# Raketa And The Bay



## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

would it be fair to say that most of the budget raketa watches on the bay are chinese knockovs?

looking at a couple of 24 hr raketas.

not to bothered either way but i would like a watch that will keep semi decent time.

thoughts anyone...


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I think you'd have to be Mr Rak or Mr Eta to be sure. Mostly though, the grapevine on Raketa suggests these are being assembled by ex Raketa staff from NOS parts in part of the old Raketa premises leased by some sort of workers co-operative. The intention is to raise enough money to keep the wolf from the doors and maybe take over more of the equipment and premises to resume some sort of full production again.

That was being touted about as an explanation around 18 months ago, and I haven't seen any kind of updates one way or 'tother









I'd also hazard a gues that the 24 hour movements would fit this scenario, it is after all, one of the few made worldwide. :yes:

Mine work fine, had them around two years or so now, supposedly NOS pieces.


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

decided to go for one of these as i like the contrast of the hand set against the dial unlike many other rockets.










so anyone know who the 4 arctic dudes are then????


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

desmondus rotundus said:


> decided to go for one of these as i like the contrast of the hand set against the dial unlike many other rockets.
> 
> 
> 
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no


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Des, wouldn't the 4 Cyrillics lines to the right be their names? Just a Guess mind - :yes: - h34r:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Des, wouldn't the 4 Cyrillics lines to the right be their names? Just a Guess mind - :yes: - h34r:


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

mel said:


> Des, wouldn't the 4 Cyrillics lines to the right be their names? Just a Guess mind - :yes: - h34r:


you can say that again :lol:


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

mel said:


> Des, wouldn't the 4 Cyrillics lines to the right be their names? Just a Guess mind - :yes: - h34r:


that did occur to me but as i don't have a ruskie keyboard cant google the names.

anyone?

happy holiday by the way if you ain't there already, mel and co.


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2009)

desmondus rotundus said:


> mel said:
> 
> 
> > Des, wouldn't the 4 Cyrillics lines to the right be their names?
> ...


Try cutting and pasting the cyrillic characters from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_alphabet


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

ok, as it turns out these are 4 very cool dudes indeed.

The first scientific drifting ice station in the world, North Pole-1 was established on May 21, 1937 some 20 km from the North Pole by the expedition into the high latitudes Sever-1, led by Otto Schmidt. "NP-1" operated for 9 months, during which the ice floe passed 2,850 kilometers. On February 19, 1938, Soviet ice breakers "Taimyr" and "Murman" took off four polar explorers from the station, who immediately became famous in the USSR and were awarded titles Hero of the Soviet Union: hydrobiologist Pyotr Shirshov, geophysicist Evgeny Fedorov, radioman Ernst Krenkel and their leader Ivan Papanin.

text lifted from a translation from russian from a site whose location i have since lost, sorry.

as a failed applicant to the british antarctic survey team a few years back these guys have my respect and make the watch very wearable for me.

ttfn

des


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2009)

It's always nice to find out the purpose behind a commemorative watch.

If you get anything obscure and Ruskie in the future, it might be worth a posting on the WUS russian forum, there are some really knowledgeable guys on there.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

desmondus rotundus said:


> mel said:
> 
> 
> > Des, wouldn't the 4 Cyrillics lines to the right be their names? Just a Guess mind - :yes: - h34r:
> ...


This might help... Virtual Cyrillic Keyboard - On-screen :wink2:


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> desmondus rotundus said:
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> > mel said:
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mach, see post #10, appreciate the effort though.

keep taking the medication, or, stop taking double doses whichever..... :lol:

ttfn


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

it arrived










and the main reason for choosing this particular watch was the handset.

and what is wrong is 2/3 of the handset. to be honest i am not that bothered.

have been wearing it for close to three hours - the white and red hands are fine, even the grey minute hand read well enough.

strap and buckle adequate for now - actually very comfortable for brand new, but i have my doubts about how long it (the strap) will last.

dont think i will be buying any more on the strength of this one, but, perhaps every collection should have at least one.

ttfn

des


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

ok, i am getting used to the handset.

main reason for this post is the timekeeping.

better than -4sec/day off the bat. am very impressed.

edited as spelling was even worse than usual.


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## Mr Bee (Feb 13, 2009)

desmondus rotundus said:


> ok, i am getting used to the handset.
> 
> edited as spelling was even worse than usual.


OK, I'm a noob....... what does handset mean? :huh:


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

Mr Bee said:


> desmondus rotundus said:
> 
> 
> > ok, i am getting used to the handset.
> ...


the hands; in this case concentric hour, minute and second hands in white, grey and red respectively.

the point i was making was that the original sales picture (now deleted) showed broad stick hands with a red infill which gave excellent contrast against the blue and white face. not what i got, but as stated am doing ok with it.

still keeping flippin' good time and a nice long reserve too.


