Prior to World War II, during a period of rapid industrialization in the Soviet Union, the Soviet government sought international funding and expertise in the development of a domestic watchmaking industry. Eventually, the French watch manufacturer LIP was chosen. LIP was having financial problems at home in France, and in 1936, technical director Fred Lipmann signed a deal with the USSR to export technology and parts. 

In April, 1935, the Third State Watch Factory was formed in Penza, a city 625 kilometers southeast of Moscow. This factory was reconstructed from the remnants of the Frunze Bicycle Plant using the newly-acquired tooling from LIP. LIP engineers and technicians were also responsible for supervising the installation of all equipment and for training Russian engineers. The watches they produced were small, modern wristwatch designs based on the LIP caliber T18.

The T18 movement, after slight modification by the Soviets, was renamed the 1802. This caliber was revolutionary in many ways, but most importantly, in 1947, it was the first mechanical watch movement ever produced on a modern assembly line. With the help of LIP, the Soviets pioneered mass production of watch movements several years before the Swiss. 

The first watches bore no name on the dial, followed by those marked ZIF, then those with the 3ГЧЗ factory logo, and finally those branded Zvezda (Звезда, meaning "star"). Zvezda watches were produced for both men and women from 1940 until the 1960s. These watches were also some of the first to be exported abroad. 

Case size  -  20  mm. x 35  mm. x10 mm.  












Condition & Media: Sold exactly as shown. Review all pictures carefully; they form an integral part of the description and represent cosmetic condition.

⚠️ CRITICAL MOVEMENTS GUIDE & BUYER AGREEMENT:

⚙️ MANUAL WINDING: NO BATTERY. Powered by mainspring. Wind crown clockwise (15-20 turns) until you feel natural resistance. Do not force it. Rewind every 24-36h.

🔄 AUTOMATIC WATCHES: NO BATTERY. Powered by wrist movement. Arrives stopped due to transit. Shake gently for 30-60 seconds to start, then wear regularly.

🔋 QUARTZ WATCHES: Powered by battery. Fresh battery installed before shipping.

⏱️ VINTAGE ACCURACY & SERVICE: This is a 30-90 year old historic collectible, NOT modern quartz. Daily variance up to +/- 3 to 5 minutes is standard and expected. All timepieces are professionally inspected, tested, and serviced when necessary before listing. However, due to their antique nature, future routine maintenance or fine calibration over time remains the buyer's responsibility. Vintage watches have ZERO water resistance; keep away from moisture.

🚫 FRAUD PROTECTION: False returns (e.g. "defective" due to normal vintage variance or lack of battery) will be immediately reported to eBay as policy abuse.

💼 Selling Policy: All sales final. Ask questions BEFORE bidding/offering. If an item arrives damaged, contact us immediately to arrange a return.

✈️ Shipping & Customs Terms:
• Origin: Shipped from Ukraine via registered AirMail with tracking. Despite the war, our postal system works reliably and securely.
• Delivery: Due to wartime logistics and customs, shipping may take longer. We deeply appreciate your patience and support.
• Duties: Import taxes and fees are the sole responsibility of the buyer.

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