So You Want to Buy A Raketa Big Zero…

By: Kaz Mirza

Getting the small details on the Big Zero can be tough since it uses the Raketa 2609 caliber, one of the most widely used Raketa movements during the Soviet Union. The fact that many different watches used the 2609 means (more often than not) the case the case, hands, dials, crystal, and crowns were interchangeable, which is great for mass industrial production, but bad for watch collectors. Basically, you can have a Raketa Big Zero with the right dial, but the wrong hands; or it’s possible to have the right hands, but the wrong case. So when you make the choice to hunt down a Big Zero of your own, you gotta be informed. That’s where this write-up will be able to help you. I’ll be breaking down what to look for in the (1) Dial, (2) Hands, (3) Case, and (4) Crystal of an authentic Raketa Big Zero.

Dial:

Obviously this is the most iconic feature of the piece. Believe it or not though, there are fakes out there, so it’s important to know the nuances of the real thing. First, note the shape of the wedge indices at 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11. The tip of each wedge is slightly rounded offering a soft presentation. A lot of fake dials tend to get the rounding of the edge of this wedge wrong – so keep an eye out for that. Also, it should be noted that some have suggested that the sharper tipped wedges on certain dials are in fact authentic since they’ve been spotted in catalogs from the 80s. However, I will put forth that even if those dials are real, seeing them in the classic cushion type case of the Raketa Big Zero that we’re talking about here is inauthentic and frankened (the act of cobbling together parts from different watches in order to create a new watch). The catalogs in reference show a complete different type of case shape, which can then kindle the argument that it’s not even really a Big Zero. So the headline is, if you’re looking for the iconic, authentic Big Zero, you want to see rounded-tipped wedges (in conjunction with the other items we’ll discuss below).

Now the logo and country designation trip people up. First, it’s normal to see the logo in two different ways: “Paketa” and “Raketa.” In Russian Cyrillic, “P” is “R” – so if you see a Big Zero with “Raketa” it’s more modern since the USSR started adopting English on their dials closer to their collapse (1992). This switch from Russian to English is also seen in the country designation where older pieces will have “CCCP” and newer pieces will simply say “Made in Russia.”

Now that being said, having an understanding of the switch from Russian to English can be crucial, because if you see a Big Zero with “Paketa” as the logo but “Made in Russia” as the country designation, that’s a red flag as the dial should never contain both English and Russian. Another red flag that I’ve seen often is the dial have no country designation at all – if you don’t see that, don’t buy it.

One of the most important thing to also know is that the Big Zero has applied markers – they aren’t printed on the dial or anything like that. It’s very subtle, but the wedges and the numbers appear to be a type of glossy resin or thing metal that are applied to the dial. So if you’re looking at a listing and you see that the markers appear to be flat – it’s a red flag. Although, to be fair, it’s hard to tell sometimes in those pictures (come on, everyone selling Russian watches on eBay and Etsy – take better pictures), but I have seen some shots with great detail and you can catch the applied markers pretty clearly.

Hands:

Like a mole on a nose, the wrong hands on a Big Zero cannot be unseen once spotted. The hands of the Big Zero are simple but quite unique; they’re bold rectangles mitigated by their almost too-shortedness. You’ll also note that the front ends have a slight tip to them, so they aren’t perfect rounded. The second hand is where you’ll want to pay attention since people often change these out. Note that although the point is normal and straughtforward, the back of the hand slightly flares out like a partially open folding fan. This is a crucial detail and one you want to keep an eye out for when hunting authentic Raketa Big Zeros.

Strangely enough, what I see a lot are Big Zeros with hands from the Raketa Perpetual Calendar. You can spot this franken-disaster by noting that the perpetual calendar hands are quite thin and long, as opposed to slightly too short and bold, which is authentic to the Big Zero – keep an eye out for that.

Case:

The case of the Raketa Big Zero is just goddam lovely if you ask me, which is why it’s so infuriating when I see franken pieces with the wrong case. An authentic Big Zero is shaped kinda like a shield with a smooth, press on bezel that has its edge beveled slightly towards the acrylic crystal. From an angle, you see the case has a dome like curvature in its greater structure. The presence of the lugs is actually quite small (which can make pairing the Big Zero with a strap kinda hard since there is hardly any room there).

What you’ll see a lot are franken Big Zeros that have the wrong lugs. This particular curvature is lost and you’ll see pieces with sharper angles – keep an eye out for that. On an authentic Big Zero, you’re eye should be able to follow a single curve from the midpoint of the case diameter all the way to the tip of the lug without impediment or direction change – think of it as a veer in the road versus a sharp turn. The diameter of the case should veer towards the tips of the lugs.

Crystal:

I will say now that finding any vintage Rusian watch with an authentic crystal is hard. This is because the majority of them were acrylic and after many, many years and exposure to the elements, that exposure damaged and/or discolored the acrylic. So when people sell the watches today, they usually replace the crystal immediately since in their minds they think people will pay more for a watch that has a cleaner crystal (it’s like taking acetone to all those Rembrandts you have in your attic…). That being said, the crystal on the Big Zero you see here (MY Big Zero) is a replacement. I’ve only seen a handful of them with the original. So I wouldn’t beat yourself up if you can’t find one with the right acrylic, it’s pretty tough.

However, an authentic Raketa Big Zero crystal isn’t a dome. It’s shaped more like a hockey puck. It has sharp edges that angle up 90 degrees towards a flat surface. It looks like a round table top. If anyone out there has a good quality shot of their Raketa Big Zero with the authentic crystal that I can use here I’d really appreciate it.

