Post by Oisac on Jan 23, 2007 23:51:45 GMT -5
Poljot (Russian: "Ïîëåò", literally meaning "flight"), a brand of watches from Russia, originated in the USSR and was produced by the First Moscow Watch Factory. Virtually unknown in the United States until the late 1990s, Poljot watches established a reputation for quality at moderate prices.
In America, Poljot mainly appealed to Russophiles and those desiring a "unique" conversation-piece. Worldwide, products of the First Moscow Watch Factory (FMWF) achieved a level of "cult status" among watch collectors. More than 70 years of experience in watch production created a unique industrial environment combining the best traditions of mechanical watch and movement manufacturing with modern technology. Watches and movements produced by the factory met extremely high quality requirements, because in addition to serving civil needs they were used to equip the Soviet armed forces.
Founded in 1930 under orders from Stalin, the First Moscow Watch Factory was the first Soviet watch and mechanical movement manufacturer. Via its USA based trading company Amtorg, the Soviet government bought the defunct Ansonia Clock Company of Brooklyn, New York in 1929, and the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company of Canton, Ohio. It moved twenty-eight freight cars full of machinery and parts from the USA to Moscow in order to establish the factory. Twenty-one former Dueber-Hampden watchmakers, engravers and various other technicians helped to train the Russian workers in the art of watchmaking as part of the Soviet's First Five-Year Plan. Interestingly, the movements of very-early FMWF products were still stamped "Dueber-Hampden, Canton, Ohio, USA" (examples of these watches are very collectible today).
After 1934 the factory was named after the murdered Soviet official Sergei Kirov. The "Ïîëåò" name was awarded after Yuri Gagarin wore a Kirov First Moscow Watch Factory "Shturmanskie" (a transliteration of Øòóðìàíñêèå which actually means "Navigator's") wristhingych during his historic first flight into space. "Shturmanskie" means "navigation watch" and has been applied to a number of models. In Levenberg's book "Russian Watches" he states that Gagarin wore a Rodina (Motherland) 22 jewel watch made by Poljot (First Russian Watch Factory). The accompanying photo in the book shows a time-only sweep center seconds watch.
The Soviet government authorized export of FMWF products beginning in 1959. During the Soviet era, Poljot watches were marketed in the United Kingdom under the brand "Sekonda." Today's Sekonda company, a British distributor of ubiquitous fashion watches, has no connection to any Poljot products.
On April 12th 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. While in space, the cosmonaut wore a "Shturmanskie" (Navigator) watch, manufactured at the First Moscow Watch Factory (1-MChZ). From 1964, the watches of the First Moscow Factory have been marked by a trademark "ÏÎËÅÒ" and "POLJOT", which means "flight" in Russian and is a tribute to the number of space trips their watches have accomplished.
Since the late 1970s, Poljot launched a new chrono movement: the 3133. With a 23 jewel movement and manual winding (43 hours), it was a modified Russian version of the Swiss Valjoux 7734 of the early 70’s. Poljot 3133 were taken into space by cosmonauts from Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine. On the hand of V.V. Polyakov, a Poljot 3133 chronograph movement-based watch set a space record for the longest space flight in history. Poljot chronographs with the 3133 movement are available from below $200, making them one of the most interesting proposals for poor-man chronographs presently. This watch has an inner turning bezel with hours that can be used while travelling, functioning as a rudimentary GMT indication.
At the turn of the 21st century, the First Moscow Watch Factory began reproducing many of their most famous models as limited edition commemorative pieces. Replicas were made of the famous 1960s Shturmanskie model worn by Yuri Gagarin, the 1940s Kirova fliegerchronograph, and the 1970s Ocean (Îêåàí) chronograph. All of the replicas became sought-after collectibles.
In late 2003, rumors predicting the demise of the Poljot brand circulated on the Internet. According to the rumors, the First Moscow Watch Factory was to cease producing their own models and become a source of inexpensive movements for other European watch brands. These rumors never came to fruition. Instead, the First Moscow Watch Factory scaled-down production, with some of its property and machinery sold to other Moscow-based watchmakers and introduced a new, upmarket, brand Golden Poljot. A new team of craftsman was assembled to develop Golden Poljot and deliver it to the domestic market in a very short time.
