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The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

The small Zim watches produced under the Pobeda brand (and intended for children) are always imbued with a freshness and whimsy that is hard to find elsewhere. This one is dedicated to apples, the small apples that withstand the harshest climates. The small apples with such a distinctive taste, so deeply ingrained in our memories, that we don't find in stores but that we harvest at the dacha and that family and friends give us by the bucketful to make compotes or jams. The genius of this model lies in the small seconds hand being inscribed within an apple. There's nothing particularly remarkable to say about this model except for the vibrant, almost vitamin-rich dial for such a classic case, and a completely outdated movement (the 15-jewel ZIM 2602, a distant descendant of the LIP R26). The case is 29 mm in diameter (junior size) with a thickness of 10 mm and a 16 mm lug width. The soundtrack I would associate with this watch would be, of course, "The Little Apple," that ancient dance song of Ukrainian origin that remains as popular as ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NKtERwSPA0&list=PLTZHTzNOrq-xboDaefBFBYwWxLKJ7-TYx&index=1

Crunchy little watch

Wearing vintage is always a way of bringing together distant eras that can resonate, clash, or even both, as differences and similarities overlap. Watches bearing the "Glasnost" label are particularly striking in their opposition. At first glance, one might think that the digitalization of our world, new information and communication technologies, have brought greater transparency, greater freedom of expression, and greater truth. In reality, it's quite the opposite; we're moving further away from these values, immersed in silence and lies. A single misplaced word, taken out of context, can suddenly land anyone in prison.

And yet, there was a time, not so long ago, when anything could be said, and the word "Glasnost" was even prominently displayed on watch dials alongside "USSR."

The numerals are tilted slightly from the vertical, of course, because the time must be read while in action, with the arm extended forward at a 45-degree angle. No more wasting time stopping to check the time; instead, one moves forward, after decades in which the slightest inclination to undertake anything or engage in any kind of business relationship was a grave crime steeped in bourgeois values. There was a lot of catching up to do, and it becomes clear that the watch was designed for action.

But Glasnost is above all an opportunity to demonstrate the utter stupidity of the system and the absurd uselessness of the Soviet citizen amidst a so-called economic "reconstruction" that was completely devoid of meaning. Perhaps that's why the numerals are tilted; they are losing their balance and collapsing. Every crisis has two sides: the depressing collapse and the exhilarating opportunity to build something better. The case is meticulously crafted, gold-plated with a rim, and the steel case back is simply snapped on. The watch houses a 2609NA movement with 16 jewels.

The soundtrack you can listen to is "Everything's going according to plan," a completely meaningless mantra that you can't shake, by Egor Letov.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ift8T7eVEo



There was a time when those under twenty...

Two-hand watches offer exceptional serenity, firstly because the seconds hand isn't there to add a touch of anxiety about the passage of time, and secondly because its absence extends the power reserve; energy is no longer wasted on a minute-by-minute rotation of the dial. The burgundy gradient against which the gold numerals stand out, matching the stylized Breguet-style hands, is quite striking, even hypnotic.
The case back is simply snapped on, and the movement is a tiny Tchaïka 1601A with 17 jewels (16mm in diameter and 3mm thick) beating at 21,600 A/h.
The music I would pair with it is Pulstar by Vangelis
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=N4UKsi979nM

The delicacy of quiet power

This export Poljot (with English inscriptions) has a truly remarkable checkered dial that offered a welcome escape from the drabness of the Soviet world. It's clearly an export version, as evidenced by the English inscriptions, but like most export products, it found its way onto the Soviet market through dedicated channels.

The bracelet is also unusual, as the lugs are reversed relative to the lug width. Therefore, it's a dedicated bracelet supplied by Poljot and branded with the Poljot logo on the buckle. The bracelet features the inscription "stainless steel" on the inside (except that the inscription is in Russian, unlike the dial). The stainless steel case back is also secured by a six-pronged ring. The movement is a Poljot 2614.2N with 17 jewels.

Ultimately, this watch is very legible. Although the hands and dial are similar colors, the way the grooves and angles of the different sections are worked means the light is reflected differently. In most lighting conditions, the time is perfectly legible. However, the checkerboard pattern isn't always visible; from certain angles, it almost looks like a seamless continuum. This is what gives the dial a magical, ever-changing, and sophisticated appearance.
The music I would associate with the watch is "Talisman" by Air, because of the captivating effect of the dial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RSVa_vF3NI

A pattern that appears or disappears depending on the light

I've already left a review of this 571292, powered by a 2609NA movement. However, that review concerns the version intended for the domestic market (hence the Cyrillic inscriptions), which features the Soviet quality mark.