Final Thoughts:

Listen, this thing is by no means complete, and you’re going to have questions about things I may not have covered in here. But what I’ve put together above is an amazing place to start. That being said, please leave comments below or reach out to us directly on IG or at [email protected] for any specific questions you may have. I’m also more than happy to look at any specific listings you find to offer a second pair of eyes; it’s something I’ve already done for a lot of people and I’d rather have you guys reach out and ask me any questions about the Big Zero you have than to have you buy something that may not be what you expect – that would suck and I’d love to do whatever I can to prevent that.

16 thoughts on “So You Want to Buy A Raketa Big Zero…”

  1. Great write up Kaz! So many little details in the case, hands, and dial. I had no idea from looking at the photos that the hour markers weren’t printed, but applied with resin for more depth, SO COOL!

    No mention of what to look for in the movement? I know you’ve talked a lot about that in some of the earlier podcasts.

    Keep up the great work! Love the website, and I look forward to your write-up on the Poljot Chrono and other pieces.

    Reply
    • Oh, dude what the hell – I’m such an asshat – totally blanked on the movement section lol. I need to add that in when I get the chance lol.

      Yea, man the markers is a super subtle thing that’s hard to see in certain shots. I need to pop the crystal off mine and when I do I want to try and get some macro shots to show folks the depth.

      Really happy you’re digging the site, man – it really means a lot to get your feedback on what we’re doing in these early stages. It’s all still a work in progress but Mike and I are pumped for what the future has in store as we work hard on TBWS!

      Reply
    • Hi thanks for the great article!

      I was looking at this watch:
      https://www.ebay.com/itm/Soviet-USSR-RAKETA-BIG-Zero-watch-2609-White-dial/254174760980?hash=item3b2dff1014:g:SfwAAOSw3AFck~BE
      Everything looks good except I can’t tell if the numbers are resin printed and the movement may have had new parts placed in. I was also looking for a Balck version of the big zero. Some that are available on eBay have hands with hollow centers (like paperclips almost). Is it likely that those have been added and are not original? Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Hey dude,
    I’ve got an original crystal on mine (well, it’s a flat crystal, at least). I’ll grab you a shot in the next couple of days when I have the decent camera gear out for something else.

    Reply
    • Ben! You’re the best, dude – thank you, man! That would really mean the world – I’ll give you and your site credit on here as well when I put the image up.

      Reply
  3. Kaz,

    I just wanted to say thank you for the above. Really, really, helpful.
    I’ve just bought one (Etsy) that doesn’t look quite right on-the-wrist and couldn’t place my finger on why! That badboy is going straight back to the Ukraine:)!

    Kind regards,

    Freddie (UK)

    Reply
    • Hey, Freddie:

      I’m so happy this guide was able to help! I’ve put together some additional info that I need to add on here as well. But in the meantime if you want another pair of eyes on a listing you’re considering before you make the purchase please just reach out and I’ll do everything I can to help give you an idea of its authenticity! [email protected]

      Reply
  4. I’ve got one which seems all original in case, crystal and hands but has a dial that says Paketa and Made in Russia but in Russian (CAENAHO B POCCNN). Not sure if that dial is fake, or whether its a post-Soviet watch made for the Russian market. Ive never seen pictures of a post-Soviet Big Zero in Russian but that doesnt mean they don’t exist. Having Paketa and russian designation is at least consistent.

    Reply
    • I think i may have answered my own question. In a catalog from 1998 Raketa had models with the POCCNN designation. This places my watch somewhere between 1992 and 1998 probably or frankened with old watch and new dial.

      Reply
  5. Guys,

    Just found your site and podcast and I’m on board! Looking to pick one of these up and have seen at least one listing where the movement is a 2610 not the traditional 2609HA. Could this still be authentic? Everything else ticks all the boxes in terms of legitimacy. Thanks!

    Reply
    • If the caliber isn’t the legit one strong chances are for the rest isn’t true especially the dial which is easy to fake and hide it on the auction websites with the help of Photoshop and blurriness…
      If any doubt ask for a picture of the dial with flash. You’ll see immediately if the dial is a Xerox or not.

      Reply
  6. Hi thanks for that article which helped me at the last minute avoiding buying a fake one.
    I’ve got a genuine one – apart from the fact that the caliber is a R2609. Actually it’s the same as the 2609NA but only used on export watches (and after the fall of USSR but my watch is “made in USSR”).
    Many hypothesis to be drawn about that.
    About the crystal most of the available Zeroes have the crystal changed because they get used quite fast…

    A little picture of mine here :

    https://i.servimg.com/u/f40/15/74/39/52/54225810.jpg

    Here you can see clearly the sticked or painted numbers and wedges as well as the “raketa” signature. This is nearly impossible to fake (doing it would cost a lot and it’s pointless regarding the whole faketa idea). I saw very well done fakes on internet, much better done than the ugly xerox from the seller you mention in an other article. But in every case, if you look closer to the pictures you don’t see that very subtle thing. Some fakers make very great pictures (maybe photoshop helps) but if you ask for more pics from the dial, either they don’t answer or they provide a photo that leaves all doubt possible.

    Salutes

    Reply
    • Hi Kaz
      I love your posts, particularly this one. I just wish I’d read it a year ago. Let’s all sue Xerox?
      I’ve reached the conclusion that in order to get an original big zero piece, you’ve got to avoid eBay.
      Cheers
      Patrick M

      Reply
  7. Hey, if you are into watches, even if you have all the high end brands, this is a must … is so ugly that is cute. I love mine.

    Reply
  8. I bought one that I think looks original. The case is not in great shape on the bottom. I assume it can be replated but I’m not sure if it is worth it.
    I wanted an original even though it wasn’t perfect rather than a perfect looking one that was a fake.

    Reply

Leave a Comment