooperate with the USSR. A great success was the agreement concluded in 1936 with the French watch company “LIP” on the purchase of equipment and technologies for the production of several types of movements (calibers) at 3rd State Watch Factory (ZIF) in Penza.
Watch "Victory". Symbol of post-war revival
The most famous and very successful Soviet "Victory" watch, approved for release by Stalin personally and produced from 1946 to 2002, were based specifically on the K-26 caliber from LIP. 
In the book by V.G. Bogdanov, dedicated to the Slava watch factory, there is an interesting story about the appearance of the Pobeda watch, based on the personal memories of its participants:
“In the second half of the 40s, the minister to whom the watch industry was subordinate and the director of one of the Moscow watch factories were summoned to the Kremlin to see Stalin. We didn't stay at the reception desk for long. We entered the office of “the man himself”. Besides Stalin, Kaganovich and Beria were there. Without preamble, Stalin opened a desk drawer, took out a wristwatch and, showing it to the minister and director, said:“There is an opinion of the Politburo that the Victorious People need watches. We invite you to master this sample in production and call them “Victory”, in honor of the Victory over Germany. How long does it take you to master? Is a year enough?
“That’s enough,” the minister quickly replied. It was not customary to discuss in this office.Coming out into the street, the director attacked the minister:“What are you doing? What year? We won’t master them even in three!”We returned to the reception area. “Comrade General,” the minister addressed Stalin’s secretary Poskrebyshev. “We discussed it here and think that we won’t be able to manage the clock in a year. What advice do you have for us? “Shoot yourself,” the general answered briefly.
A year has passed. Beria invites K.M. Britsko, Deputy Minister of Industry, who oversaw the watch industry. “Did you do it?” - asks Beria. “We did, Lavrenty Pavlovich,” answers Konstantin Mikhailovich. "Let's". Taking the watch in his hands, Beria twirled it in his hands for a long time, put it to his ear, and suddenly threw it at the wall. A cold trickle of sweat ran down Konstantin Mikhailovich’s back. He picked up the watch and pressed it to his ear. “They’re walking, Lavrenty Pavlovich,” he said. “That’s it,” answered Beria.”.
In 1945, by personal order of Beria, the same 2nd State Watch Factory began to master the production of watches “ Firework". The watch was based on a model from the Swiss company Kartebor (“ Cortebert"), which accidentally ended up with Beria and he really liked. Mastering the clock using existing equipment took a long time. It was possible to establish production only in 1949, but the resulting model was unsuccessful and after a few years its production was discontinued.
It can be ironically noted that Stalin’s watch turned out to be much more successful than Beria’s watch.
After the war, obtaining new foreign equipment remained very difficult. Soviet specialists had to solve complex problems in creating technologies for producing new watches using the equipment that was available. We saw an example of setting such a task by the country's leadership above. However, engineers managed to mass produce watches with very limited resources. Some series of watches were even produced using watch mechanisms captured in Germany. Gradually, by the 1960s, the USSR mastered the production of domestic watchmaking equipment. The independent development of their own watch movements also began, among which there were very successful models. However, in the future, the USSR often adapted foreign calibers, establishing their production on its own equipment.
If you have a watch made before the mid-20th century, be sure to read the information at the end of the article.
The rise of the USSR watch industry
By the early 1980s, the Soviet watch industry had reached its maximum development. , which produced famous watch brands: “ Flight" , « Rocket" , « East" , « Gull" , « Commanders" , « Lightning" and others. In addition, household watches were produced as additional products at some instrument-making factories. Up to 70 million watches for various purposes were produced annually.
About 15-20 million watches were exported. A feature of USSR exports was that much more attention was paid to the quality of products intended for foreign markets than to the same goods within the country. Soviet watches supplied abroad did not stand out for their advanced design or rich decoration. However, they were well-built, reliable and relatively cheap. In many countries, watches with the brand “ Made in the USSR" enjoyed great success.
The watch industry was characterized by all the features caused by the planned economy of the USSR. The quality of the same watch models varied among different factories. For this reason, export watches were in great demand within the country. Series of watches closed from sale were also highly valued, mainly intended for the army, where there were very strict technical requirements and acceptance standards. Little attention was paid to design, from precious metals Only gold was used in watch production. There were practically no watches decorated with precious stones. The lack of competition and real struggle for consumers limited the introduction of new models. Isolation from the world's leading equipment manufacturers slowed down the introduction of new technologies.
Unfortunately, after 1990, when large-scale changes began to occur in the country, the once powerful watch industry fell into decline. Watch factories located in Russia have almost completely ceased their activities, famous trademarks acquired new owners.
Attention! If you have an old watch produced before approximately 1950 in the USSR or abroad, we advise you to pay attention to the hands, numbers and the dial itself. If they glow or you have suspicions that they could be painted with luminous paint, we recommend that you have their radiation background measured by appropriate specialists. The fact is that radium was used to produce paint that glows in the dark at the beginning of the 20th century. Such watches have radioactive properties and it is especially dangerous if paint particles get inside the human body.
