Molnija Watches: Soviet Craftsmanship and Reliability
Molnija Watches: A Legacy of Soviet Craftsmanship
Watches with the recognizable “Molnija” logo, dating back to Soviet times, are familiar to most families in the USSR. Whether pocket, wall, or table clocks, these timepieces are often preserved as valuable heirlooms. Today, they still serve their owners reliably. For decades, Molnija watch movements have powered helicopters, airplanes, tanks, and marine vessels. Businessmen, politicians, hunters, test pilots, travelers, and sportsmen all prefer this brand of wristwatches.
History and Origins
On November 17, 1947, Molnija began its operations in Chelyabinsk. However, the company’s history started long before that. During the Great Depression in 1929, the Soviet trade mission acquired the American factory “Duber-Hampden,” which specialized in producing pocket watches. They moved the equipment and blueprints to Moscow, establishing the First and Second State Watch Factories.
The outbreak of war in 1941 disrupted all plans. The watch industry switched to military products. Many enterprises, including the First Moscow Watch Factory, relocated to the Urals. In Zlatoust, production of watches and movements for the Red Army began quickly.
Revival and Growth
On April 19, 1945, Stalin signed the Decree of the State Defense Committee of the USSR № 8151s. This decree emphasized the need to revive the country’s watch industry. It included developing new watch models and constructing factories. In August 1946, the USSR Government issued a Decree to establish watch factory No. 834 in Chelyabinsk. This factory would produce a new type of pocket watch under the brand name “Molnija.”
Technical Excellence
South Ural craftsmen undertook significant state projects. In Chelyabinsk, by order of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, they developed aviation chronographs for jet fighters and helicopters. They also made special watches for tanks, tracked vehicles, and the navy. Molnija watch movements earned a legendary reputation for withstanding extreme temperatures and loads. They functioned without fail for decades in airplanes, sea vessels, submarines, and even spacecraft.
Production and Impact
In the 1950s, more than 5,000 people worked on Molnija’s production lines. Annually, they produced about 30,000 special watches and over a million watches for civilian use. Since 1947, Molnija has supplied aviation and technical watches for the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. They also provided for aviation, machine-building, and shipbuilding enterprises. Mechanical aviation watches are installed on civil and military aircraft of MiG, TU, Su, IL, AN, Mi, and Ka brands.