In 2005-2006 Golden Poljot become available outside Russia and the new Rossi Collection had a succesful launch.
In America, Poljot mainly appealed to Russophiles and those desiring a "unique" conversation-piece. Worldwide, products of the First Moscow Watch Factory (FMWF) achieved a level of "cult status" among watch collectors. More than 70 years of experience in watch production created a unique industrial environment combining the best traditions of mechanical watch and movement manufacturing with modern technology. Watches and movements produced by the factory met extremely high quality requirements, because in addition to serving civil needs they were used to equip the Soviet armed forces.
Founded in 1930 under orders from Stalin, the First Moscow Watch Factory was the first Soviet watch and mechanical movement manufacturer. Via its USA based trading company Amtorg, the Soviet government bought the defunct Ansonia Clock Company of Brooklyn, New York in 1929, and the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company of Canton, Ohio. It moved twenty-eight freight cars full of machinery and parts from the USA to Moscow in order to establish the factory. Twenty-one former Dueber-Hampden watchmakers, engravers and various other technicians helped to train the Russian workers in the art of watchmaking as part of the Soviet's First Five-Year Plan. Interestingly, the movements of very-early FMWF products were still stamped "Dueber-Hampden, Canton, Ohio, USA" (examples of these watches are very collectible today).
After 1934 the factory was named after the murdered Soviet official Sergei Kirov. The "Ïîëåò" name was awarded after Yuri Gagarin wore a Kirov First Moscow Watch Factory "Shturmanskie" (a transliteration of Øòóðìàíñêèå which actually means "Navigator's") wristhingych during his historic first flight into space. "Shturmanskie" means "navigation watch" and has been applied to a number of models. In Levenberg's book "Russian Watches" he states that Gagarin wore a Rodina (Motherland) 22 jewel watch made by Poljot (First Russian Watch Factory). The accompanying photo in the book shows a time-only sweep center seconds watch.
The Soviet government authorized export of FMWF products beginning in 1959. During the Soviet era, Poljot watches were marketed in the United Kingdom under the brand "Sekonda." Today's Sekonda company, a British distributor of ubiquitous fashion watches, has no connection to any Poljot products.
On April 12th 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. While in space, the cosmonaut wore a "Shturmanskie" (Navigator) watch, manufactured at the First Moscow Watch Factory (1-MChZ). From 1964, the watches of the First Moscow Factory have been marked by a trademark "ÏÎËÅÒ" and "POLJOT", which means "flight" in Russian and is a tribute to the number of space trips their watches have accomplished.
Since the late 1970s, Poljot launched a new chrono movement: the 3133. With a 23 jewel movement and manual winding (43 hours), it was a modified Russian version of the Swiss Valjoux 7734 of the early 70’s. Poljot 3133 were taken into space by cosmonauts from Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine. On the hand of V.V. Polyakov, a Poljot 3133 chronograph movement-based watch set a space record for the longest space flight in history. Poljot chronographs with the 3133 movement are available from below $200, making them one of the most interesting proposals for poor-man chronographs presently. This watch has an inner turning bezel with hours that can be used while travelling, functioning as a rudimentary GMT indication.
At the turn of the 21st century, the First Moscow Watch Factory began reproducing many of their most famous models as limited edition commemorative pieces. Replicas were made of the famous 1960s Shturmanskie model worn by Yuri Gagarin, the 1940s Kirova fliegerchronograph, and the 1970s Ocean (Îêåàí) chronograph. All of the replicas became sought-after collectibles.
In late 2003, rumors predicting the demise of the Poljot brand circulated on the Internet. According to the rumors, the First Moscow Watch Factory was to cease producing their own models and become a source of inexpensive movements for other European watch brands. These rumors never came to fruition. Instead, the First Moscow Watch Factory scaled-down production, with some of its property and machinery sold to other Moscow-based watchmakers and introduced a new, upmarket, brand Golden Poljot. A new team of craftsman was assembled to develop Golden Poljot and deliver it to the domestic market in a very short time.
In 2005-2006 Golden Poljot become available outside Russia and the new Rossi Collection had a succesful launch.