A SOVIET OCTAGON BUILT OUTSIDE THE SWISS RULEBOOK

Produced during the early 1980s, this Raketa belongs to a period when Soviet watchmaking operated with its own visual language, industrial priorities and manufacturing infrastructure. Raketa—Russian for “rocket”—was established in 1961 to commemorate Yuri Gagarin’s first human spaceflight, but the factory behind it traces its history to the Imperial Peterhof Factory founded by Peter the Great in 1721. By the time this watch was made, that centuries-old institution had evolved into one of the Soviet Union’s major mechanical-watch producers. (Raketa Watch Factory)

The design is unusually architectural. A broad octagonal case surrounds a similarly faceted crystal, while four exposed bezel screws and contrasting black inserts give the watch the appearance of a miniature industrial instrument. Its champagne dial is divided into opposing textures: fine vertical grooves across the upper section and closely spaced horizontal lines below. Oversized Roman numerals at twelve and six, small gold-tone hour markers and the sharply framed day-date display create a composition that feels simultaneously formal, mechanical and distinctly Soviet. The Latin Raketa signature, English calendar and “MADE IN USSR” inscription suggest that this example was configured for export rather than the domestic Soviet market. (SOVIETALY™)

Inside is Raketa’s manually wound 2628.H, a 19-jewel day-date caliber introduced around 1980. It runs at a traditional 18,000 vibrations per hour and offers approximately 45 hours of power reserve. The movement uses a shock-protected balance and escape wheel, while three additional jewels support the calendar disc—an unexpectedly considered solution hidden beneath the dial. The date is advanced through Raketa’s unusual spring-loaded crown system, with each extended pull moving the display forward by one day. (17jewels.info - The Movement Archive)

On the wrist, the angular case has far more presence than a conventional round dress watch, yet the restrained champagne, silver and black palette keeps it wearable. The black leather strap reinforces the dark case accents and allows the unconventional geometry to remain the focus. Often known among collectors by descriptive nicknames such as the "Star Wars," “Gasket,” “Bolted Bezel” or simply “Octagon,” this is not a conventional luxury watch translated into Soviet form. It is an original piece of Soviet industrial design: practical, eccentric and mechanically self-reliant, with a character difficult to reproduce outside its particular place and time. A closely matching octagonal 2628.H example has likewise been documented as an unusual USSR-made Raketa from the 1980s. (Watch space)

Three points to note

Distinctive octagonal case with exposed bezel screws and faceted crystal
Soviet-made 19-jewel Raketa 2628.H manual-wind day-date movement
Early-1980s export configuration with Latin branding and English calendar

Vintage Raketa Watches

Raketa “Star Wars” Octagon Day-Date