Raketa 2609 HA

[Akadudum]

Hello guys! I just bought a vintage watch, Raketa from the '70, 2609 HA movement. The watch is technically new, never worn, but it doesn't work. I am new to this type of watches (USSR made). Should a quick oil up from a watchmaker be enough? Or what the problem could be?

Edited January 29, 2024 by Akadudum

[JohnR725]

On 1/29/2024 at 9:30 AM, Akadudum said:

Should a quick oil up from a watchmaker be enough?

I assume this means that you're not the watchmaker?

One of the problems when purchasing new item this if the new old stock and then not running that's not a good sign of well for instance did it ever run? Often times new old stock watches are new old stock because they had some issue of running in the first place.

So basically somebody will have taken apart and look at it and see if they see any problems and if it is as simple as the lubrication is all gone bad unfortunately the old lubrication has to be removed and it becomes a complete servicing of the watch. In other words somebody has to entirely disassemble properly clean it and then relubricated as they reassemble it.

 

[VWatchie]

On 1/29/2024 at 6:30 PM, Akadudum said:

I just bought a vintage watch, Raketa from the '70, 2609 HA movement. The watch is technically new, never worn, but it doesn't work.

Long story short, when the Soviet Union collapsed so did the Russian watch factories including Raketa. Instead of money, the workers were given what was left of watch parts in the factory warehouse. To get ahead, the workers assembled watches independently and often used new cases, dials, and hands but used old and very worn movements. These watches were then sold on the street and eventually on eBay. There are still plenty of such watches on eBay.

For example, this Raketa was sold on eBay as NOS and is a good example of one of those watches that were assembled after the fall of the Soviet Union. On the outside, it looks factory new.

However, once you get to the inside of the watch this is often what it will look like and the only way ahead is, as John points out, to service and repair it, which often means that you'll also have to source parts from donor movements. Fortunately, donor movements can be found for very little money.

So, I would expect that what I have described is exactly the situation you're in.

[Yani365]

Regarding donor movements, I found that Etsy has many of the old 2609, 2628, etc, movements for sale for use as parts for jewelry. I got 10 movements for $2.50 each. They are rough, and all have snipped cannon pinions and stems, so they can't be used for dial side donors, and the center wheel is usually damaged. But all the rest is there. I've made several of them fully working as a running wheel train. So, good cheap source for some of the parts.