Zarja (Pensa Watch Factory)

Brands:

- Aurora - Kometa - Mechta - Vesna

- Zarja - ZIF - Zvezda

 

1935, Soviet government plans 3rd watch factory, aquires tooling from Lip, France
 
1938, First watches (model T-18) produced by bicycle factory ZIF
 
1940, factory becomes Penza 3rd State Watch Factory, ZIF watches become Zvezda
 
1941, begin production of machine tools for other watch factories
 
1946, awarded the name Penza of the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st Degree Watch Factory
 
1946, begin production of Pobeda watches

1947, introduction of conveyor line production

1949, production turns exclusively to women's watches

1949, Zarja model introduced with smaller movement

1950-51, assisted in the establishment of Uglich Watch Factory
 
1954-55, assisted in the establishment of Minsk Watch Factory

1962, Mechta - world's smallest mass-produced watch with centre-seconds

1965, establishment of Zarja brand for all Penza watches

1966, Sekonda brand established, including some Zarja models
 
1980, begin production of quartz watches

1992, End of USSR, factory becomes a joint stock company

1990s, development of calibre 2615, thinnest Russian automatic
 
late 1990s, end of quartz watch production
 

Other Comments:
For some unknown reason, the 2615 movement has never entered production and Zarja models are currently limited to 3 basic movements. The 1509V.1 is still Russia's smallest centre-second movement, and is used in the Orion Traveller twin-dial watch. Majority of production is women's watches, particularly featuring elaborately embellished cases. Unlike other Russian manufacturers, Zarja use some aluminium-alloy cases.