I love that Raketa!!!! I belive they are trying to go up market with hand decorated movement and good materials and finish, though it will be hard to do that because they're were affordable watches in past
I love most of these, especially the Raketa and Dostoevsky. As a fan, as well as liking the looks, I went to order the Dostoevsky blindly, however the price tag is ... 4.5k€, that's not an impulse purchase for me. Ah well. Great video!
I own a UBoat DarkMoon(capsoil) and it’s a super fun watch. It’s 40mm and I bought mine at the boutique with a nice discount for about $1100. Gray market it goes for about $875.
Freaks is a good way to put it :D I am a big fan of unique and Freak watches, especially the Ulysse Nardin Freak X :D I have a Raketa Copernicus, a very unique and inexpensive vintage watch. I think Graham makes an awesome Flieger watches for people with big wrists. great video Tim 👍
The Copernicus is a beautiful time piece. ...almost pulled the trigger sooo many times. Maybe it's time? That is a perfect dress watch for me, because I rarely wear dress watches, so the price is appropriate for my needs and the conversation piece aspect is certainly covered!
@@anthonysmith2982 Totally agree Anthony, I was also hesitate to pull the trigger many times until I it fell on my lap with a great deal so I couldn't say no. I am totally happy with it, you definitely enjoy it.
The reason why people think the Raketa is overpriced is because in soviet times their watches were mass produced in large numbers and thus they were relatively inexpensive. The current raketa is aimed to be a more luxurious version. I am not sure if you can understand russian Tim, but there are a few interviews with the current Raketa director (interesting person in his own right, he first came to russia as a french exchange student and then fell in love with russian culture) where he talks about why he raised the prices and the current brand position (maybe there are some english/german interviews too, but i didnt check). He aims to position Raketa as an alternative to the swiss watchmakers and in his words they had improved the quality and finishing to match the price. I guess one would need to see the watch in person to fully the answer whether it is worth price.
It's rather a shame, that. I rather like the look of the Copernic, and might buy it for a few hundred dollars. But over a thousand bucks is a serious price for a serious watch, not an occasional wear novelty. Bet then I suppose there are people for whom $1,000+ is an impulse buy. raketa.com/w/en/product/raketa-copernic-0265/
@@WeibenWang I do agree with you, but then you could say that about many 1k usd priced watches, right? There are more sensible watches in Raketa's range for less, but hey i still bought a vintage raketa instead because it was 60usd.
@@WeibenWang - Rytis said it before me - so I'll second it. It's not hard to find a good honest example of the Copernicus for well under $100. Do your homework though, there are a number of frankenised versions to avoid. 🙂
I get that. My point is more about how they're repositioning themselves. Can you see the value in a $1,000+ Raketa? Do you see their watches as serious things worth serious money, or novelties? Would you spend that kind of money just for a bit of fun?
@@WeibenWang No. I don't. And I think that your point is a good one. Perhaps if they want to re-brand themselves, for want of a better term there are better ways to do it. However, it is possible that we are looking at this from a solely Western European point of view? Perhaps the nostalgia for the brand may appeal to some from the ex-Soviet bloc and they ᴍᴀʏ be willing to spend 1K on an improved Raketa? But the Eastern European, Asian and Middle Eastern markets baffle me... I don't understand the preferences at all... So would I buy a Raketa for 1K? ʜᴇʟʟ ɴᴏ! It's one of the most competitive price points in the whole market! I think that if I was to buy 20 different watches all costing around 1K I wouldn't consider Raketa at all! So yeah. I get your point indeed! Cheers mate. 🙂
Raketa went from being "cheap as dirt" to fighting in the Stowa/Laco category. I don't know if it is worth the price; for sure, they will have a hard time doing away with their "cheap watch company" image. Best wishes. 20k€ for a mantelpiece clock? Heck, if I had that sum for a clock, I would buy *two* JLC Atmos! (At least) The Shorokoff live at Caseback Watches? Yes please! That is an interesting watch.
I love the Avant Garde Raketa, but I got a NOS Raketa Big Zero with quality seal of the CCCP for $150. I'd rather have a new laptop computer for the price of the Avante Garde.
Multiple comments in a single text: 1.- ammortizzato means: Amortized-amortisiert I really don't understand why it has that name, but I find the watch interesting and cute, although not enough to buy it. 2.- Yes! I want to see that 43 x 43mm watch on your wrist. 3.- "If you wear it every day I think it will affect your mental health"🤣🤣🤣 I am willing to take the risk! 4.- I already sent my address for the giveaway and I hope to receive the watch soon
Loved this video, October is the perfect month for Freaks..! I actually just purchased my first "vintage" watch, a Raketa small seconds hand for my dress piece.
sounding very much like a german yourself, you might have noticed that Alexander Shorokhoff very well is born in Russia (Moscow) but his company is very much in Germany. To my taste the mixture of italian avantgarde design combined with german precision manufacturing from a russian engineering architect can possibly be taken quite serious. For me at least its a breath of fresh air, that depreciates by far not the way you mentioned. I like this video very much, cause you really showed something different, that is not often to be seen. Thank You.
I know this is somewhat unrelated, however, I thought it was interesting that the review of the Poljot world traveler watch was 007 of 999 especially when talking about the cold war and James Bond. Coincidence?
