Founded in the early 1960s during the Soviet era, the Raketa company was once one of the leading watch manufacturers worldwide. From the brand's inception, space and astronautics played a significant role, even up to the company's name, which refers to the first manned space flight by the Russian cosmonaut Gagarin. Among the brand’s historical collection is another important space-related watch - the Raketa Copernicus. Today, the Russian (and proudly so...) manufacture presents a new limited edition based on this concept, with some stories.
ANOTHER TYPICALLY RUSSIAN STORY
If you watch our report on the Raketa company, besides it being one of the most fascinating manufacture visits in my career, and the only watch company that, to my knowledge, uses real toothbrushes as part of its equipment, you will see that space and astronautics, as well as quirky and unusual design, are excellent sources of inspiration for the former Soviet brand, which now prides itself on producing Russian-made watches. From watches that show time counterclockwise to watches marking the start of a new era with a big zero, or finally watches created in collaboration with Baikonur cosmonauts - most of the brand's creations have their own story. The latest watches appearing in Russia are based on an iconic Soviet creation and once again pay tribute to this space connection in a very personal and (pleasantly) quirky form.
These watches are the Raketa Copernicus, named after Nicolaus Copernicus, the Polish mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the Universe that placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at its center - a controversial (at the time) theory called heliocentrism, publishing his book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (“On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”) in 1543, shortly before his death. This concept, according to which the Sun is the center of our system, changed all our notions of astronomy, time, and philosophy.
Based on this widely accepted concept, as well as the brand’s usual inspiration with all things space, stars, and cosmos, Soviet designers at Raketa created the Copernicus model - a watch to become one of the brand’s most iconic pieces, alongside the Big Zero watches. And as such, you might imagine a display consisting of planet-shaped hands orbiting the dial and depicting Earth and the Moon, with the Sun in the background… Well, in fact, the story is different, and in Soviet times it was never publicized. But with the release of this limited edition, Raketa reveals the “official” concept:
“When Soviet Raketa designers created the Copernicus model, they had the following idea in mind: the large circle (minute hand) symbolizes the Earth, and the intermediate circle (hour hand) symbolizes Jupiter. Why? Because the Earth orbits the Sun in 1 year, and Jupiter in 12 years: exactly the same ratio between the minute hand (large circle), which “orbits” the dial in 1 hour, and the hour hand (intermediate circle), which “orbits” the dial in 12 hours.”
NEW LIMITED EDITION RAKETA COPERNICUS
In 2019, Raketa re-released the iconic Copernicus watch with a design that mixed elements from the earliest models: the background consists of an off-center star with rays emanating from its center, and a display reminiscent of the position of planets relative to the Sun, with (at that time) two circles - one open, one full - and a central second hand.
By 2021, the brand is launching a new limited edition that, while not completely changing the main concept of the Copernicus watches, adds several unique features that make them even more celestial. First, the watch is housed in a 40.5mm stainless steel case with black PVD coating. A sapphire crystal is fitted on top, which increases the watch’s thickness but at the same time makes it very unusual on the wrist, with a bubble-like effect that nicely matches this space-inspired theme. The Raketa Copernicus Limited Edition is worn on a black leather strap with blue stitching and a red leather lining.
The true highlight of this limited series is the dial, which has been enhanced with semi-precious stones to create this celestial look. The background is made of dark blue aventurine, on which (as you might have guessed) a night sky filled with stars is depicted. Slightly off-centered to the right part of the dial is a round element made of yellow agate, whose uneven surface mimics the color and surface of the Sun.
Then there is the display, but even though it might seem complicated at first glance, in reality, these discs are quite traditional, as the hands simply have whimsical shapes. Time is read traditionally, using the 12-hour, 60-minute, and 60-second hands. The largest of the hands, with an open structure, points to the minutes and symbolizes the planet Earth. The golden sphere, as explained above, represents Jupiter and points to the hours. Finally, in this limited series Copernicus, the second hand has been replaced with a standard baton-shaped hand on a smaller open-structure disc.
Under the new transparent case back lies an automatic mechanism, fully manufactured (including such crucial elements as the hairspring) at the Raketa manufacture near Saint Petersburg. For this edition, the massive and reliable automatic winding movement has been specially decorated with stars and planets engraved on the automatic bridge, a rotor featuring handmade Neva waves, and the movement itself plated in gold to remind of the Sun's color. This time-tested movement (developed during Soviet times) beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour and has a power reserve of 40 hours.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Raketa Copernicus Limited Edition 2021 will be released in 300 pieces. It is already available for order on the brand’s website priced, depending on your location, at €1,290 (excluding taxes) and €1,500 (including taxes). More details and orders are available at raketa.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – LIMITED EDITION RAKETA COPERNICUS
Case: 40.5mm diameter x approx. 15mm height (with crystal) – 45mm lug-to-lug – stainless steel case with black PVD coating – domed sapphire crystal on top, mineral glass case back – water resistance 50m.
Dial: Semi-precious stone dial, with aventurine background and yellow agate center
Movement: Caliber 2615, in-house made, produced in Russia – automatic – 24 jewels – 18,000 vibrations/hour – power reserve of about 40 hours – regulated to -10/+20 sec/day deviation – hours, minutes, seconds
Strap: 22mm black leather strap with blue stitching and red leather lining, pin buckle
Availability: Available at the brand’s online boutique
Limited edition of 300 pieces
Reference: W-05-16-10-0280
Price: €1,290 (excluding taxes)
€1,500 (including taxes)