Raketa USSR Watch — Diamond-Set Bezel, Day-Date (1970s)
Only 1 available
Shipping from Europe — taxes and customs duties are the buyer's responsibility outside the EU
Lifetime authenticity guarantee
Movement checked & guaranteed for 1 year
International shipping
Photo taken on a 17.5 cm wrist
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Atelier Note
A crown of diamond-cut points around a white dial, and the day written in Cyrillic — the most scintillating Raketa of the seventies, fresh from servicing.
A diamond-cut bezel Raketa, the day in Cyrillic
This watch is a Raketa, produced in the 1970s by the Petrodvorets manufacture, near Saint Petersburg — the oldest factory in Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1721 as the Peterhof Palace lapidary atelier, and renamed Raketa — “rocket” — in 1961, the year of Gagarin's flight. The original lapidary atelier finds an amusing echo here: this is the most sharply cut Raketa in the catalogue.
Its diamond-cut bezel provides all the spectacle: a broad ring of pyramidal facets cut all around, catching and reflecting the light with every movement of the wrist — the boldest decorative gesture of the Soviet seventies, on a case defined by width: 42.9mm in diameter for only 38.2mm in Lug-to-lug, the “flying saucer” silhouette of the decade.
The white dial answers with its own scintillation: faceted applied indices set on a grained silvered ring, the cursive Ракета signature, the inscription Сделано в СССР, and the detail that defines the piece — a Russian day-date window at three o’clock: ПТН for Friday, СБТ for Saturday, the Soviet calendar scrolling in Cyrillic each morning.
The hand-wound mechanical movement by Petrodvorets was serviced in 2024 by our partner watchmakers — complete disassembly, cleaning, oiling and adjustment — and is guaranteed for one year. The watch is fitted with a later black nato strap, which reinforces its instrument character.
Three points to note
01
Diamond-cut bezel — the ring of pyramidal facets that scintillates with every gesture, the signature of the piece.
02
Day-date in Cyrillic — ПТН, СБТ: the Soviet calendar in the window, every morning.
03
Serviced in 2024 — complete disassembly, oiling and adjustment: mechanics ready for years to come.
Why choose a vintage Soviet watch?
This vintage Raketa watch holds a precise place among vintage men's and women's watches : its wide, low silhouette can be worn by both men and women, as a statement piece, and it brings together the most sought-after qualities of Soviet vintage — a bold design that no Western house produced, a Cyrillic window that tells the story of its origin, and a manufacture movement freshly serviced, at the entry-level budget of authentic vintage.
Like all our vintage mechanical watches, this one has been opened and inspected by our partner watchmakers: movement verification, examination of the dial, hands, and case. Every vintage watch we offer comes with an Atelier Victor invoice Atelier Victor serving as a certificate, a one-year guarantee, and guaranteed lifetime authenticity.
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Technical specifications
- Brand: Raketa
- Model: Diamond-cut bezel, day-date
- Estimated year: 1970s
- Origin: USSR (Petrodvorets)
- Gender: Men's and women's watch (Unisex)
- Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, serviced in 2024
- Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, day (Russian), date
- Case: Steel, bezel cut into diamond points, steel case back
- Diameter: 42.9mm (43.4mm with crown)
- Lug to lug: 38.2mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug width: 18mm
- Crown: Steel, fluted, original
- Dial: White, faceted applied markers on a silver-toned ring, Cyrillic day-date window, original
- Hands: Faceted steel, fine seconds hand, original
- Crystal: Acrylic (condition 9/10)
- Strap: Black Nato, not original
- Buckle: Not original
Condition and guarantee
- Overall condition: Good state of preservation. The original white dial bears the patina and fine marks of its decades, visible in our photographs, especially on the grained ring of the markers; the signature and window are crisp. The diamond-cut bezel has retained most of its brilliance, with signs of wear on the facets. Crystal in very beautiful condition.
- Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
- Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
- Mechanics: Movement serviced in 2024, guaranteed for 1 year
- Included: Atelier Victor invoice Atelier Victor
- Not included: Original box and papers
Frequently asked questions
How do you read the day in Cyrillic?
The aperture displays the Russian abbreviation for the day: ПНД Monday, ВТР Tuesday, СРД Wednesday, ЧТВ Thursday, ПТН Friday, СБТ Saturday, ВСК Sunday. You learn them in just a few days, and that is precisely the charm of the piece: the Soviet calendar advances each morning on the wrist — an original detail that export versions, switched to English, have lost.
What is a diamond-point bezel?
