Moskva USSR Watch Steel — Black Dial, Luminous Numerals (1950s)

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A vintage Moskva watch from the 1950s, the First Moscow Factory with luminous black dial

This vintage Moskva watch bears the name of its city in Cyrillic, МОСКВА, and beneath the 6 that of its factory: 1 МЧЗ им. Кирова, the First Moscow Watch Factory, which has borne the name Kirov since 1935. This factory was born in 1930 from an unusual acquisition: the complete tooling of the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company of Canton, Ohio, purchased by the USSR and shipped to Moscow in twenty-eight railway cars, together with twenty-one American watchmakers to train the workers of the first five-year plan. Evacuated to Zlatoust ahead of the German advance in 1941, returned to Moscow in 1943, it would later place a Sturmanskie on Gagarin's wrist and sign the Poljot. The Moskva is one of its civilian models from the 1950s: a mechanical watch with hand-wound movement, 16 jewels, in steel, with central seconds.

Its original black dial is that of a watch made to be read: twelve luminous Arabic numerals, whose material has taken on a pale green tone over time, a white minute track, two original steel lance hands and a fine central seconds hand. Москва and 16 камней, sixteen jewels, beneath the 12; the factory written out in full above the 6. A few signs of age, specific to this example.

The steel case of 29.2mm, 37mm Lug-to-lug and 10.4mm thick, features a polished bezel and short lugs, with a steel caseback, an original golden crown and a Crystal in plexiglass. The hand-wound mechanical movement with 16 jewels has been checked by our partner watchmakers and is guaranteed for one year. The watch is fitted on a black leather strap with Buckle steel, both later additions.

Three points to note

Why choose a vintage Soviet watch?

This vintage Moskva watch holds a precise place among vintage watches for men and women: its 29.2mm can be worn by either, and it comes from the first watch factory of the USSR, that of the Poljot, with its name de ville as its signature and its manufacture printed on the dial. A vintage mechanical watch from Moscow, at the entry-level budget of authentic vintage.

Like all our vintage mechanical watches, this one has been opened and checked by our partner watchmakers: verification of the movement, examination of the dial, hands and case. Each vintage watch we offer comes with an Atelier Victor invoice Atelier Victor serving as a certificate, a one-year guarantee, and authenticity guaranteed for life.

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Technical characteristics

• Brand: Moskva (Москва), First Moscow Watch Factory
• Model: Luminous black dial
• Estimated year: 1950s
• Origin: USSR (Moscow)
• Gender: Men's and women's watch (Unisex)
• Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, 16 jewels, checked
• Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds
• Case: Steel, round, steel caseback
• Diameter: 29.2mm (31.9mm with the crown)
• Lug to lug: 37mm
• Thickness: 10.4mm
• Lug width: 16mm
• Crown: Golden, original
• Dial: Black, luminous Arabic numerals, minute track, original
• Hands: Steel lance hands, thin seconds hand, original
• Crystal: Acrylic, plexiglass (condition 8/10)
• Strap: Black leather, not original
• Buckle: Steel, not original

Condition and guarantee

• Overall condition: Good state of preservation for its age. The original black dial is crisp, its luminous numerals patinated to a pale green, with a few light signs of age specific to this example. The steel case shows the wear scratches of a worn watch, which our photographs show without retouching. Crystal in plexiglass in good condition (8/10).
• Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
• Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
• Mechanical: Checked movement, guaranteed for 1 year
• Included: Atelier Victor invoice Atelier Victor
• Not included: Original box and papers

Frequently asked questions

What does Moskva mean?
Moskva, Moscow: the name of the city, borne by this model from the First Moscow Watch Factory in the 1950s. Beneath 6 o'clock, the dial spells out its factory in full, 1 МЧЗ им. Кирова, the first watch factory in the USSR, named after Sergei Kirov in 1935, and which would later sign the Poljot.

Where does the First Moscow Watch Factory come from?
From a purchase: in 1929, the USSR bought the equipment of the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company of Canton, Ohio, and shipped it to Moscow in twenty-eight railway cars, along with twenty-one American watchmakers to train the workers. The factory opened in 1930; its first movements still bore the Canton signature. Evacuated to Zlatoust in 1941, it returned to Moscow in 1943, and its Sturmanskie was on Gagarin's wrist in 1961.

Do the numerals still glow?
No. Over time, the luminous material on the numerals has taken on that pale green shade that no longer lights up at night. It is the patina of time on this black dial, unique to this example.

Has the movement been checked?
Yes. Our partner watchmakers have checked the 16-jewel movement, the dial, the hands and the case; it is guaranteed for one year. A hand-wound watch must be wound every day, and a vintage watch is not guaranteed water-resistant.

Is this piece suited to a slim or larger wrist?
With a diameter of 29.2mm, 37mm of Lug-to-lug and a thickness of 10.4mm, it suits wrists of approximately 14 to 17cm — a guide, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. Its compact format is that of Soviet watches from the 1950s, and today it can be worn just as well on a feminine wrist. The Lug width measures 16mm.

A piece selected by Atelier Victor

Authenticated, checked, and photographed by us. As all sales are final, our team remains available 7 days a week on WhatsApp to answer your questions, share additional photos or a video of the piece in hand — so that your choice can be made with complete peace of mind.

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