Raketa USSR Watch — Crosshair, Numbered Minute Track (1970s)

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A Raketa crosshair, complete with its original fitment

This watch is a Raketa, produced in the 1970s by the Petrodvorets manufacture, near Saint Petersburg — Russia’s oldest factory, founded by Peter the Great in 1721 as the atelier lapidary workshop of the Peterhof Palace, and renamed Raketa — “rocket” — in 1961, the year of Gagarin’s flight. The mention MADE IN USSR identifies it as the export version.

Its dial reads like an instrument, in two circles: a sunburst silver center crossed by a crosshair — the fine cross that divides the dial into quadrants, in watchmaking vocabulary — beneath applied black baton hour markers, and a wide numbered cream minute track marked in increments of five up to sixty, encircling the whole like a gauge dial. The cursive Raketa signature appears there on its own.

What sets this example apart: it has retained its original strap in cream crocodile-grain leather, with its original Buckle — the complete period ensemble, rare on fifty-year-old watches whose leathers have almost always been replaced. The polished round 35mm case retains its original fluted crown: the watch is complete.

The Petrodvorets hand-wound mechanical movement has been checked by our partner watchmakers and is guaranteed for one year.

Three points to note

Why choose a vintage Soviet watch?

This vintage Raketa watch holds a distinct place among vintage men’s and women’s watches: its 35mm case suits both, and an example complete with its original fitment adds what the market no longer provides — among Soviet watches, whose period leathers have rarely survived, this is a collecting criterion in its own right. A vintage mechanical watch with an instrument character, at the entry budget for authentic vintage.

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

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Technical specifications

• Brand: Raketa
• Model: Crosshair, export version
• Estimated year: 1970s
• Origin: USSR (Petrodvorets)
• Gender: Men's and women's watch (Unisex)
• Movement: Mechanical hand-wound
• Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds
• Case: Steel, round, steel caseback
• Diameter: 35mm (37.7mm with crown)
• Lug to lug: 41mm
• Thickness: 11.6mm
• Lug width: 18mm
• Crown: Fluted, original
• Dial: Sunburst silver with crosshair, cream numbered minute track, black baton indices, original
• Hands: Steel batons with black insert, slim seconds hand, original
• Crystal: Acrylic (condition 7/10)
• Strap: Cream crocodile-pattern leather, original
• Buckle: Pin buckle, original

Condition and warranty

• General condition: Good state of preservation. The original dial shows a speckled patina born of its decades, visible in our photographs, never restored; indices, cross, and signature are crisp. The polished case shows signs of wear scratches on the bezel and sides. The original strap bears the marks of its age, consistent with the watch. Crystal acrylic with marks, rated 7/10.
• Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
• Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
• Mechanics: Mechanical movement checked, guaranteed for 1 year
• Included: Atelier Victor invoice
• Not included: Original box and papers

Frequently asked questions

What is a crosshair dial?
It is a dial crossed by a fine central cross — crosshair, the reticle of a gunsight in English — dividing it into four quadrants. This design served reading precision on instrument watches, and today it is one of the most sought-after details of period dials. Here, it is combined with a numbered minute track marked in five-minute increments: the dial reads like a counter.

Is the original strap truly a real plus?
Yes. On fifty-year-old watches, the original straps have almost always been replaced — finding it with its Buckle, on a Soviet watch whose period fittings have rarely survived, completes the set as it was sold. It bears the marks of its age, consistent with the watch; the 18mm Lug width allows a new leather strap to be fitted at any time while preserving the original.

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 Peterhof Palace. Converted to watchmaking after the war, it took the name Raketa in 1961, meaning “rocket,” in tribute to Gagarin's flight. It produced its calibres entirely in-house — a true manufacture — and still exists today.

How do you wind a hand-wound watch?
Gently turn the crown clockwise, about twenty turns, until you feel resistance. Never force it beyond that point. Daily winding, at the same time of day, is enough to keep the watch running — Petrodvorets calibres are renowned for their robustness.

Is this piece suitable for a slim or larger wrist?
With a 35mm diameter, 41mm Lug-to-lug, and 11.6mm thickness, it suits wrists of approximately 15 to 19cm — a guideline, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. It is the classic size of period men's watches, now back in favour. The Lug width measures 18mm, making it easy to change the strap.

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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