A bezel cut with pyramidal facets all around its circumference, like a row of stones — a lapidary craft that catches the light with every movement. A historical nod: the Petrodvorets manufacture was founded in 1721 as the atelier lapidary workshop of the Peterhof Palace, cutting stones and marbles for the tsars — two and a half centuries later, its craftsmen were still cutting, but now steel bezels.
What does the 2024 service include?
A complete service by our partner watchmakers: disassembly of the movement, cleaning of each component, replacement of the oils, rate adjustment, and reassembly. It is the maintenance that restores a fifty-year-old mechanism to its original regularity, and spares it from any intervention for many years to come. The movement is guaranteed for one year.
Who is Raketa?
The Petrodvorets manufacture, near Saint Petersburg — the oldest factory in Russia, founded in 1721 by Peter the Great as the atelier lapidary workshop of the Peterhof Palace. Converted to watchmaking after the war, it took the name Raketa in 1961, “rocket,” in tribute to Gagarin's flight. It produced its calibres entirely in-house — a true manufacture — and still exists today.
Is this piece suitable for a slim or larger wrist?
With a 42.9mm diameter, only 38.2mm of Lug-to-lug, and 12mm thickness, it wears more compactly than its diameter suggests — its width comes from the bezel, not the lugs — and suits wrists of approximately 16 to 19.5cm. A guideline, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. The Lug width measures 18mm; the nato can be changed in just a few seconds.
Mechanical warranty — 1 year
Each watch is inspected by our watchmakers before shipping. In case of a mechanism malfunction during the first year, we cover the repair.
Authenticity warranty — lifetime
If a watch turns out to be non-authentic, we will take it back and refund you in full. Without time limit.
What is not covered
- Exposure to water or humidity
- Shocks, impacts, or vibrations
- Consumable parts (strap, Crystal, crown, pushers)
- Battery replacement (quartz movements)
- Opening or disassembly of the watch by a third party
- Improper use
The accuracy of vintage watches varies according to the model, movement, and year of production. A request for accuracy improvement deemed within acceptable tolerances cannot be covered by the warranty.
Shipping fees
After-sales service is free. Shipping fees outside the United Arab Emirates remain the responsibility of the customer.
Authentication Process
Each watch is examined by our partner watchmakers before being offered for sale: verification of authenticity, checking the conformity of the components, identification of any modification or replacement of original parts.
If any element has been replaced during the life of the watch (dial, hands, crown, Crystal, strap), we systematically indicate it in the product sheet. You buy knowing the exact history of your piece.
Certificate of Authenticity
Your Atelier Victor invoice serves as a certificate of authenticity: it attests to the origin and conformity of the piece, and is covered by our lifetime authenticity guarantee — if a piece sold by Atelier Victor were found to be non-authentic, it would be fully refunded, with no time limit.
We accept several payment methods:
- Bank card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Bank transfer (AED, EUR, USD)
- Cryptocurrency (USDT, USDC)
- PayPal
Other currencies accepted upon request. Exchange fees of approximately 3% may apply.
A 3% discount is granted for any payment by bank transfer from €1,000.
Does the strap not suit you? Add the strap of your choice to your order: we will fit it to your watch before shipment, at no fitting charge.
International Shipping
Shipped within 48 to 72 business hours by DHL Express or an equivalent carrier depending on the destination. Delivery in 2 to 6 business days. Each shipment is insured and delivered against signature.
- Free delivery from €1,000 of purchase, as well as on the Jewelry Atelier Victor
- Tracking number sent as soon as the shipment is dispatched
- For certain destinations, delivery may be made to a secure collection point in order to guarantee the integrity of the shipment
Pickup in Dubai
Hand delivery by appointment in Downtown, Dubai. Make an appointment.
Taxes and Customs
The shipping origin is indicated on each product sheet. If the delivery country differs from the shipping country, customs duties and taxes may apply upon receipt, at the buyer's expense. In exceptional situations, customs checks may extend the delivery time, regardless of our wishes and those of the carrier.
For full details, please consult our shipping policy.
FINAL SALES
All sales are final: no return, exchange, or cancellation is accepted after order confirmation. Each piece is authenticated, inspected, and described in detail before being offered for sale.
BEFORE PURCHASE
Our advisors remain at your disposal for any questions and can send you additional photographs or videos upon simple request, by email or on WhatsApp.
NON-CONFORMING ITEM
In the exceptional case of an item that does not match its listing, please notify us within 72 hours: it will be eligible for a refund or an exchange. If the parcel shows damage upon delivery, it should be refused or its opening filmed continuously.
For full details, please consult our return policy.
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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