The Raketa Watch Factory Launches A Re-edition Of The Soviet Polar watch
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic continent (in 1820) and the 50th anniversary of the first production of the Soviet Raketa Polar watch (in 1970), the Raketa Watch Factory is relaunching the production of this historic watch model. This re-edition will be limited to 200 watches. Technical drawings that were found in the archives of the Factory were used to recreate the original design.
A watch for Soviet polar explorers
This watch model was specially produced in 1970 for the polar explorers of the 16th Soviet Antarctic expedition. They needed a robust watch on which they could rely. They were journeying to the harshest place on Earth where temperatures сan go down to -89°С. However, being robust was not enough. A day/night indicator was essential. Without one, these explorers would have no clue what time of day it was. Six months of perpetual daylight followed by six months of unfathomable darkness made life difficult for those brave adventurers.
The Official Seal of the USSR
To make this watch more robust than other Raketa watches of that time, Raketa’s engineers developed a new case. They conceived a complicated 4-piece construction with a special glass fixation system. Furthermore, to allow polar explorers to tell the time without knowing if it was day or night, they developed a movement that made the hour hand do one turn of the dial in 24 hours. The result was a watch with an extremely bold and unusual design. On 10 December 1969, V. M. Rogachev, second-in-command of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition, officially approved the design. He stamped it with the official seal of the USSR: “Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.”
A Collector’s watch
Because this was a special watch for Soviet polar explorers, very few made it into the hands of ordinary Soviet comrades. Limited availability and a short production lifespan has made this model one of the most collectible pieces to ever come out of the Soviet Union. This model’s return to the market is certainly welcome.
The limited edition of 200 watches is now under production using “old school” manufacturing processes at the Raketa Watch Factory. This is also the same Factory that produced this model exactly 50 years ago! It is available for pre-order on Raketa’s website. Deliveries will begin in the middle of March 2020.
Russian Manufactured
The Raketa Watch Factory, founded by Emperor Peter the Great in 1721, is Russia’s oldest Factory. Also, it is one of the very few watch manufacturers in the world producing its own mechanical movements from A-to-Z. Furthermore, this includes the most complex components such as the hairspring and the escapement. Learn more here.
