molnija Molnija pocket watches

[bandi9111]

Hy all,

I have 2 molnija pocket watches, the older one is a 15 jewel 443, the newer one is maybe a 17-18 jewel and 3602. The 443 is from Cseljabinszk. Prod date maybe 1950-1960, at the back cower are 2 scratches, you can see at the photo, but I draw them to see better. The newer is maybe prod at 1970-1985. Both are working well, but I haven't got the information from the last cleaning, how much were they used... etc.

I want to find the origin of my watches and the exact properties. Can anyone help me in this topic? 

• Power reserve
• Number of jewels
• Accuracy
• Production time
• Reliability
• Recommended cleaning, if I will use it every day

Thank you in advance for your help
(Sorry for my bad english, it’s not my mother language.)

[Marc]

Try here;

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&2&2uswk&Molnia_3602

and here;

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f10/different-variants-molnija-3602-movement-390461.html

and here;

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guide/company/molnija/serial-number-lookup

and here;

http://cgi.linuxfocus.org/~guido/molnija-pocket-watch/

further googling for "Molnija" or "soviet pocket watch" etc will bring up tons of info.

They're quite nice watches, maybe a little under rated.

 

Edited July 11, 2017 by Marc
additional info

[bandi9111]

Thank you for the links.
Can you give me some informations about the back cower scratches?

If I want to use these watches every day, should i clean the mechanism yearly or maybe more ofen? What is the Recommended cleaning?

How mutch would cost for the older one? (total cleaning)

[bandi9111]

My new Molnija pocket watch
3602-Cseljabinszk-18 Jewels

[bandi9111]

I gave to my first two monilja watches a recommended cleaning and for my oldest watch a new plexi. I have the original plexi too.
The clockworks are in very good condition.

 

[Watchtime]

I love these vintage Molnija's...great job. I would surely look for another dail to replace this one....well done.

[bandi9111]

Thank you. I think, i don't want to replace the dial. I want to have this watch so original as much i can.

[bandi9111]

My newest Molnija pocket watch has become recommended cleaning. The clockwork is in a very good condition.

[bandi9111]

A little while passed and I can spend time on my watches again. I received two "new" (for me ;) ) Molnija pocket watches.

Molnija from 1950. 4th quartel

1. 15 jewels
2. Factory: Chelyabinsk from Russia
3. Clockwork type: ЧК-6 /working/

Unfortunately, this clock did not have a winding stem and crown. The watch hands are a very bad condition and a small one is not the original.

I already bought two bigger blue hands, but I can't find the small one with a good size (original blue). I don't know which winding stem is good for this watch (1,0 or 1,2 mm diameter), how long should it be, and witch type of crown should I search.

 

Molnija 3602

Unfortunately, this clock has the same problems as by the other.

 

 

Can anyone help me with the winding stem and crown serch, what should I buy?

[Nucejoe]

I keep twenty NOS  malnija 18 jewels in my colletion in unopened boxes, to the embarressment of all brand new watch didnt run at full wind fresh out of factory box , same story with second watch and so on, I cleaned and oiled the fork and balance pivots and got them runing.

I also got some used ones 15 and 18 jewels runing as good as a watch.

I would say service and generous lubrication seems to have a major impact for runing.

For parts check with watch org uk.and onces you are put in contact with the parts owner ask for substatial discoung.

 

[bandi9111]

I have three working Molnija now,  I'm very satisfied with them. They can keep time like my Edefice Casio. 
But it is important to know, that all three was in very nice condition. I hope, that I can give the same care for this two.

watch org uk =>Site currently closed. I will watch it again later. 
I'm from Hungary and unfortunately the shipping costs are very high. Is there a solution, that I can keep the shipping costs lower?
(ebay: 10 GBP generally)

If I had the documentation of these clolckworks it would be very helpfull, but till now I haven't find them.

[Nucejoe]

Malnija calib 3602 come in 15 and 18 jewels  versions, winding stems are the same.

Regads   

 

[bandi9111]

15 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

Malnija calib 3602 come in 15 and 18 jewels  versions, winding stems are the same.

Regads   

 

Dear Nucejoe,

there are two kind of winding sterms for Molnijas (3602) what I can buy on e-bay.  Unfortunately I can't find any drawing from these parts or the recommended technical data of my Molnijas to have an answer to my question. 

I bought this winding sterm for my older 15 jewel Molnija, for the first try it seems to be good.
To understand here is a drawing (not the best one, maybe I will make a digital 3D wariant of these parts to create the recommended technical data), the last cut is D-D, I forgot to write it on the paper, sorry.

I hope this information will be useful for other people to find the right part.


So, It is not easy to buy spare parts for old watches without the important dimensions, drawings, technical informations...etc.
I'm searching for old books to find them, but till now I was not lucky enough.

[bandi9111]

A bit completion:
Stem thread 1,0 - 1,2mm
Maybe the difference is the clock case => wrist or pocketwatch.
Unfortunately I don't know how big the original was. At the older one, the case and the clockwork diameter are also small.

I chose the 1,2 mm.

Edited August 11, 2018 by bandi9111

[Nucejoe]

 

At this point you may consider making fit the stems you got, which to do you should  remove the dial plate to see and gain access to the clutch assembly and therefrom decide what sections to alter. The tools you need are dril machine to use as lathe, fine sand paper glued on flat part of your tweezers to use for cutting. 

This may not be technically approved, it has worked for me though.

 

[Nucejoe]

True, obsolete watch parts entail diging history. I wouldn,t be surprised if someone offered 3mm OD malnija stem for same calib, on ebay. If it dosn,t fit, buying another one is easier than filing complaint. This would only increase my appreciation of this forum I enjoy.

Enjoy your watches and working on them.

Regards

[bandi9111]

Dear Nucejoe,

Thank you for your reply, but I prefer the original parts. ;)
If I have no way of solving it, I will consider its proposal for repair.

For me, the challenge is to find the original parts and restore the state of the original structure. That is why specializations are important and accurate traceability.
Fortunately, I found a donor watch (same factory, same type of clockwork) from which I can bring my watch to repair with the right parts.

[Nucejoe]

Caliber 3602A was the early 15 jewels version, 3602 was marketed later with 18 jewels as antishock version, then came the center second 3606. Some literature brake down the serial No as designating the year of make, number pieces produced etc.

Ebauche however is based on cortebert which as you know was haute, high grade pie es. I rank the pivot and wheel polishing as poor.

I believe you are overvaluing this brand.

 

[Nucejoe]

Who knows, each factory ural and chelybiansk, may have produced in different sizes to be distinguisable. Some numbers of the serial may be telling address.