Pobeda (Победа)
Pobeda was introduced by the First Moscow Watch Factory in the Soviet Union in 1945. Named after the Russian word for "Victory," the watch was created to celebrate the USSR’s triumph in World War II. Designed with input from Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Pobeda quickly gained recognition for its reliability and symbolic significance. The brand became a household name across the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, representing resilience and progress during the post-war era. It was also touted as "the first watch in space" in 1961. Today, Pobeda watches are cherished as vintage collectibles and symbols of Soviet industrial heritage.
Pobeda cal. 2602 (1st quarter, 1950)
The Pobeda 2602 movement, introduced in 1946 by the First Moscow Watch Factory, is a 15-jewel, manual-winding caliber based on the French LIP R-26 movement design. It is also known as the Pobeda K26 or Zim/Slava/Wostok 2602. Appreciated for its reliability and simplicity, it played a key role in the accessibility of Soviet watches, offering durability at an affordable cost.
Technical Information
Ligne/Size
11 1/2'''
Jewels
15
Frequency
18000
Movement Type
Manual Wind
Power Reserve
37 hours
Lift Angle
42°
Shock
None
Mainspring
1.5 / 0.15 / 10.5 / 330mm
(Raketa 2609, part 770)
Parts List
Made in
USSR
Restoration Notes
This watch was not working when I received it. Quite a lot of repair and calibration work was required. It was a challenging restoration, and it was the first time I experimented with gold plating of external components.
Cleaning and Polishing
Troubleshooting
Straightening Banking Pins
One of the banking pins were bent outward and needed a little realigning.
New Mainspring
The old mainspring was broken so I had to replace it with a suitable "T style" Raketa 2609 mainspring (No. 770).
Straightening Pallet Safety Pin
The safety pin of the pallet fork seemed a bit out of alignment and so it needed a little centering.
New Hairspring
The hairspring was bent upwards, sideways, and even at the collect. My attempts at bending it back into shape were futile, and so I replaced the balance with a replacement Raketa 2609 No. 722.1 balance complete with Breguet hairspring (without screw rim).
Addressing Beat Error
There was substantial beat error of > 8.0 ms. This required manipulation of the balance collet, to eventually bring it down to < 1.0 ms.
New Glass
The watch glass was cracked and needed replacement. The flat and low Sternkreuz Savonetter (Sav. 262) "Extra Dünn"fit perfectly!
Reassembly and Lubrication
Moebius D5 on barrel, 2nd and 3rd wheel pivots; Moebius 9010 on 4th and 5th wheel pivots. Moebius 9010 on balance jewel; Fix-o-Drop Epilame on escape wheel and pallet jewels; Moebius 9415 on pallet exit stone; Moebius 9501 for cannon pinion and keyless works.
Regulation
Timegrapher readings at full wind, across five positions - DU, DD, CU, CD, and CL:
Delta Rate: __ s/d
Mean Rate: __ s/d
Amplitude Range: __° to __°
Mean Amplitude: __°
Beat Error Range: __ to __ ms
After one full wind, the watch worked for a total of __ hours.
