‘Made in Russia’: Briton revives one of most famous Soviet-era watch production

When David Henderson-Stewart first visited Russia’s Raketa watch factory, its few remaining watchmakers ​were huddled in winter coats over vintage equipment, Reuters writes.

The British former lawyer knew nothing about watches, but his love ‌of Soviet design led him to see potential in the ailing enterprise, which once employed 7,000 workers and produced timepieces for astronauts and the mass market.

Russian President Vladimir Putin now wears a watch made by its bespoke offshoot, Imperial Peterhof Factory.

“I would never have found something as interesting as Raketa in ​the West,” said Henderson-Stewart, who did not wear a watch until he took over the factory outside St Petersburg ​with a partner in 2010.

Under his leadership, Raketa’s pivot to high‑end watches with an emphasis on their “Made in Russia” credentials has paid off.

In the factory, some of the over 200 employees use refurbished machinery to fashion tiny cogs, wheels and springs, continuing ‌the rare ⁠practice of making all mechanical parts in-house.

Raketa received a boost in 2022 when Putin was spotted wearing his Imperial Peterhof Factory watch. Some local media read it as a signal of support for domestic production after the invasion of Ukraine.