Slava / Слава

Slava: The Icon of Soviet Civilian Watchmaking

After World War II, the Second Moscow Watch Factory shifted its focus to wristwatches. In 1958, the factory was renamed, and by 1964, it officially became Slava (Слава, meaning “glory”). Unlike other Soviet brands, Slava was always dedicated to civilian watches, with no military or aerospace production.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Slava pioneered innovations such as the Slava Transistor, an electronic watch that won a gold medal at the 1964 Leipzig Trade Fair. To meet rising demand for men’s watches, Slava initially placed small women’s movements in larger cases, until the launch of the Slava 24xx series in 1966, featuring a dual mainspring system for more consistent power delivery.

Between the 1950s and 1980s, Slava became one of the most exported Soviet watch brands, reaching over 70 countries, with up to 50% of production sold internationally. A strong partnership was established with Italy, where exclusive “CCCP”-stamped models were sold.

Following the collapse of the USSR, Slava faced a severe crisis. In the 1990s, many movements were sold to China and Hong Kong, fueling the counterfeit market and damaging the brand’s reputation.

Today, Slava is managed by Slava Trade House, with production relocated to Uglich, while the historic Moscow factory was demolished in 2011. Despite these challenges, Slava remains an iconic name in Soviet watchmaking, highly valued by collectors worldwide.