Russian watch brands

The Russian watch industry doesn’t have the name value and lineage of other watch industries around the world. However, Russian watch companies are doing some really cool and unique things in the post-Soviet era.

Russian watchmakers didn’t begin operations until the First Moscow Watch Factory opened in 1930 — just over a decade before the Second World War. The first state watch factory was started by the Labour and Defence Council for military purposes. These Soviet watches were originally made for members of the Red Army and government, before branching out to sell to civilians.

Since then, Russian watchmakers have earned a good reputation among true watch enthusiasts. While most Russian watches are more about substance than luxury, Russian watch brands have their own atypical sense of style and flair. Some of their watch models hearken back to the days of the space race. Others look to more modern conventions and create sports timepieces with peak water resistance.

If you’re not familiar with the timepieces coming out of Russia right now, we’re here to help. We’ve put together a list of the six Russian brands that are revolutionizing watchmaking in the former U.S.S.R.

The 6 Best Russian Watch Brands In 2021

Vostok [Часы Восток]

Despite filing for bankruptcy at the beginning of 2010, Vostok is still going strong. In fact, the Vostok watch brand is probably the best-known Russian watch brand outside of the country’s borders.

The Vostok brand was founded in the middle of World War II. A watchmaking plant for the First Moscow Watch Factory was forced to evacuate to the tiny town of Chistopol. The plant started up work again creating weapons and equipment for the wartime effort. After the war, they began making watches again.

About two decades later in the sixties, the Vostok watch brand name was born. Like Raketa and Poljot below, Vostok was named after a space program. The brand gained prominence by becoming the Soviet Union Ministry of Defense’s official watch provider in 1965.

Then they struck crossover gold with the Vostok Amphibia — one of the most famous and beloved timepieces to come out of Russia. Despite restructuring after bankruptcy, Vostok hasn’t messed with a winning formula.

They continue to look back to eras past to apply vintage watch designs to modern timepiece technology. This includes one of our favorites from the brand, the Vostok Amphibian Automatic Self-Winding Russian Military Wristwatch.

Slava [Cлава]

Slava was founded in 1924 as the Second Moscow Watch Factory. Known the world over for their atypical automatic movements, Slava took its second and current name from the Russian word for “glory.”

The “glory” that Slava was referring to was that which they earned from their victory over Germany in World War II.

Slava watches are harder to find overseas than some of their other Russian watch counterparts. That’s a shame because their unique automatic movements are treasured by watch collectors and horology aficionados. The Slava Palladium Plated Analog Quartz Watch is a current exception to that rule, but the timepiece doesn’t come with the trademark Slava automatic movement.

However, you may be able to find one at the right reseller at the right time.

Sturmanskie [Штурманские]

You wanna know how durable Sturmanskie watches are? In 1961, famous Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin wore a Sturmanskie timepiece while becoming the first person to fly through outer space. That gives the brand the distinct and unique honor of creating the first watch to withstand the rigors of space travel.

When Sturmanskie opened up shop in 1949, their sole purpose was to create timepieces for air force pilots.

The brand name is now synonymous with some of the most intriguing aviation watches available for sale right now. The Sturmanskie Gagarin Sports Dual-Time Automatic Russian Watch above is emblematic of that.

Sturmanskie timepieces are about more than a good chronometer movement or other bells and whistles. They are simply some of the sturdiest and most beautiful watches coming out of Russian right now.

Raketa [Ракета]

Raketa is best known for the Raketa Big Zero — the holy grail of Russian watches. It was the watch that put Raketa on the global map in the 1970s. While it’s really hard to find one nowadays, watch collectors are always on the lookout for the Big Zero score.

The Raketa brand was originally known as the Imperial Peterhof Factory. In 1721, Peter the Great opened the factory in hopes of manufacturing and selling fine luxury goods. Over a hundred years later, it started gaining worldwide recognition.

In 1945, Joseph Stalin ordered the factory to create a new watch brand called Probeda. Translated to “victory” in English, Probeda watches were created to celebrate the country’s triumph in World War II.

Sixteen years later, Raketa was born as a tribute to Yuri Gargarin and the world’s first successful manned space flight. Since, they’ve diversified and made a wide variety of sturdy, accurate timepieces.

This includes an homage to one of the world’s most famous motorcycle companies, the Raketa Harley Davidson Vintage Watch.

Poljot [Полёт]

Remember the First Moscow Watch Factory that we spoke about earlier? Over three decades after its inception, it became Poljot — one of the most trusted watch brands for Russian military personnel and members of the state’s intelligence community.

The First Moscow Watch Factory started by making pocket watches. They branched out into military-grade wristwatches and haven’t looked back since under the Poljot name.

The watch brand really hit the advertising jackpot on March 18, 1965. On that day, Russian cosmonaut Alexi Leonov became the first person to walk in space. He was wearing a Poljot Ocean 3133 while he made world history.

Nowadays, watches like the Poljot Miltary Vintage Mens’ Wrist Watch are easy to find from resellers in your favorite online marketplace. Poljot watches are known for their sturdiness. As soon as you buy one, you know it’s gonna last in even the craziest of work or play conditions.

Luch

One look at the Luch Women’s Bangle Bracelet Watch will show you just how much the company has diversified since its beginnings as a military watch manufacturer in 1953.

The company was founded in Minsk but has since moved overseas after escaping bankruptcy by selling a majority of its stakes to a watch manufacturer in Switzerland, Franck Muller.

Luch watches vary in case size and type. In the same catalog, you’ll see a diving watch next to a sleek women’s bracelet timepiece. And while their fashion watches might not remind you of an old-school space flight, Luch timepieces are all built with a military-grade structuring. That means that you won’t have to worry about a simple bang or bump rendering a Luch watch useless.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are Vostok watches so cheap?

Labor costs in Russia are exceedingly low. Russians haven’t caught up to the world when it comes to the salaries of their factory workers. Swiss factory workers make a killing compared to those that work at Vostok watch factories on Russian soil. Low labor costs and overheads result in tiny margins for the Vostok brand. Because of this, they can sell their watches for a cheaper price point.

Are Vostok watches good quality?

Yes! In fact, some watch collectors prefer Vostok over tried-and-true brands like Seiko and Orient. The Vostok Amphibia, in particular, is a durable company highlight. They make diver watches (and other timepieces) that last for prices you can afford. Also, Vostok’s dial designs blend minimalist inspiration with callbacks to the old Soviet Union space program.

Vostok watches should be more of a thing, to be honest. They contain quality movements and are built to withstand sudden impacts and submersion in water.

Are Russian watches reliable?

Whether you’re looking for a Soviet watch replica or a brand-new dive watch, you’ll be happy to know that Russian watches are very reliable altogether. Watch manufacturers in Russia are bringing the content with quality timepieces made from quality materials. They’re not just about military watches anymore, although you can find plenty of cool ones in traditional online marketplaces. Men and women alike will love the way Russian watches look, feel, and last.

What are the best Russian watches?

We honestly can’t choose from the six Russian watch manufacturers on our list. They’re all doing extraordinary work! The history of the Russian watch industry may be short, but the former Soviet Union is still the site of some intriguing horological happenings! There are pocket watches that call back to the days of World War II. And, there are modern minimalist timepieces that people everywhere would dig. Pick one of the six watch companies and dive into their inventory. You won’t be disappointed.

Closing Thoughts

Vladimir Putin may wear luxury watches from overseas, but the watch companies in his country are doing some great things as well. While the Russian watch industry didn’t get going till nearly decades after the reign of Peter the Great, it’s made quite a name for itself in the past century. And with changes coming yearly and brands evolving, there’s a Russian watch movement going on — pun intended.