I won't repeat my previous review; it's the same magic of those large, sweeping numerals on a captivating striated dial, and the song "Tzely God" that it evokes for me (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uXM2bUjtew).

The difference, of course, is this quality mark, a symbol that bears witness to a bygone era, much like hieroglyphs in ancient Egypt. Another notable difference is the metal bracelet with quadrilateral links instead of hexagonal ones, giving it a more classic look.

Tac Tac Tac 

This model, whose design dates back to the 1960s, is a Raketa classic. It's the counterpart to the Atom, which divides the dial into three sections. The division into four quarters, or four quarter-hours, is much more natural. As always, I really like this type of watch because it's so minimalist and conceptual. It's like imagining a square within a circle, an eternal problem given the transcendent nature of Pi. The four horizontal hour markers are also remarkable because they are independent of the circle; they are not oriented centrifugally, but horizontally, expressing the superiority of the mind over circular motion.

The movement is a 2609 with 16 jewels. The case is chrome-plated brass; other versions exist in gold plating or with flattened numerals instead of hour markers. The case back is snap-on. The diameter is 35mm without the crown and 36mm with it.

The soundtrack I would associate with this great Raketa classic from the late 70s is Sputnik / Korolev by PBS https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=DsbYqX3umFs, which evokes the world of space exploration.

Raketa Academic, squaring the circle

<p><strong>ZRC</strong> est une maison horlog&egrave;re fond&eacute;e en <strong>1904</strong> &agrave; Gen&egrave;ve (Suisse) par Edmond Zuccolo et Joseph Rochet. N&eacute;e dans l&rsquo;univers des cha&icirc;nes de gousset puis des bracelets m&eacute;talliques extensibles, la marque s&rsquo;adresse aujourd&rsquo;hui aux amateurs de plongeuses-outils iconiques, rendue c&eacute;l&egrave;bre par sa Grands Fonds d&eacute;velopp&eacute;e pour la Marine nationale &agrave; partir des ann&eacute;es 1960.</p>
<h3>Couronne &agrave; 6 h, bo&icirc;tier monobloc et esprit Marine nationale</h3>
<p>Con&ccedil;ue pour r&eacute;pondre aux contraintes op&eacute;rationnelles des plongeurs-d&eacute;mineurs fran&ccedil;ais, la Grands Fonds adopte la couronne &agrave; 6 h, un bo&icirc;tier monobloc et des solutions maison comme l&rsquo;ECS (Easy Clean System) et le CPS (Crown Protection System). <strong>Dans la pratique, la couronne &agrave; 6 h et le CPS emp&ecirc;chent de porter la montre si la couronne n&rsquo;est pas parfaitement viss&eacute;e</strong>, limitant ainsi les risques d&rsquo;erreur avant immersion ; l&rsquo;ECS facilite le rin&ccedil;age pour &eacute;viter la cristallisation du sel sous la lunette.</p>
<h3>Grands Fonds et d&eacute;clinaisons contemporaines</h3>
<p>La collection actuelle d&eacute;cline l&rsquo;ADN historique (lisibilit&eacute;, ergonomie de terrain, silhouette &laquo; outil &raquo;) en plusieurs tailles et niveaux de performance. <strong>Quel que soit le mod&egrave;le, l&rsquo;architecture et la signature &agrave; 6 h rendent la lecture imm&eacute;diate et l&rsquo;identit&eacute; instantan&eacute;ment reconnaissable</strong>.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>ZRC Grands Fonds MN64 </strong>&mdash; Hommage aux sp&eacute;cifications Marine nationale, codes historiques de cadran et de lunette.</li>
<li><strong>ZRC Grands Fonds Heritage</strong>&nbsp;&mdash; Gabarit plus contenu (38 mm) conservant la signature de couronne &agrave; 6 h pour les poignets fins.</li>
<li><strong>ZRC Securicode</strong> &mdash; R&eacute;interpr&eacute;tation d&rsquo;un th&egrave;me de la fin des ann&eacute;es 1950/1960, avec &eacute;l&eacute;ments de style historiques.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Positionnement : outil pro, prix et distribution</h3>
<p>La marque revendique un positionnement &laquo; instrument de plong&eacute;e &raquo; au sein de l&rsquo;horlogerie ind&eacute;pendante suisse, avec volumes de production <em>non communiqu&eacute;</em> et diffusion s&eacute;lective (d&eacute;taillants sp&eacute;cialis&eacute;s et vente directe). <strong>&Agrave; titre indicatif, de nombreuses r&eacute;f&eacute;rences acier se situent autour de 2 500&ndash;3 000 &euro;, tandis que des versions techniques en titane d&eacute;passent 4 000 &euro;</strong> ; certaines &eacute;ditions sp&eacute;ciales ou m&eacute;taux nobles s&rsquo;&eacute;tablissent nettement au-del&agrave;. Pr&eacute;sence confirm&eacute;e en France avec des &eacute;taillants comme <a href="https://www.bijouterie-clouzeau.fr/fr/marques/zrc-1904">Clouzeau</a> ou <a href="https://www.berenger.fr/fr/horlogerie-berenger/marques/zrc-1904">Berenger</a>, et sur quelques march&eacute;s Asie/Moyen-Orient via un r&eacute;seau resserr&eacute;.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p><strong>ZRC s&rsquo;adresse aux amateurs de montres-outils au style imm&eacute;diatement identifiable</strong>, qui privil&eacute;gient la fonctionnalit&eacute;, la lisibilit&eacute; et une signature de design forte. Le choix se fera entre un usage polyvalent quotidien (Grands Fonds 300/38), une filiation historique appuy&eacute;e (MN64, Securicode) ou une approche plus technique et extr&ecirc;me (Grands Fonds 3000 Titanium). Les acheteurs sensibles &agrave; l&rsquo;ergonomie appr&eacute;cieront la couronne &agrave; 6 h et la s&eacute;curit&eacute; du CPS ; les puristes salueront la coh&eacute;rence d&rsquo;ensemble. Pour &eacute;clairer votre d&eacute;cision au-del&agrave; de la fiche technique, fiez-vous&nbsp;<strong>aux avis clients Dialicious</strong>, utiles pour comprendre confort, lisibilit&eacute; r&eacute;elle et ressenti au port&eacute;.</p>
<p>(Mise &agrave; jour Ao&ucirc;t 2025)</p>

