Rare vintage 1970's Soviet, Raketa manual wind, cal 2609HA, wristwatch, runs well!

This rare, Russian, USSR, Raketa (Rocket) men's vintage wristwatch would be an excellent and unique addition to your vintage watch collection!!

Manufactured in the 1970's, at the Petrodvorets Watch Factory, the chrome over steel case measures 34 mm across, excluding crown and lugs and surrounds a light copper dial that contrasts beautifully with black hour and minute hands, silver center sweep with red accent, black Roman numerals and black outer chapter. It has a new crystal and, as our highly magnified photos show there are some light surface scratches on the dial that are hardly notice when worn but I have priced it accordingly.

The manual wind, highly regarded, 19 jewel Soviet 2609 HA movement is running strong, and keeping good time.

It has a snap down back and has been matched with a supple new stitched 18mm black man made leather strap and stainless buckle.

About the Brand:

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin made the first manned flight in outer space on the rocket, Vostok 1. In honor of this achievement, the Petrodvorets Watch Factory named its watches "Rocket"; Raketa in Russian. At the height of the Cold War, however, the name "Raketa" was perceived negatively in the West, as the word was associated with the latest generation of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles, the R-16. During Soviet times it became one of the most produced watch brands in the world. In the 1970s the factory produced about five million mechanical watches per year.

Raketa Mechanical Movements:

Over the years, the Petrodvorets Watch Factory has produced more than two dozen versions of Raketa movements. Some have been equipped with features such as automatic winding, calendars, 24-hour models for polar explorers, anti-magnetic watches (for use in case of nuclear attack), as well as watches for the military. Mechanical Raketa watches were exported to many Eastern Bloc and communist countries and are considered one of the most durable and reliable movements in the world. By the 1980s Raketa was producing five million watches a year.

The Petrodvorets Watchmaking School:

Being one of the few watch brands in the world producing its own movements, the factory has created its own watchmaking school, the Petrodvorets Watchmaking School, to ensure the transmission of watchmaking expertise to future generations. The only one left in the schooling program has been established in collaboration with the Saint Petersburg Technical institute.

Hairsprings and Escapements:

The Petrodvorets Watch Factory Raketa, is one of only five watch brands in the world producing their movements in-house from start to finish, including hairsprings and escapements. Most watch brands globally do not produce their own hairsprings, they generally order them from Nivarox, a subsidiary of Swatch Group. This enables the Russian military industry to be independent from western suppliers, especially for producing hairsprings needed in the military aviation industry.

The Petrodvorets Watch Factory:

Raketa is only one of the brands produced by the Petrodvorets Watch Factory, albeit probably its most famous brand. Other Petrodvorets brands include Pobeda and Talberg among others. Before the Russian Revolution (1917), the factory also produced objects made of precious and semi-precious stones for the Tsar and his family. Later, it began to produce goods for military manufacturers as well as "jewels" for the watch industry. In 1949, the factory released the first wristwatches under the names Zvezda ("Звезда", star) and Pobeda ("Победа", victory). The factory's own watches, sold under the brand name Raketa, first appeared in 1961.


STOCK CODE: R-16

We offer free, first class domestic shipping and ship worldwide Priority Mail to insure safe, swift, and reliable shipping to our international customers for a flat fee of $34.00. (Canada may be slightly less)

Please note, we offer our items on multiple sites and will not be removed from other sites until payment has been received and rarely may mean that your selection may be sold out prior to your payment has posted.


We are Stonehenge Watch Company and have been selling vintage timepieces and new watches on the internet for over 14 years
WITH 100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

Seller information

stonehengewatchcompany (2725)

We do our best to accurately describe items on our site and, if for any reason, you are disappointed in your purchase we will provide a swift and satisfactory resolution to your concern.