Welcome Komrade! The Russian Made Strela Chronograph
You may not know it yet but Russian watches are currently experiencing some what of a renaissance and are really starting to take off in a big way. In recognition of this we have something a little different but still very cool to share with you; the Strela Chronograph from Russian manufacturer Poljot Sturmanskie. Steeped in history this superb chronograph is one of the jewels in the crown of Russian horology.
A Unique Past
Whilst not as well known as their Swiss or German counterparts, thanks in large part to the Iron Curtain and the Cold War, Russian watches have a rich and interesting history which dates back over 80 years. In 1927 The Labour and Defense Council passed a decree to establish a watch industry which would service the requirements of the government and Red Army.
The brief for these new Soviet watches was simple; they were to be accurate, reliable and not inferior in quality to their Western counterparts. The equipment for the production of these watches was purchased from the USA. This was the origin of the First Moscow Watch Factory which today manufactures Poljot watches. It was also this same factory that created the first watch ever worn in space, on the wrist of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin back in 1961.
Modern Day Incarnation
Today’s watch carries on this proud Russian heritage and is able to lay claim to a famous bit of watch history of its own.
The Strela, which means “Arrow” in Russian was first introduced in 1959 with the 3017 model taking its place in Soviet space history when it was worn on the wrist of Aleksei Leonov during the first ever walk in space in 1965.
This original model featured a chronograph with a 45 minute counter and did not have a date function. It was exclusively designed for the officers of the Air Force and consequently early models were not available to the public as they were constructed to strict military specifications. You can see a picture of one below.
The 3017 movement ceased production in the late 1970s and was replaced with the current 3133 model.
Today, Sturmanskie, which means “Navigator” carries that tradition forward with two 3133 chronograph commemorative editions of this famous watch. These boast a 44 mm case size and, unlike the originals have an exhibition caseback and decorated movement.
Of course, we could write about this watch all day but we think its far better to let the Watch Komrade himself, Mr Craig Hester, from Russian watch retailer Russia2all do the talking. So check out his video below:
Getting Your Hands On One
As you’ve probably guessed from the above video, the best place to get your hands on one of these or many other fantastic brands of Russian watches is Russia2all. Craig is excellent to deal with and very passionate and knowledgeable about the products he stocks.
There are a several variations of the Strela Chronograph but the one we have featured here comes with recommend retail value of US$1,029. Of course if you choose to get if from Russia2all it will only cost you $789.00! Not really a tough decision now is it?
The Final Word
I highly recommend checking out the Strela Chronograph models as well as all the other brands Russia2all has to offer. There are some really cool looking, high quality pieces for surprisingly affordable prices with the added bonus that you won’t see them on every second person’s wrist! Be warned though, their website has got quite a lot of top content so you may find that an hour or two slips away very quickly!
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Tom, i know you knew what i’m about to say,
yes i love this kind of new discovery posts!!
Tom,
I’ve got a Poljot pilot choro that I’ve had for maybe 7 or 8 years. Manual wind, the lume is nothing special and it probably needs a new crystal.
It’s an absolute workhorse, it serves as one of my beater/sport watches and it’s surprisingly accurate (more so than some vastly more expensive Swiss watches I own).
I remember thinking when I bought it (on line, but I don’t recall which site) “this looks interesting but it probably won’t last long” and years later it’s still going strong.
I find some of the current designs a little blingy, and prices have certainly increased over the years, but I can recommend adding a Russian to any collection.
I love the Strela and collect many different Russian watches. Vostoks are another great and inexpensive Russian watch. I also collect Raketa 24 hour watches since there are countless styles of them and they can be had for around $50. You can find them with such oddities on them as the CCCP Moon rover. You can find both on Ebay. Just be sure the seller is reputable if coming from Russia or the Ukraine.
Hi everyone, thank you for your comments. It seems I am coming across more and more people who have discovered the quality of some of the Russian made watches and I will definitely be featuring a few more on The Watch Lounge in the future!