Poljot

File:Poljot Logo.jpg

Logo

Poljot is a brand of watches produced by First Moscow Watch Factory, a Russian watch manufacturer.

Poljot (Russian полёт - "The Flight") began as the "First Moscow Watch Factory", founded in 1930 in the former Soviet Union. Poljot built their own watch manufacturing expertise by acquiring foreign tooling and companies. Production began after the American Dueber-Hampden Watch Co. (see Amtorg) was acquired, with machines and assistance imported to Russia.

In 1959, the First Moscow Watch Factory began producing the Poljot 3017, which incorporated elements of the Venus 150. In the 1960's, Venus unsuccessfully tried selling their older tooling and designs to the company. Poljot later introduced a cam-based chronograph, the Poljot 3133, which includes elements of the Venus 188.

The Poljot brand was established in 1961 in the soviet union, with watches from the First Moscow Watch Factory becoming very popular there. Among the output of the company was the watch of Soviet military aviator and cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, who wore a "Sturmanskije" during his flight.

During the quartz crisis, Poljot acquired tooling from Valjoux, integrating elements of their Valjoux 7734 into the existing Poljot 3133 movement. This was used in their later production in the 1980's, with old over-produced stock still available today.

In 1992, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the factory was converted into a public limited company. Poljot calibres are used by a number of Swiss and German companies, often re-manufactured new old stock with high-grade decoration.

Literature

• Faszination russische Uhren; Author: Michael Ceyp; ISBN 3-929902-82-6
• Faszination sowjetische Uhren; Authors: Michael Ceyp, Klaus Pachnicke; ISBN 3-931785-35-1
• Russische Armbanduhren und Taschenuhren, Stoppuhren, Borduhren, Marinechronometer, Bd.1; Author: Juri Levenberg; ISBN 3766711687
• Russische Armbanduhren und Taschenuhren, Stoppuhren, Borduhren, Marinechronometer, Bd.2; Juri Levenberg; ISBN 3766711733

Weblinks

• Poljot