Many sold their production facilities and their know-how to the Soviet Union. Time-honored Swiss manufacturers plunged into financial difficulties. During the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s, cheap quartz watches from Asia took over the European market. Interestingly, Poljot produces the chronograph caliber 3133 with the help of Swiss machines. The Valjoux 7750 caliber is one of the most famous and most used automatic chronograph calibers in the world. The company was later absorbed by the Swatch Group. Valjoux was an independent ébauche manufacturer that specialized in chronographs. This movement is special because it's based on the Swiss caliber Valjoux 7734. Chronographs with the caliber Poljot 3133 are also very popular. Old Sturmanskie watches are highly sought after by collectors. "Sturmanskie" means "navigator" in English. On April 12, 1961, cosmonaut Juri Gagarin became the first man to enter space - with a Russian Sturmaniskie watch from the First Moscow Watch Factory on board with him. Translated into English, Poljot means "flight." The name change was in honor of the first manned space flight in human history. In 1964, they changed their name to Poljot. As its name suggests, it was the first and thus also the oldest Soviet watch factory. One of the most famous and important Soviet manufacturers was the First Moscow Watch Factory, which began producing watches in 1930. Get as much information as possible from the seller and take a look inside the watch if you can. When buying a vintage watch, be sure to take note of its condition. Every Russian brand offers quality mechanical watches. However, you're still purchasing a high-quality timepiece when you're buying a Russian watch - regardless of whether it's a diving watch from Vostok, a Poljot Aviator pilot's watch, or a classic dress watch from Raketa. That said, with a little know-how and skill, you can easily regulate the calibers and get them to run more precisely.įinishing on cases and straps doesn't come close to the level of detail on Swiss watches. Concessions must only be made in terms of precision, however a daily deviation of around 30 seconds is normal for Russian watches. Since most the calibers used are based on Swiss movements and are even produced with the help of Swiss manufacturing facilities, they are of comparable quality to their Alpine predecessors. Russian watches are considered very robust, reliable, and long lasting. Countless Swiss watch manufacturers use ETA calibers in their luxury watches. ETA is a Swiss ébauche manufacturer that belongs to the Swatch Group. Some of these Russian watches are powered by ETA movements, however. The automatic caliber 2416 often powers these watches. These timepieces are extremely affordable, costing around 150 euros. Poljot also produced sleek automatic watches. For a pre-owned version of this stainless steel watch, you should be prepared to pay 5,000 euros. The Master Memovox from Jaeger-LeCoultre is a Swiss watch with an alarm function. After all, who packs their bedroom alarm clock with them? A Poljot Cal. This timepiece is practical on trips, too. If you want your wristwatch to wake you up in the morning, this is the perfect watch for you. Poljot watches with the caliber 2612 have a few additional special features: These Russian timepieces have an alarm function. A 1970s Breitling Datora can even sell for over 3,000 euros. Comparable Swiss chronographs powered by the Valjoux 7734 cost around 1,000 euros. The Poljot Buran is also available with a chronograph function. A vintage Poljot chronograph in good condition costs around 250 euros. Poljot chronographs with 24-hour or moon phase displays are even rarer. The 3133 is manually wound and considered both robust and reliable. The Poljot caliber 3133 is based on the Valjoux 7734, a Swiss movement. The Russian aviator watch with a chronograph function has an excellent reputation. Today, it's significantly harder to obtain a well-maintained model. Twenty years ago, you could find these CCCP watches at almost any central European flea market. Pre-1991 vintage pieces from the Soviet Union are considered collector's items. The brand has ceased producing new watches, so only pre-owned timepieces are available. Poljot watches are especially popular amongst collectors.