At first there were no good watch factories in the Soviet Union. All owners of watch factories left the country after the revolution, so it was not possible to establish the production of high-quality chronographs for quite a long time. Diplomats negotiated with Swiss factories, but only the purchase of two bankrupt watch factories in the USA in 1929 helped solve the problem. After this, watch factories appeared in the USSR.
In the 1930s, there were two watch factories in Moscow, they were called Factories of Precision Technical Stones, or TTK. TTK-1 was also engaged in the production of stones for the watch industry, and TTK-2 made electric clocks for industry and alarm clocks.
During the Great Patriotic War Watches were an item of primary importance for ensuring combat operations. In Tatarstan, the Chistopol watch factory was urgently opened, which made watches specifically for the military.
After the victory over Germany, the watch industry received special attention. A special mechanical watch K-26 “Pobeda” was released. The first watch models, including the “Victory”, were approved personally by Stalin. For Pobeda, he reviewed and approved the design and technical specifications.
Anniversary watch
After the successful experience of producing watches dedicated to the victory in the war, Soviet watch factories began to make special watches after a variety of events. For example, models with a space theme are very famous, such as the “Shturmanskie-Gagarin”, made in honor of the first flight into space, “Strela” - this watch was on the hand of Alexei Leonov and withstood being in outer space. Very good reputation the “Flight” watch, which was made specifically for pilots.
Certain watch models were produced in strictly limited editions: “Strela” was produced only for the command staff of the Soviet flying troops.
Features of the mechanism
The so-called Soviet diving watches are currently popular. The watches are made in violation of technology, so they break under water. Sometimes modern products They even provide you with a fake registration certificate for 70-80 g.
Quality was based on special technologies. For example, journal bearings, which are usually made of metal and therefore wear out quickly, were made using rubies in Soviet watches. The stones practically do not wear off, so these watches are particularly long-lasting. The more rubies there were in the watch mechanism, the longer it worked. Some of the old clocks still run fine. The highest quality mechanisms contained up to 30 rubies.
The Soviet Union was a time of great changes, heroic personalities and legendary events. Thanks to the powerful reserve of creative energy of all who lived and worked in this great country, it became a leader in the fields of culture, science, politics and the arts.
The USSR brand was born thanks to a great heritage Soviet Union. The watch reflects the now popular ideas of Back in the USSR and the unique style and traditions of Soviet watches. Original idea USSR watches are guaranteed to unite people, regardless of their age and political beliefs - from patriots to hipsters.
The creator of the USSR brand, Alexander Shorokhov, left the country after its collapse and settled in Germany, where he began producing exclusive collectible watches. Along with the USSR watches, the work of this famous watchmaker also includes other series associated with Russia and its great symbols. This is evidenced by the names of some models: Peter Tchaikovsky, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Alexander Pushkin and Leo Tolstoy.
Each collection was inspired by the legendary symbols of the Soviet Union - the first space satellite, the fastest fighter, the best atomic ones in the world submarines, exploits of the first cosmonaut. The lightest and deliberately stylized Soviet watch series, the “Saint Petersburg” series, reflected the romantic atmosphere of the city on the Neva.
The USSR brand released 14 collections. All of them are characterized by a variety of mechanisms, models and designs. Fans of collectible watches will appreciate models with the Slava 2427 movement, the latest batch of which was purchased specifically for the production of USSR watches. In addition to the Slava 2427, the watch also uses other automatic and quartz movements made in Japan and Switzerland. Despite their different origins, they all have one thing in common – impeccable quality. And in the design the military style was reinterpreted. Massive cases with original details, often stylized as military elements, look very modern and youthful. Thanks to non-standard color solutions, the watch can be combined with different styles of clothing.
On at the moment The USSR brand is represented in more than 20 countries around the world. The watches have found their buyers both among fans of collectible watches and among those who prefer stylish watches with an up-to-date design. Among the USSR collections, there really is something to choose and admire, from the extraordinary design of the dial to the work of the excellent watch mechanism, which is visible through the translucent watch case covers.
For almost 70 years, the Country of Soviets, through the efforts of 15 factories, produced hundreds of millions of mechanical watches, among the advantages of which are: laconic design and simple reliable mechanisms
The first “Pobeda” watches were assembled at the First Moscow Watch Factory named after Kirov in 1946, exactly one year after the capture of Berlin by the Red Army. The design, characteristics and name were personally approved by Stalin. In Soviet times, “Victory” was produced at six different factories: Petrodvortsov, First and Second Moscow, Penza and Chistopol (the model in the photo was produced at Petrodvortsov in 1955).
At the Maslennikov plant in Samara (then Kuibyshev), “Pobeda” was produced under the name “ZiM” with the legendary K-43 mechanism. The colossal volume of production made the brand perhaps the most popular in the USSR. The watches were put on free sale and were also awarded to war and labor veterans.
