Red Army Watches - A Specialist in Russian Watches

The beginning of the Russian love affair with horology dates back to 1404 when the first chiming clock was built into the Kremlin tower in Moscow by a Russian monk called Lasar Serbin.
The first watch schools appeared, again in Moscow, around two hundred years ago and further development of the country's watch industry took place during its period of industrialization in 1929 when the first 'five-year-plan' came into effect. This was the period when the major watchmakers of today's Russia were established. First Moscow Watch Factory (the maker of Poljot movements) and Vostok were both set up around this time.

First Moscow Watch Factory (FMWF) was made famous by Yuri Gagarin (left picture), the cosmonaut who made the first trip to the space, with the Sturmanskie (Navigator) watch from the Poljot factory, strapped around his wrist. Vostok, on the other hand, is currently the largest watch factory in Russia, with FMWF in second place.

Did You Know?

Red Army Watches was born out of love and passion for this almost neglected piece of history. Inspired by the oft-overlooked Russian theme, we sought to leave an indelible mark on our audience. We thought that we would lead a revolution - albeit of a tamer sort - here by pandering to those who dare to stand out. The intertwining themes of revolution and Russia, simplicity and inimitability ultimately led to the birth of Red Army Watches.

The vision of Red Army Watches is crystal clear. We aim to bring about a change in mindset and instil an appreciation of made-in-Russia mechanical timepieces among those who dare to be different.

Red Army Watches' mechanical timepieces will provide owners with handpicked designs that are unique yet functional, simple yet capable of precision time-keeping. Apart from that, those who choose to wear a timepiece from Red Army Watches can be assured of the rich heritage behind it.

	Six reasons why one should consider mechanical watches.
	Mechanical watches are not about achieving the ultimate in accuracy. Craftsmanship, aesthetics, and tradition are all part of the allure. Because the wheel train of an analogue quartz watch is not under constant stress from a wound mainspring, it does not need to be as finely finished, nor does it require painstaking skill and precision in assembly.

	Mechanical watches are good enough for most people's everyday lives, and they call to our emotional side.

	Mechanical watches provide more than just precise timekeeping; they provide a whole new experience. As the owner of a mechanical timepiece, you are responsible to keep it wound. Listen to the busy mechanical sounds from the movement. Observe the hundreds of different spare parts inside it. Learn about the brand history and the men behind it. It's all part of the fascinating experience, never seen with Quartz watches.

	Most of the collectible timepieces are mechanical. Learning about mechanical watches by owning one at a price that will not burn your pocket is a good way to provide you with the basics of your future, more serious timekeeping collecting interest.

	Quartz watch is a good and precise timekeeping tool but it lacks personality. Furthermore, the market is cluttered with so many mass brands which are becoming too common to some.

	Mechanical watches give you an edge. It starts a conversation at a party, its sound catches attention, it brings you back to the basics of life, and it simply makes you unique. We provide the avenue for those who want to start early.

First Alarm Watch
Poljot made its first alarm 2612 wristwatch in 1959 based on an Adolf Schilde's movement, 12 years after world's first alarm wristwatch was made.

Poljot in Space
Poljot watches accompanied many first cosmonauts and astronauts in their space mission, including the first space traveler, Yuri Gagarin, in 1961 and the first Japanese astronaut, Toyohiro Akiyama, in 1990. The model "Strela" was worn by Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965 during the mankind's first space walk.

Russian Army
Poljot watches are still used by military officers of the Russian army and by the country's space travelers, following the tradition of their comrades.

Watch Factory
First Moscow Watch Factory is the second largest watch factory in Russia in terms of volume, focusing on the higher end watches, mostly for the export market. Vostok is currently the largest watch factory in Russia.

Poljot Movements
Poljot movements are exported to countries like Swiss and Germany to be made and modified into other brands of watches, like Zeppelin, Junkers, and Poljot International.

Vostok Movements
15% of Vostok movement output are exported. Germany is its biggest single market, besides Switzerland, Italy, and the US.

"On Companionship and Soul in Watches"

"Technical Analysis of Quartz vs Mechanical Watches"

Our Value Proposition

The watch movement is probably one of the most expensive components of a complete watch. Since it is made in Russia, labour cost and overall running cost are low in manufacturing the movements. Low cost does not translate into low quality. First Moscow Watch Factory, the maker of Poljot movement, has been operating since 1930, and has gained quite a strong group of followers in Europe and the US for many years. A strong testimonial to its quality indeed. There are people collecting Russian watches and they swear by their quality.

Russian watchmakers do not employ high cost advertising and promotions in their business. It is quite a unique system still influenced by the socialist, which emphasised on no-gimmicks type of mass production and distribution at lowest possible cost. It's another interesting fact that the owners of a Russian watch will be proud to know.

Red Army Watches does not believing in investing heavily in advertising to raise consumer awareness of our brands. We don't try to sell our watches; our watches sell themselves.
Most of the collectible time pieces are mechanical. Learning about mechanical watches by owning one at a price that will not burn your pocket is a good way to get you the basics on your future, more serious timekeeping collecting interest.
We are the Exclusive Distributor for Volmax's brands (Poljot, Aviator, Buran, and Sturmanskie) ,Poljot International, Vostok Europe, Pointtec's brands (Junkers and Zeppelin), Denissov, Soyuz Premium, and Moscow Classic.