Introducing Raketa Reintroduces One of its Iconic Models: The Russian Code

Raketa, translating to "Space Rocket" in Russian, was established in 1961 to commemorate the historic first manned space flight by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Since its inception, Raketa's designers and engineers have drawn continual inspiration from space, crafting timepieces for cosmonauts and commemorating the wonders of the Solar System.

The "Russian Code," one of the russian’s brand most iconic models featuring a counterclockwise movement, has now been introduced as part of Raketa's primary collection. Wearing this watch requires breaking away from the conventional rule of timekeeping—the clockwise motion of time ingrained in us since ancient times.

Historically, people measured time with sundials, observing the sun's clockwise movement across the sky (from left to right) and the corresponding shadow's movement on the dial (from right to left). When our ancestors transitioned to hands on a dial instead of shadows, they naturally retained the clockwise motion observed in nature.

However, this decision overlooked a crucial fact: the sun doesn't actually move clockwise in the sky; it's an illusion. In reality, it remains stationary, and it's the Earth that orbits counterclockwise around the sun. Recognizing this discrepancy, the Raketa Watch Factory rectified the error by designing a watch that aligns with the natural movement of the universe.

As for the specifications, the watch is crafted in a new 39.5 mm stainless steel case, showcasing a blend of sharp angles and gentle curves, accentuated by a combination of brushed and polished finishes. The sapphire crystal adorns a more intricate domed shape, while a synthetic ruby adds a modern touch, emitting a soft glow behind the Raketa factory logo engraved on the side of the crown.

At the heart of the watch lies a central black dial, depicting the constellations over St. Petersburg on the morning of April 12, 1961, the historic day when Yuri Gagarin embarked on the first manned space flight. The textured polished indexes, featuring two coatings, a light rhodium plating on even numerals and dark on odd, lend an additional three-dimensional depth to the intricate dial. Beneath its elegant facade lies a groundbreaking concept, time should flow in sync with the natural counterclockwise motion of the planets in our solar system. Hence, akin to the orbit of planets around the sun, the hands of the Raketa "Russian Code" move in a counterclockwise direction around the dial.

The case back unveils an exquisitely adorned automatic caliber 2615 CR movement, crafted and assembled entirely at the Raketa Watch Factory in Saint Petersburg. This movement operates at 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz) and provides a power reserve of 40 hours. The engineers at the Raketa Watch Factory altered the movement of the hands by modifying the construction of the two key components of the mechanical movement: the mainspring barrel and the escapement’s anchor module. The watch comes with a black leather strap at a price of EUR 1,950 which is equivalent to AED 7,750. 

Waqt is the official exclusive retailer of Raketa in UAE, visit our website to order.