The Raketa Baikonur was created to mark 65 years since Yuri Gagarin’s first journey into space, a milestone that also shaped the identity of Raketa, the Russian watchmaker whose name means “rocket.” Conceived with space exploration in mind, the Baikonur translates practical astronaut requirements into a robust mechanical wristwatch.

At its core is a 24-hour dial, divided into contrasting black and white sectors to distinguish day from night. In orbit, where sunrise and sunset occur multiple times within a 24-hour period, this configuration offers greater clarity than a conventional 12-hour display. An additional crown allows the wearer to set a second time zone, enabling simultaneous tracking of Greenwich Mean Time, used aboard the International Space Station, and local time on Earth.

The stainless-steel case measures 42 mm in diameter and is water-resistant to 20 ATM. A sapphire crystal protects the dial, while the mineral exhibition case back reveals the movement within. Surrounding the dial is a rotating bezel incorporating a solar compass function, designed as a practical orientation tool in the event of electronic navigation failure.

Powering the Baikonur is Raketa’s in-house Calibre 2624CA, manufactured entirely at the Raketa Watch Factory in Saint Petersburg. Operating at 18,000 vibrations per hour and offering approximately 40 hours of power reserve, the movement features bi-directional automatic winding. During manual winding, the self-winding module is mechanically disengaged to reduce wear, a functional solution developed for extended use. The movement is decorated with hand-finished Neva waves and features a rotor printed with a constellation motif.

Super-LumiNova is applied to both hands and dial for visibility in low-light conditions. The watch is delivered with a nylon strap secured by Velcro for quick adjustment, as well as an additional classic leather strap.

The Raketa Baikonur is available through Ace Jewelers in Amsterdam and London, as well as online.