Modern watches with a great history

Where it all began...

That time marked the start of the half-century era of Soviet and Russian cosmonautics, and from that moment our country became the universally recognised global leader in rocket science, and later in cosmonautics. Also at that time, before and after the war, the First Moscow Watch Factory made watches for pilots, and marine and aviation chronometers.

During the Great Patriotic War the plant also made parts for the first Katyusha rocket launchers, and in 1949 it launched the production of the Sturmanskie watch. Made under a special state order, those watches were available only to the Air Force and never went on open sale. Numerous tests showed the high quality of the product: exceptional accuracy, reliability and durability. The Sturmanskie also passed special military acceptance with brilliance.

The most significant event in the history of Sturmanskie was undoubtedly 12 April 1961, the historic day when the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made his first ever space flight wearing a Sturmanskie watch made for him under a special order.

At the centre of world events

For over half a century these watches have repeatedly surfaced in the thick of events that made the headlines. Sturmanskie entered world history as part of the most successful stress test for technology and man. The main confirmation of that was the first manned space flight in April 1961.

Initially Sturmanskie was designed for army and navy officers and was not available to the public until 1983. Cosmonauts from France, Germany, Japan, India, Poland and other countries who took part in joint flights under the International Space Programme carried their Sturmanskie watches on space missions.