Russian Sekonda Manual Wind Chronograph

Description

Russian 1960s Sekonda manual wind chronograph in a chromed base metal case on a black leather strap with silvered buckle. Signed black dial with silvered lumed squared baton hours and matching red tipped hands with white outer tachymeter register track and inner telemeter track. Subsidiary seconds dial at 9 o/c and 45 minute chronograph time recording via the minutes dial at 3 o/c and the central sweep seconds hand. Plain case back over a 19 jewel jewelled lever Poljot calibre 3017 movement numbered 77467.

Case diameter - 36mm, strap fitting - 18mm.

A Strela model with the Poljot 3017 column-wheel chronograph movement was introduced in the 1970s and was used in space by Russian cosmonaut Alexey Alexandrovich Gubarev during the Soyuz-28 mission. Gubarev and his colleague Vladimir Remek – the first non-Soviet, non-American to travel to space – were launched aboard Soyuz-28 on March 2, 1978. To put things into context, this is after the American's moon landing (1969) and Leonov's Spacewalk (1965). The crew docked with the orbiting Salyut-6 space station. On Gubarev’s wrist, a black STRELA (labeled SEKONDA). Established in 1966, Sekonda started out as a British brand offering a collection of mechanical watches originally manufactured in Russia.

Accepted as the first watch in space now commonly known as the “Strela” (Russian for “Arrow”) this watch was based around a calibre derived from the Venus 150 movement and dubbed the 3017. Originally this was issued to Russian air force pilots it became standard issue for cosmonauts throughout the early days of the soviet space program.

This item has been serviced and is guaranteed for a period of 1 year from the date of sale, subject to our standard Terms and Conditions of Guarantee.

Product code: WWOM120