Russian Watchmaking Today

[RayMac]

I am an outsider looking in but I find the state of Russian watchmaking today to be a bit depressing.
There are a few makers like Volmax and Moscow Classic who are trying to make good quality products. However the classic Russian mechanical watch movements seem to be disappearing from the marketplace. Molnija is gone pretty well; the Plojot 3105 and 3133 movements are restricted to NOS. Vostok and Raketa are still going but I don't know how well they are doing.
Seems to be a lot of case assembly going on with Chinese, Japanese and even Swiss movements inside.
I'm wondering if Russian watch collection is going to become a vintage activity before long.

[is that my watch]

well most of mine are vintage so think that could well be the case. I have several new vostocks and out the five I had new two have issue but three are great so what percentage is that. but I got about 12 or so old one's in great working order and a few I bought for parts so would say vintage has more appeal cheaper on some and last longer then new so would go vintage anyway. apart from the new reef I like that a lot and also the new chronos some of them are truly taste

[oak1971]

With the way the Russian economy is going I don't have much hope. Russian folks who do have money buy swiss

[ken_sturrock]

Yes. I agree. The suppliers are drying up and, maybe except for Raketa, there doesn't seem to be much new activity (and with them it's styling exercises beyond printing a dial with the "Soviet War Machine of the Day" type of thing).

As mentioned by Oak, the market isn't really there either. Even (especially?) domestically. When I lived in the former-USSR, my interest in Russian watches was considered by my local friends as a cheap, eccentric and quaint hobby, maybe akin to urban backyard chicken raising in the United States.

[RayMac]

maybe akin to urban backyard chicken raising in the United States

Well I have heard it said that collecting Russian watches is more about the attitude than the pieces.

[Der Amf]

Were I a Chinese movement manufacturer I would be looking at the 3133 and wondering whether it would be worth buying the design and tooling

[RayMac]

Well Maktime did that and couldn't make a go. I think the tooling was pretty well worn out and they couldn't justify the investment to rebuild.
Raketa I find a very interesting case study, They have that incredible corporate history (more as a jewelry firm than watchmaker but hey...) Also they have many beautiful vintage designs to bring back. They brought in some Swiss experts to improve production and QC. And if you are an "in-house movement" fan Raketa is all that.
http://world.raketa-shop.com/27-yalta
They don't appear to have a large presence in North America though.

[Nokie]

I have a few but they are vintage too. Never been impressed with the quality of anything new coming out of Russia in terms of watches.

[is that my watch]

I have a few but they are vintage too. Never been impressed with the quality of anything new coming out of Russia in terms of watches.

the only new one's I'm interested in is the reef and the scuba dude the rest I want are all vintage pieces there are a couple of chronos but not sure on them

[RayMac]

I'm interested in getting some of the important calibers before they are gone. I have a Poljot 3105 and a decent Vostok 2435 automatic. I'd like to get a Poljot 2416. Looks like I missed out on a Molnija 3603 or 3602.
Maybe if I'm rich someday I'll get one of the Raketa pieces- 2609HA. The 3133 chrono is fantastic if you like chronos.
Of course I have the vintage Vympels in the Sekonda watches from 1980 or so.