Poljot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Poljot (Russian: "Полет", 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 "Полет" name was awarded after Yuri Gagarin wore a Kirov First Moscow Watch Factory "Shturmanskie" (a transliteration of Штурманские which actually means "Navigator's") wristwatch 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 (Mother Country) 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 performing a space flight. While in space, the cosmonaut was wearing 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 "ПОЛЕТ" and "POLJOT", which means "flight" in Russian and is a tribute to the number of space trips their watches have accomplished.
Since the late 70’s, Poljot launched a new chrono movement: the 3133. It was a 23 jewels, manual winding (43 hours), 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, Ukraine. On the hand of V.V. Polyakov 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 starting bellow $200, making them one of the most interesting proposals for poor-man chronographs presently. Besides the great looks, this watch has an inner turning bezel with hoursthat can be used while traveling as a rudimentary GMT indication.
In 1994, a German company began selling upscale Poljot models under the name "Poljot International". These watches feature higher-quality materials and are assembled in Germany. Poljot International uses Russian or Swiss-made movements in their watches.
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 (Океан) chronograph. All of the replicas found praise from watch aficionados, and 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 came to fruition in late 2004. The First Moscow Watch Factory dissolved, with its property and machinery sold to Company Volmax, a Moscow-based firm founded by former FMWF executives. Further, certain Poljot models are now being manufactured in Ukraine by Kiev Watch Factory and in Hong Kong by Winsky International, Inc.
Under Volmax, the Poljot brand is now limited to the Russian market. Outside Russia, Company Volmax markets "Poljot" watches under the brand-names Aviator, Buran, and Shturmanskie. In fact, an Aviator-branded watch is the "official" promotional watch of The Aviator movie from Miramax.
'Aviator' (the company that now owns the Poljot, Okeah, Buran/Bypah, and Shturmanskie names) bought all of the equipment in the First Moscow Watch Factory, but hasn't updated it in any way.
