An extraordinary museum-grade artifact for high-end Soviet horology collectors!

Up for sale is a genuinely rare, historical, and highly collectible pre-WWII Kirovskie (им. Кирова) Soviet mechanical pocket watch. Manufactured in 1938 at the legendary 1st State Watch Factory in Moscow, this timepiece is a prime example of early Soviet industrial watchmaking history.

The watch houses the famous Type-1 (Тип-1) 16-jewel manual-wind movement. The movement bridge proudly bears the rare pre-war logo: "НКМ 1 ГЧЗ Москва" (People's Commissariat for Engineering / 1st State Watch Factory Moscow), which was strictly used between 1938 and 1940. It also features serial number 04804 and date stamp 2-8, indicating manufacture in the 2nd quarter of 1938.

Considering its nearly 90-year age, the watch remains in remarkable vintage condition. It features a beautifully preserved dial with dark Art Deco-style numerals, red 24-hour inner markings, blued steel hands, and a sub-seconds dial. Outfitted with a genuine mineral glass crystal, it has been fully serviced by a professional watchmaker and is running strong!

DEFECTS: Authentic, minor age-related wear, light plating loss around the bow/crown area, and micro-scratches on the metal case consistent with nearly a century of careful preservation.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USSR (Moscow)

MANUFACTURER: 1st State Watch Factory named after Kirov (1 ГЧЗ им. Кирова)

OVERALL CONDITION (10-point scale): 8

CASE

Classic round Soviet pocket watch case showing honest patina and light signs of operational wear.

Condition (10-point scale): 8

GLASS

Clean mineral glass crystal in excellent shape.

Material: Mineral Glass

Condition (10-point scale): 9

DIAL

100% authentic original dial signed "1 ГЧЗ им. Кирова" with sub-seconds subdial and blued hands.

Condition (10-point scale): 8

MOVEMENT

Mechanical: Manual-winding (hand-winding)

Caliber: Soviet Type-1 (Тип-1), 16 Jewels

Markings: "16 камней", "Тип 1", "НКМ 1 ГЧЗ Москва", S/N "04804", Date "2-8" (Q2 1938)

Condition (10-point scale): 8 (Fully serviced, cleaned, oiled, and keeping time)

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT, FUNCTIONS

Dimensions of watches

Established in 1930 under Joseph Stalin's order to build a self-sufficient Soviet horological industry, the 1st State Watch Factory in Moscow initially purchased tooling from the American Dueber-Hampden Watch Company. The sturdy movement produced on these machines became known as the Type-1 (Тип-1).

In 1935, the factory was named in honor of the assassinated Soviet official Sergei Kirov. Before WWII, the factory was overseen by various state commissariats, reflected in the rare NKM (Наркомат Машиностроения) stamp applied from 1938 to 1940. These early timepieces served as the foundation for Soviet military, pocket, and wristwatches through World War II.

All Antique and vintage watches are mechanical. Repairs require precision, so please handle this historical artifact with care.

• Vintage mechanical watches should not be beaten or dropped - shocks can damage the balance staff.
• Vintage watches are generally NOT waterproof. Protect your timekeeper from direct contact with water, heavy rain, or high humidity.
• If your watch becomes wet it should be dried off quickly. Carefully open all covers and use a hair drier to blow dry the movement, dial, covers, crown. This will reduce the amount of rust.
• If your watch becomes wet with any kind of salt water you should immediately immerse or spray your watch with fresh (no-salt) water to remove all the salt from the works before drying the watch completely. Any salt left in the watch will combine with moisture in the air to rust metal components of the movement, case etc.
• Winding any mechanical watch tight may break the mainspring. Stop winding as soon as you feel the natural resistance tightening up.
• When adjusting the hands of your watch, move them in a clockwise direction only to prevent stress on the gear train.
• If you must adjust counter-clockwise make it for small adjustments only (i.e. for minutes, NOT hours).
• Be careful and gentle when adjusting the movement speed (faster or slower). Don't make sharp movements, and don't touch other components in the movement especially the pendulum mechanism.
• Every 2-3 years it is recommended to service, clean, and oil vintage watches to keep them running accurately for decades to come.
• IF the watch is dirty - allow the watch to run down, don't wind it again until you have it serviced by a qualified watch repair expert. Dust will absorb and remove important lubricants and cause the movement pieces to wear down.
• To clean the case, dial and crystal you should use a cloth that does NOT leave fibers as these may get caught up in the movement. Check with your Watch repair expert to get an appropriate cloth.
• Keep your watch away from strong magnetic fields (large speakers, modern computers, magnets) since magnetic exposure can alter the balance spring performance.
• Most Cases and Covers are fine components and will not handle abuse well. The watch should not be shaken, beaten, or stressed.
• Vintage mechanical watches naturally experience a daily deviation error of up to a few minutes. An accuracy of +/- 3 to 5 minutes a day is considered excellent for a classic timepiece.
• Mechanical watch is not recommended to use for engage in extreme sports, and expose them to excessive vibration loads. Recoil force, which take on the clock, affect their reliability and precision. No matter how perfect was not anti-shock mechanism, there is always the chance of excessive load that details of the mechanism can not survive.

1. Total amount due includes the final item price plus Shipping.
2. Shipping charges are determined based upon the destination address. Please note that buyers are responsible for any applicable local customs procedures.

We ship worldwide! This item will be securely packed and dispatched to you from Europe (Ukraine) via registered international airmail, complete with a tracking number and insurance coverage. Shipments are processed within 1-3 business days after payment clears.

Typical Delivery Timeframes:

• European Countries: approximately 7-10 days;
• USA, Canada, Japan & others: approximately 10-14 days.

NOTE: Actual delivery speeds depend heavily on your local customs handling and postal services. Rest assured, we pack all items with extreme care to guarantee they reach your doorstep in perfect condition!

We accept returns in compliance with standard platform terms. Items must be returned in their original vintage condition as received. Return shipping costs are to be covered by the Buyer.

We strive for 100% customer satisfaction and look forward to earning your positive feedback! If you experience any issues or have any doubts upon receiving your parcel, please contact us immediately *before* leaving neutral or negative marks. We are always here to help resolve any issues amicably.

Thank you for your interest in our vintage treasures!

Please let us know if you have any questions. Good luck!