Pride of Russian Horology

Raketa watches boast a rich history dating back to 1721 when Peter the Great established the first Russian watch factory, initially known as the "Peterhof Factory." This establishment later evolved into the Ракета brand, meaning "rocket" in Russian.

By choosing the name "Raketa," the founders aimed to evoke associations with cutting-edge advancements in aerospace technology and the pioneering spirit of space exploration, symbolizing not only speed and precision but also the aspirations of the Soviet people to achieve new heights.

In the mid-20th century, Raketa gained renown for its precision timekeeping, crafting watches for Soviet cosmonauts and military personnel. This period marked significant achievements in space exploration, including the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, in 1957, and Yuri Gagarin's pioneering human spaceflight in 1961. Then in 1975, Raketa timepieces accompanied the Soyuz spacecraft during the historic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, symbolizing international cooperation during the Cold War era.

Raketa remains a prominent watch brand, crafting mechanical timepieces with a blend of heritage and modern design. The brand's headquarters and manufacturing facilities are located at the Petrodvorets Watch Factory in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Notable models include Copernicus, Petrodvorets Classic, Big Zero, Amphibia, and 24-Hour.

This particular watch features the Raketa Calibre 2609.НА (2609.NA in the Latin alphabet), a 19-jewel manual wind movement. Notably, at the 6 o'clock position, the text reads "СДЕЛАНО В СССР," which translates to "MADE IN USSR," indicating its origin. With texts in the Cyrillic alphabet, it's evident that this watch isn't an imported model. Regarding the "222" inscription on the case back, while it may seem irrelevant, it adds an intriguing element to the watch's history.

PS: The word "Raketa" in Russian is written as "Ракета" in Cyrillic script but as "Ракема" when italicized (Russain cursive).

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References

• Raketa Cal. 2609: 17jewels.info

• Raketa Cal. 2628: 17jewels.info

• Russian cursive: stevemorse.org/russian/cyrprintcurs.html

Archived from Instagram post on May 6, 2024.