History of Chistopol Watch Factory
Chistopol Watch Factory “Vostok” is situated in Chistopol, Russia. It is a town-forming enterprise.
Today the factory changed its business line pulse counters, electricity, gas, water meters and other devices for different economic sectors.
The history of the factory begins in 1941. In November Chistopol saw the first freighters with equipment and 500 workers evacuated from Moscow Second Watch Factory. In spring 1942 CWF started mass production of timepieces for military purposes, and by July 1 the factory was running at full capacity. The company was founded as production facility working for the army. But since February 1943 by order of the People’s Commissariat for Mortar Weapons the factory began to produce peaceful products. For example, the first watch for men “Kirovskie”.
After the war the factory started production of mechanical watches which became its main products. In 1949 the factory started serial production of men’s watches K-26 “Pobeda”, wall marine clocks with a luminous dial, clocks for the cars “ZiM”, “Volga”, “Pobeda”, wall and street industrial clocks. In July 1950 the factory started to erect its own production buildings.
In 1952 the factory began production of “Kama” watches with shockproof device and leakproof body. At the same time the factory manufactured timepieces for various industries.
In 1952 at the international exhibition in Milan Chistopol watch gained wide recognition and popularity.
In 1957 there was a new production line started: K-28, “Vostok”, “Mir”, “Volna”, “Saturn” and “Kosmos” watches with side and central second hands, lens and shockproof device.
In 1962, at Leipzig International Exhibition “Vostok” watch was awarded a large gold medal.
Since 1965 CWP became the official watch supplier for the Ministry of Defence. That time saw the first famous “Komandirskie” watch characterized by high durability and waterproof body. In 1967 experience gained in the development of this watch allowed to release “Amphibia” watches having increased water resistance up to 200 meters.
Since 1969 all watches produced by the factory had the same brand name “Vostok” and the company was named Chistopol Watch Factory “Vostok”.
Success at the professional watch market determined the development plan for the coming years. Mechanical watches accurate at any temperature, in any environment, under any pressure.
In 1972 the factory started producing men’s watches of the new 24 caliber with a numerical calendar, double calendar, automatic winding. The watches are exported to 54 countries around the world.
In 1976 cosmonaut Georgy Grechko visited the factory and thanked the watchmakers for high quality products and presented them “Vostok” watch which travelled to space.
In the 1990s CWF continued watch production by expanding the range of products. Large lots are exported to Italy, USA, Switzerland. “Desert Shield” Vostok watch became the most popular one in the USA.
In 2000 the factory started production of mechanical alarm clock with seven-day winding. It is the only one of the kind in Russia and the whole world.
In 2001 CWF was awarded “Russian National Olympus” in the category “Technology: Science”.
In the early 2000s the factory developed new watchworks for wristwatches. They were provide with the day and night indicator as well as a lunar calendar.
This factory is one of the two Russian watch factories (together with Petrodvorets Watch Factory “Rocket”) having a full production cycle.
The factory is also one of the largest ones in Russia producing a large range of pressure gauges, tachometers, tachographs, pulse counters, electricity, gas, water meters and other devices for various economic sectors.
In September 2010 the factory was declared bankrupt, but production is still on in several subsidiaries.