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## Mr Bee (Feb 13, 2009)

Ah I see, the colour/design/general appearance of the hands; thanks 

I really like that watch though, very nice. I've not seen 24 hour ones until recently (didn't know they existed!), but I like it, its quite an unusual thing. Is it generally Raketa that make 24 hour watches?


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## normdiaz (May 5, 2004)

desmondus rotundus said:


> Mr Bee said:
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> 
> > desmondus rotundus said:
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The sales picture with the hands you describe is still on the U.S. ebay, but the dial is slightly different in that it does not display the 4 "explorer" figures and the red airplane emblem.

(Sorry, a closer look reveals that the U.S. ebay model is the "arctic polar bear" version but the hands do have the red inserts and the second hand is red.)


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

normdiaz said:


> desmondus rotundus said:
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> > Mr Bee said:
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might have to buy that one two.

am having way more fun in the sub Â£100 bracket than i am with any other watches.

might have to sell a couple and buy a dozen cheapies...


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## mike.s (Feb 17, 2009)

Talking about good looking cheap watches, I was absolutely fascinating with this one: http://forums.watchuseek.com/attachment.ph...mp;d=1235454524 Not a Russian piece, but cheap and interesting.

To add Russian content, I have a classic catch and release. Just bought this Vostok-Europe and it's too big for me, so will be selling it cheap:


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## mike.s (Feb 17, 2009)

To add Russian content, I have a classic catch and release. Just bought this Vostok-Europe and it's too big for me, so will be selling it cheap:


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## Mr Bee (Feb 13, 2009)

Desmondus,

I liked this watch when I saw it in your post, and I've seen a few on the bay by different sellers. Can I ask you which ebay seller you purchased this from (going on the assumption that this seller sells decent, good condition items like yours!). And now you've had a bit of time to wear the watch, how have you found the timekeeping accuracy, is it good?

I'm considering one myself, and would like to know your thought on the accuracy and quality basically 

(If mods dont want ebay seller named here for advertising purposes, could you PM me please)


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

Mr Bee said:


> Desmondus,
> 
> I liked this watch when I saw it in your post, and I've seen a few on the bay by different sellers. Can I ask you which ebay seller you purchased this from (going on the assumption that this seller sells decent, good condition items like yours!). And now you've had a bit of time to wear the watch, how have you found the timekeeping accuracy, is it good?
> 
> ...


ebay seller no longer registered - moscowphoto - stopped trading about a week ago. shame.

anyway watch ok, remains accurate to -5 sec 'ish per day. so was a bit lucky i think.

decent reserve, easily a day and a half on full wind.

case metal mediocre quality as is the somewhat clunky acrylic crystal but for the price ...

which was about 25 or 27 quid plus Â£12 shipping, stiffed a wee bit on the shipping i think but there we are.

didnt get the handset i wanted but its ok, stick hands not really my first choice but swings and roundabouts i suppose.

the only other thing is the strap which will do until i put something better in its place.

like the 24 hour dial, wont be buying more but no plans to sell this one either. cheap and cheerful.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Another 2 kopeks worth - Mostly I would say that you get exactly what you pay for with Raketa. They are a good enough quality and reliability for the price. The 24 hour watches represent what is likely to be the best value 24 hour watches available worldwide - there are others from much more highly regarded manufacturers at much dearer prices - and the Raketas ARE true 24 hour watches in that the hour hand revolves only once around the dial in each 24 hr period. :yes:

Some folks can't live with them, saying they can't read the time easily - I don't have a problem, when I switch to the Raketa a couple of glances at the time and I'm "translating" no worries. I suppose what I'm trying to say is - if you fancy one, you probably won't be disappointed. Straps and bracelets are a different matter, in common with most "Ex Soviet bloc" watches, the straps are just about adequate to satisfy trades descriptions for a wrist watch, bracelets not great either - but then call it Â£30 roughly for an unusual half decent watch inc strap/bracelet - what do you really expect? I reckon the money's in the watch and not the straps! Buy one, wear it and look for a decent reasonably priced after-market strap or bracelet to complement whichever watch you buy!


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

i was wondering what the availability of hour and minute hands for this watch might be.










no identifying marks that i can see on the movement so here is a q&d










some contrast to the blue is what am after.

cheers


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

The movement in the 24 hour watches is normally a calibre 2623 19 jewels, manual wind. Manufactured from the 80's onwards. 

HTH a bit


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

ta.


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

well this one arrived today. and this time it IS exactly as advertised.










that pic nicked from add by the way.

it looks great in the metal, i'll do a couple of q&d shots once i get it on a decent strap.

open to suggestions re the strap for this by the way.

the one it came with is for the charity box i think.

the other one, is now on a nice blue nato, see saturday thread.

ttfn

des


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