RUSSIAN TIME: A History of Watchmaking from the Imperial Court to the Cosmos (The Definitive Watch Series: The Real Stories Behind Legendary Timepieces Book 13)

Discover the Hidden Giant of Horology: A 300-Year Journey from the Imperial Court to the Edge of Space.In the spring of 2026, you can walk into a watch shop and buy a brand-new mechanical timepiece with an in-house movement, 200 meters of water resistance, and a lineage reaching back to Peter the Great—all for less than the price of a nice dinner. This is the world of Russian watchmaking, a tradition that was once the largest mechanical producer on Earth, yet remains virtually unknown to the Western world.Russian Time: A History of Watchmaking from the Imperial Court to the Cosmos is the definitive chronicle of this "third way" of horology. Written by Dr. Cornelis van Houte, this book reveals how a national tradition persisted through imperial collapse, world wars, and the space race to emerge as a 21st-century cult favorite.Inside this comprehensive history, you will discover:The Three Russian Times: Explore the Imperial Era (1721–1917) of court-appointed Swiss masters like Pavel Buhre; the Soviet Era (1917–1991) of industrial titans and space pioneers; and the Renaissance (2009–2026), where historic factories like Petrodvorets have been reborn for a new generation of collectors.The Legends of the Space Race: The untold stories of the watches worn by Yuri Gagarin and Alexey Leonov, and the record-breaking 437-day mission of Valery Polyakov.Engineering Marvels: How the Vostok Amphibia achieved 200m water resistance through ingenious case design rather than mere precision machining, and how the Raketa factory became one of only three facilities in the world to manufacture hairsprings in-house.A Collector’s Roadmap: Appendices featuring detailed movement specifications, a glossary of Russian horological terms, and a Ranked Top 15 list of the most iconic watches every collector should own.Whether you are a seasoned collector of Poljot and Vostok or a newcomer curious about the "Big Zero" on your wrist, Russian Time provides the technical context and historical soul of a tradition that refuses to die."Our Raketas remain the same. I am proud that we managed to revive it all once again." — Lyudmila Voynik, Petrodvorets Head Engineer (April 2026). Read more