I think the swiss ‘electro mechanical’ movement is pure marketing. It ticks like a quartz and you can oil fill a watch with a balance wheel. I don’t see what’s mechanical about it. Seiko, Citizen and Eta all made ‘electronic’ watches in the 70s which ran the balance wheel off of a battery. With these watches you got a sweeping second and 2 y power reserve. Honestly I have no ideas why electronic powered balance wheel movements disappeared or haven’t had a comeback - see Seiko Elnix or Citizen Cosmotron.
Wait wait! There is a Russian watch called the Joker, plus the Dracula. They are too avant garde. Plus the Skull watch seen on watch finder Wait wait. The American watch that uses strip style to tell time (Devon ?). Yes there are people with cash that will buy them .
Pleeeaaaase Tim, my good sir, DO review a Shorokhoff from our friend Julian Kampmann. I'm always fascinated by these when I browse his website ( poljot24.de for those who want a great seller ). These are time pieces that simply can't be boring to look at.
The Raketa that I believe is best known is the Raketa Zero as worn by Gorbachev of which it is reported he said that it represented Russia's new start.
Fantastic Tim! Apart from the Graham (and possibly the Italian blob?..) I ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ like them. The Dostoevsky watch is magnificent, the Raketa so joyous & playful & could be the cover of a Blue Note album! I do have a Raketa UFO watch similar to your Vostok and have almost pulled the trigger on a Copernicus numerous times!, but the Rocket clock? My God! It is a truly beautiful and functional Objet d'art! ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ upload Tim! 🙏
Absolutely would love to see you review any AShorokhov watches 👍🏻. Enjoyed this one, liked them all except the Italian aluminium one (maybe coz I'm a Biker & not really a fan of scooters 😅) & particularly liked the UBoat with the bubble. Cheers 👏🏻
Not going to lie, I’m tempted to make that rocket watch a companion to my JLC Atmos. Unfortunately, with that price I’m better off acquiring another kind of Atmos from JLC.
That Sconvolto reminds me of a half-sucked boiled sweet/candy. I'm imagining right now how much dust, fluff and doghair would stick to it if you dropped it in that place on the floor of the car where the seatbelts are anchored.
Don't forget that between July 1975 and April 1981 there were no American spaceflight missions, while in that same period the Russians launched 21 missions among which the InterCosmos flights with guest cosmonauts. Wristwatch-wise a very interesting period with Raketa, Poljot 3133, Shturmanskie 31659, etc... worn by dozens of cosmonauts ! #MoonwatchUniverse
Great video. I like that you feature exotic watches on your channel, on other channels people only focus on 3 or 4 mayor brands and it gets really boring over time. Best regards from Saxony.:)
There is something to love in every one of your freaks. I would certainly wear either of the Russian watches. The U Boot could be a playful Klingon design and the Aluminum Italian and the Diesel Punk Graham are exquisite costume accessories.
Edit: that Raketa reminds me of a Peavey amp... couldn't place it at first. That bubble would make my head explode. Awesome watches, I'm so tired of traditional dive watches I need a little variety in my life. Great video.
@@RadioStreetsunited In 1994 I was with a tribe called Unhanini near the banks of the Ubangi river and the tribal leader Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba handed me a Zulu walking stick and said "now it's your turn". Indeed.
Electromechanical movement? I can only assume it is a mechanism powered by a battery with the rest of the transmission gear with a mechanical design to obtain that sweep of the seconds hand. At least that is what I imagine it to be.
The original Raketa Copernicus watches with the 2609ha hand wind movement can be bought for around €100 on eBay. Guaranteed not to make you crazy unless you get a poor fake.
After your excellent video I had a look at the Alexander Shorokhoff web site. Wow! So many strange but beautiful (beauty is in the eye of the beholder.....Right?) watches with a price to suit almost all watch enthusiasts. Personally I'd love to see a video specifically on this brand. Well Done.
The minute hand of the Avante Guarde is similar to the Copernicus but the hour hand was a solid round disk. There was an earlier version of the Avante Guarde from decades earlier.
Great video, keep it like this, different than other you tubers. Love and have vintage Raketa watches, very fun and advanced in design for an old Soviet era. However, I love my 1.2k € as well :-) Bit overpriced but still interesting.
It’s never a dull moment with you Tim, thank you so much for your TIME, it is so much fun and pleasant, because of you, Friday morning become a Christmas morning ! Please more ! Please more ! Please more ! Please more ! Please more ! Please more ! Please more.... 🤙🤙🤙🏄♂️🏄♂️🏄♂️
Apart from the fried egg (Sconvolto Ammortizzato Tipo F) and the rocket-clock (the bonus one) the rest of wristwatches are pretty authentic to me. Good job!
I agree with your philosophy regarding censorship; I just have public viewing watches and private viewing watches in my collection. I do this with some members of my family, as well.
I never miss your reviews, it’s like stumbling upon the “Ripleys believe it or not” of horological sites. As my Grandma use to say, “you’re such a prize!”
Call me crazy but I found aspects of every piece I completely enjoy, and yes get hold of the Fedor if possible please because your analysis would be great content. Thanks Tim for scouring the watch world and bringing us the riches.