<p><strong>ZRC</strong> is a watch brand founded in <strong>1904</strong> in Geneva, Switzerland, by Edmond Zuccolo and Joseph Rochet. Born in the field of pocket-watch chains and later expandable metal bracelets, the brand now caters to enthusiasts of iconic tool divers, made famous by its Grands Fonds developed for the French Navy from the 1960s onward.</p>
<h3>6 o&rsquo;clock crown, monobloc case and French Navy spirit</h3>
<p>Engineered to meet the operational demands of French Navy mine-clearance divers, the Grands Fonds features a 6 o&rsquo;clock crown, a monobloc case and in-house solutions such as ECS (Easy Clean System) and CPS (Crown Protection System). <strong>In practice, the 6 o&rsquo;clock crown and CPS prevent the watch from being worn unless the crown is fully screwed down</strong>, reducing user error prior to immersion; ECS helps flush out salt to prevent crystallization under the bezel.</p>
<h3>Grands Fonds and contemporary variants</h3>
<p>The current collection translates the historical DNA (legibility, field ergonomics, tool-watch silhouette) into multiple sizes and performance levels. <strong>Whichever the model, the 6 o&rsquo;clock signature ensures instant readability and an immediately recognisable identity</strong>.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>ZRC Grands Fonds MN64</strong> &mdash; Core diver inspired by 1964, 300 m, bold legibility for versatile daily wear.</li>
<li><strong>ZRC Grands Fonds Hertiage</strong> &mdash; Smaller 38 mm option retaining the 6 o&rsquo;clock crown signature for slimmer wrists.</li>
<li><strong>ZRC Securicode</strong> &mdash; Reinterpretation of a late-1950s/1960s theme with historical design elements.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Positioning: pro tool, pricing and distribution</h3>
<p>The brand&rsquo;s stance is that of an independent Swiss &ldquo;diving instrument,&rdquo; with production volumes <em>not disclosed</em> and selective distribution (specialist retailers and direct sales). <strong>As a guide, many steel references sit around &euro;2,500&ndash;3,000, while technical titanium pieces exceed &euro;4,000</strong>; special editions or precious-metal variants are significantly higher. Presence is established in Europe such as <a href="https://www.soprana.com/zrc-1904/?lang=en">Soprana</a> in Italy or <a href="https://junod-lausanne.ch/fr/collections/zrc">Junod</a> in Switzerland, and selected Asian/Middle-Eastern markets through a tight retail network.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>ZRC speaks to those who value immediately recognisable tool-watch design with functional clarity and a strong signature. Your choice will likely fall between versatile daily wear (Grands Fonds 300/38), an emphatic historical link (MN64, Securicode), or a more technical, extreme approach (Grands Fonds 3000 Titanium). Ergonomics benefit from the 6 o&rsquo;clock crown and CPS safety; purists will appreciate the overall coherence. To refine your decision beyond the spec sheet, rely on <strong>Dialicious customer reviews</strong> to understand comfort, real-world legibility and on-wrist feel.</p>
<p>(Updated August 2025)</p>

Wind of change 's review on his Pobeda Zim

Crunchy little watch

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