Reply With QuoteIt looks like it says Molnya on the face, which means it will have a movement of the same name.
I'm not very familiar with pocket watches and I have a nice solid 18K Remontoir which I tried to find out a bit more about but without much luck.
But I have this russian beast as well, it is manual winding with sub second at 9 o'clock. Has anybody an idea what movement it is? It is Made in CCCP so 25+ years old.
Wasn't able to find out how to open the caseback as the hinge is only for the front.
It looks like it says Molnya on the face, which means it will have a movement of the same name.
Is molnya a bit respectable manufacturer? Or is it just a nasty lump of metal? :D
Respectable but unsophisticated, rustic movements. They are often used in big Russian wristwatches, like this one I recently sold. It worked fine and kept good time.
A bit more info' here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molnija
Thanks for that. There is a few articles on watchuseek. Any idea how to remove the caseback? Want to see it it has 3602 movement...if 15 or 18 jewels
The back probably doesn't open, you get at the movement by lifting the face side - is that a catch by the crown at 3 o'clock?
its only the catch for the front cover. The back should come off somehow
it is possible that it is a screw off case back.
I had one of these (same dial) the back just popped off with the edge of a knife
it had a nice unfinished all brass 3602 (non shock proof)
always ran well and strong and mass produced in its heyday
The movement will (should) be a Molnija 3602. It could be 15, 17 or 18 jewel - most probably 18.
Made in the Chelyabinsk factory (Urals) which was opened in late 1947 and ceased production in late 2007.
The back cover is a press fit and carefull examination should reveal a small indentation for a watch knife - or similar blunt edge - to be inserted and prize the cover off. The indentation is usually at the two o'clock position if the watch is held face down.
Hopefully it isn't one of the Chinese clones that have been appearing in numbers recently - movement in them is a crap 17 jewel standard wrist watch movement.
Rowley
This link should tell you everything you want to know: http://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=W ... lie_Molnia
As to the Molnija movement codes, I believe 36 is the size of the movement and last two digits have do with the presence or absence of a second hand and antishock unit:
3600 - no seconds, no antishock
3601 - no seconds, with antishock
3602 - seconds, no antishock
3603 - seconds, antishock
Great, inexpensive movements if you ask me!
Hi - just found this website and this thread.
I also have one of these Russian Watches. I bought mine from a street vendor in Moscow in September 1999 returning from doing scientific research in Plotnikovo near Tomsk in Siberia. He said it was for 25 years service in the USSR government. I took that with a "pinch of salt" as we say in the UK. I didn't expect it to be of any value but liked it anyway as a souvenir. I have attached a composite picture showing the front, back, watch face and internal mechanism.
The back inscription (translated via Google translate) reads "From Head GUVO MIA Russia" followed by what looks like a signature. Now the GUVO MIA is the security section of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - the successor to the MVD and further back the MKVD. So perhaps the street vendor was telling the truth. The watch face does not have the Molnija name on it - but comparing the mechanism with the images of the 3602 series of watches - it does seem to be from the 1962 onwards version. The stamped scripts on the mechanism says it has "18 Stones" - i.e. jewels, its a 3602 with a serial number 761919 and SU.
And that is all I've managed to find out so far. I have sent an email to a Watch website in Moscow but had no reply so far
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