In 2015, the Petrodvorets Plant began production of quartz wristwatches under the Pobeda brand for the 70th anniversary of the Victory.
The mechanism of the “Shturmanskie” watch, which accompanied Yuri Gagarin on his first flight into space, was shockproof, had a power reserve of two days and a function to stop the second hand. Nowadays such a power reserve seems small, but for the Soviet watch industry it was a real achievement.
Their production began in 1949 specifically for the Air Force, in open sale they never did. Later, they left the factory with the most reliable mechanism, 3133, for the development of which the team of the First MChZ was awarded State Prize USSR. Therefore, “Shturmanskie” from the Soviet period are especially valued by collectors these days. The mechanical watches of the same name are still produced today, but, alas, apart from the name, they have nothing in common with their predecessors.
The State Trust for Precision Mechanics is the office from which the entire Soviet watch industry began. The trust included nationalized factories, repair and assembly shops that assembled watches from blanks left over from tsarist times. But the country needed large volumes.
Since 1929, using equipment purchased from the bankrupt American Duber Hempton factory, the trust produced mainly pocket watches. There were very few wrist models, and perhaps the most common of them was produced by order of the NKPS (People's Commissariat of Railways). Most often, the watch had an enamel dial with black Arabic numerals and redundant red 24-hour markings.
Released in early 1935, the first wrist models of the First State Watch Factory have the K-43 movement, developed five years earlier for the most popular Soviet pocket watches, which were called “pocket watches of the 1st type.” The main feature of the “Kirov” was the small seconds hand located at the “9 o’clock” mark and the large dial with a diameter of 43 millimeters.
During the period from 1930 to 1941, the First State ChZ produced about three million pocket and wrist watches of the first type.
In 1953, it was decided to build a watch factory in Minsk. For the first ten years, the company produced only women’s wristwatches “Zarya” and “Minsk”. In 1963, the USSR Ministry of Instrument Engineering announced the production of flat men's watches “Vympel”, previously produced by the First Moscow Watch Factory, which transferred technical documentation to the Minsk Factory. This watch was called “Luch-2209” and became an achievement of the Eighth Five-Year Plan.
The diameter of the mechanism on 23 jewels was 22 millimeters, the height was 2.9 millimeters, there was a central second hand and shockproof protection. Today the plant continues serial production hours.
Another legendary astronaut watch - it was the first to go into outer space in 1965 on the hand of Alexei Leonov. with a 45-minute counter was produced by the First MChZ since 1959. It had several versions, including one with a luminescent dial and a telemetric scale.
In 1964, all models of the First MChZ were renamed “Polyot” (export versions - Poljot). Thus, “Strela” was produced for a short period of five years exclusively for the command staff of the Air Force, which makes it a rarity in secondary market. Sometimes the cost of Strela-3017, a model that has been in space, reaches 200–250 thousand rubles.
“Light” and “East”
This rare pair is the fruit of the work of the Chistopol watch factory. In the post-war period, the plant produced household and industrial watches. In 1962, the Vostok brand received a gold medal at the Leipzig exhibition. At the same time, the plant produced Komandirskie prototypes and became official supplier hours of the USSR Ministry of Defense.
The “Svet” watch with a black dial was also intended for the military, but also appeared on the public market. Since 1969, all watches produced in Chistopol were branded “Vostok”.
In 1963, after Valentina Tereshkova’s flight into space, all models of the Uglich watch factory were renamed “Chaika”, in honor of the call sign of the first female cosmonaut.
The presented model was produced in the 1970s at the Chistopol Watch Factory in a gold-plated case and with a metal bracelet. “Chaika” is equipped with a shockproof and dust-moisture-proof mechanism with and on 17. Gold plating AU 20 was considered the best at that time and contained more than one gram of gold per product.
“Stolichnye” and “Mayak”
“Stolichnye” immediately catches your eye thanks to its unusual retro dial and eye-catching red hand. The stamp was produced at the First Kirov Mining Plant for only a short time, thanks to which it became a rarity.
“Mayak” also comes from the First Minsk Plant, but was also assembled in Petrodvorets. These “Mayaks” had a 16-jewel movement, a second hand, and gold-plated dial elements. In addition, military-style wristwatches with glow-in-the-dark hands were produced.
“ ”
The late Soviet “Copernicus Rocket” with a unique minimalist design was released in the late 1980s, but gained particular popularity already in the 1990s with the “Made in Russia” stamp. The hour and minute hands are topped with unusual circles, and in the “Copernicus Black” model with a dark dial they even resemble planets in the night sky.
The main technical value is the high-class movement 2609 with 19 rubies with a central second hand and a shock-proof axis device.
It is worth recognizing that for the decline of the USSR watch industry, “Raketa” is certainly a landmark model that looks very bold among its analogues. Today, the Petrodvorets Watch Factory continues to produce the “Rocket”, but it costs 20 times more than the Soviet original.
Text: Dmitry Shalaev
Photos: Dmitry Shalaev
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