submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

13 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I ordered a Rodina automatic and I can't wait 😍😍😍 hoping it will arrive tomorrow.

I have a working Sekonda and a fualty but both I have been practising watchmaking on and this Rodina has been serviced so I won't need to mess with it and hopefully won't have that incessant itch to take it apart.

Soviet watch appreciation thread.

all 14 comments

sorted by: hot top new old

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That's a sweet piece, I dig the lugs on Rodinas

I have a Raketa 2610 Antimagnetic on the way to join my growing little collection of Soviet watches (Vostok, Raketa, Slava, Luch) and I'm real psyched about it. I need a Poljot or something else from First Moscow to round things out.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

I've been using an old, cheap Shanghai 7120 from AliExpress to practice watchmaking skills with. They're mostly new old stock so the parts can be assumed to be good condition, but they'll need oiling/service, so they're good candidates for practice. If it isn't running well after you put it back together, it's more likely to be your fault rather than wear or damage to a vintage movement that can be hard to diagnose as an amateur. Wide availability of parts, too.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Very sound advice, I bought a faulty Sekonda deluxe 2209 movement to tinker with and have spares on hand for my working 2209 but depending on price AliExpress movements could work great and just to have something to strip and rebuild over and over without fear of loosing jewels, stripping screws.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Speaking of aliex movements, the Sea-gull ST3600 is a copy of the ETA 6497 pocket watch movements that students at Swiss watchmaking schools learn on. Another good choice, they're bigger and have a little more elbow room than a standard wristwatch movement and there are a ton of videos on YT about working on them.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Cheers comrade, I will pick one up

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Pretty sure they are known as "the crab" for the lugs, love the utilitarian design, what actually turned me on to soviet watches is they lack arrogance and are more tools than jewellery.

Sick you posting a pic here? Is it running? And were you able to by local? I see loads coming out of Ukraine for a very fair price but import tax and customs bump it up way too much to be a good deal.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I'll try to remember to post a pic when it finally gets here. The wait is just beginning for me. In the meantime, my Luch, Slava, and Raketa happened to be on the bench.

Where I live there's barely a watch market at all, definitely no vintage Soviet. All my USSR watches have come from Ebay via Ukraine. Which... I've had some good and bad luck, in terms of function and originality. You have to be really careful and compare the details to a reference, especially with the more famous/popular pieces. Look at the Raketa and see if you can spot what I missed during purchase, lol.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I've heard in Ukraine they have massive parts bins and spend their days assembling frankenwatches to sell, some of them I am fine with but I've seen awful custom dials.

Spotting on your deluxe, it looks original but is that crown a little longer or is it the 12 o-clock index?

Bueatiful collection though, the one on the left looks factory new

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

100% true on the Ukrainian sellers. It's very difficult to find a good Luch 2209 (like the one on the right), Raketa Kopernik, Raketa Big Zero, etc. There are some good sellers though. vintage_ua_watches has been pretty consistent for me.

It's hard to complain too much for the prices, I guess - we're not talking about vintage Omega or Rolex here. But I like to aim for originality when I can.

The gold dial Raketa (on the left) says "made in Russia" on it, not CCCP. So at the very least, the dial isn't original. I've had it open for regulation and the movement looks about right though. It's pretty good work so I've decided to live with it, original dials on that model tend to have aged poorly. (EDIT: ha, it might be original but post-'91, it does have the little triangular nick above 12 that real Raketa dials tend to have.)

As far as I know the others are pretty good :) That's actually what the 12 hour index on the Luch is supposed to look like, 99% of the ones on Ebay are extremely crappy redials.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

Looks extremely sleek. Love the hour and minute overlay also.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

I will try and get some clearer macros of the dial later to post here. Abit quirky and seems to be due to wear rather than stylistic, some of the numerals are missing their infill.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

lenin-laugh

this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2025

25 points (100.0% liked)

Watches

2376 readers

1 users here now

Welcome to /c/watches – A Hub for Watch Enthusiasts on Fediverse! ⌚

Whether you're a seasoned collector, a casual wearer, or just starting your horological journey, this is the place for you! Join us to:

🔹 Discuss – Share your latest watch acquisitions, ask for advice, or geek out over movements and designs. 🔹 Discover – Explore vintage classics, modern marvels, and upcoming releases from luxury to affordable brands. 🔹 Learn – Get insights on watchmaking, maintenance, modding, and industry trends. 🔹 Connect – Meet fellow enthusiasts, trade/sell watches (if allowed), and participate in events or meetups.

Rules: Be respectful, no spam, and keep discussions civil and watch-related.

founded 3 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]