Watchmaking in the USSR
After the 1917 Revolution, watchmaking workshops and companies in Russia were nationalized. In the early years, the Soviet Union had only small workshops, which were grouped into a trust called «Precision Mechanics» in 1922.
This trust included:
– The «Nov» factory,
– Workshop No. 3 (Reynin’s factory),
– The «Aviapribor» factory,
– Storage No. 1 (B. Leuba’s shop),
– Shop No. 3 and the Petrograd shop (from P. Bure’s company).
A key figure in developing Soviet watchmaking was Vladimir Pruss, a Belarusian engineer. He created a detailed plan for the watch industry, which was approved by the highest government level. On December 20, 1927, the USSR officially decided to start producing its own watches.
The government bought watchmaking equipment from two American factories: «Dueber» (for the First State Watch Factory) and «Ansonia» (for the Second State Watch Factory).
First State Watch Factory
From the collection of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus
The First State Watch Factory began working on October 1, 1930. Vladimir Pruss played a big role in setting up the production, as one of the few experts in the country who understood watchmaking technology.
In 1935, the factory was named after Kirov. It made wristwatches for commanders of the Red Army.
During World War II, the factory was moved to Zlatoust, in the Ural Mountains. This became the base for the Zlatoust Watch Factory.
In 1942, the First State Watch Factory restarted work in Moscow, producing watches for the front lines.
After the war, the factory-made watches with names like «Pobeda» («Victory»), «Sputnik» («Satellite»), «Antarctica», «Vympel» («Pennant»), and «Poljot» («Flight»).
Since 1964, watches from the First Moscow Watch Factory were marked with the «Poljot» («Flight») brand.
In 2005, the watch company «MakTime» bought the equipment and the rights to the 3133-chronograph movement, but the factory soon stopped making watches.
Second State Watch Factory
From the collection of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus
The history of the Second State Watch Factory began on November 29, 1924, with the unification of several factories: the Moscow Radiotelegraph Factory, some electromechanical workshops, and the Moscow Energy Mechanics Plant (MEMZ).
On April 25, 1930, these were joined with the «Aviapribor» (it was formed in June 1917 to produce aviation instruments) watch production and a new factory under construction, forming the Second State Watch Factory.
The factory made: pendulum clocks, wall clocks, large alarm clocks, electric clocks, weight-driven clocks.
During World War II, the factory was moved to Chistopol, where the Chistopol Watch Factory was later created.
After the war, the factory-made pocket watches called «Salyut» («Firework»), women’s watches «Era», and men’s «Pobeda» («Victory») watches, as well as table clocks and alarms.
From the 1950s, the factory began mass-producing the «Slava» («Fame») wristwatches. It also produced the first quartz watches in the USSR.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, factory buildings were rented out, and watch production went down. In 2005, the brand «Slava» («Fame») and the factory were bought by the company VEB-Invest. Watch production at the site was eventually shut down.
Zlatoust Watch Factory
The Zlatoust Watch Factory began in 1941, when the First Moscow Watch Factory was moved to the city of Zlatoust in the Urals during the war.
During World War II, it became a major supplier of military timepieces for the Soviet Army, including chronometers for ships and aircraft.
Today, Zlatoust remains one of the leading watch producers in Russia.
This trust included:
– The «Nov» factory,
– Workshop No. 3 (Reynin’s factory),
– The «Aviapribor» factory,
– Storage No. 1 (B. Leuba’s shop),
– Shop No. 3 and the Petrograd shop (from P. Bure’s company).
A key figure in developing Soviet watchmaking was Vladimir Pruss, a Belarusian engineer. He created a detailed plan for the watch industry, which was approved by the highest government level. On December 20, 1927, the USSR officially decided to start producing its own watches.
The government bought watchmaking equipment from two American factories: «Dueber» (for the First State Watch Factory) and «Ansonia» (for the Second State Watch Factory).
First State Watch Factory
From the collection of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus
The First State Watch Factory began working on October 1, 1930. Vladimir Pruss played a big role in setting up the production, as one of the few experts in the country who understood watchmaking technology.
In 1935, the factory was named after Kirov. It made wristwatches for commanders of the Red Army.
During World War II, the factory was moved to Zlatoust, in the Ural Mountains. This became the base for the Zlatoust Watch Factory.
In 1942, the First State Watch Factory restarted work in Moscow, producing watches for the front lines.
After the war, the factory-made watches with names like «Pobeda» («Victory»), «Sputnik» («Satellite»), «Antarctica», «Vympel» («Pennant»), and «Poljot» («Flight»).
Since 1964, watches from the First Moscow Watch Factory were marked with the «Poljot» («Flight») brand.
In 2005, the watch company «MakTime» bought the equipment and the rights to the 3133-chronograph movement, but the factory soon stopped making watches.
Second State Watch Factory
From the collection of the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus
The history of the Second State Watch Factory began on November 29, 1924, with the unification of several factories: the Moscow Radiotelegraph Factory, some electromechanical workshops, and the Moscow Energy Mechanics Plant (MEMZ).
On April 25, 1930, these were joined with the «Aviapribor» (it was formed in June 1917 to produce aviation instruments) watch production and a new factory under construction, forming the Second State Watch Factory.
The factory made: pendulum clocks, wall clocks, large alarm clocks, electric clocks, weight-driven clocks.
During World War II, the factory was moved to Chistopol, where the Chistopol Watch Factory was later created.
After the war, the factory-made pocket watches called «Salyut» («Firework»), women’s watches «Era», and men’s «Pobeda» («Victory») watches, as well as table clocks and alarms.
From the 1950s, the factory began mass-producing the «Slava» («Fame») wristwatches. It also produced the first quartz watches in the USSR.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, factory buildings were rented out, and watch production went down. In 2005, the brand «Slava» («Fame») and the factory were bought by the company VEB-Invest. Watch production at the site was eventually shut down.
Zlatoust Watch Factory
The Zlatoust Watch Factory began in 1941, when the First Moscow Watch Factory was moved to the city of Zlatoust in the Urals during the war.
During World War II, it became a major supplier of military timepieces for the Soviet Army, including chronometers for ships and aircraft.
Today, Zlatoust remains one of the leading watch producers in Russia.
