It was the end of October 2022 when I received an email from Julian Kampmann of the Poljot24.de shop, stating that he had become an official retailer for the watch brand Kleynod, produced by the Kyiv Watch Company in Ukraine.
I had to read it again. Kley—what?? A brand from Ukraine? Never heard of it. So I had to take action...
I must admit — I’m ashamed. As a collector of ex-USSR watches and everything that evolved from that legacy, it's simply unacceptable that I had missed this brand.
The Kyiv Watch Company was established way back in 1997, and with the help of some watch forums, I learned that the company was initially closely connected to Poljot. In fact, some Poljot watches assembled in Kyiv even had “Ukraine” stamped on them. So I should have known about it!
At the end of 2002, KWF launched their new brand, Kleynod — a name derived from the German and Polish word for treasure or jewel. Soon after, the cooperation between KWF and Poljot came to an end, which makes sense.
To get a better impression of the brand, I asked Julian if he could send me a few watches for testing. He gladly agreed, so I picked several models that looked interesting to me.
I should point out that there are more models available than the ones reviewed here, but many of them — let’s say — felt awkward or strange to me, so I don’t feel I could form a fair opinion about them. For example, the Independence collection, which was long considered their flagship, I personally find rather unattractive. It’s also very Ukraine-oriented, with each series celebrating a different anniversary of Ukrainian independence. The same goes for the Embroidery collection, which incorporates elements of traditional Ukrainian national dress.
There is also the (still available) Football collection, which was released in 2012 to commemorate EURO 2012, co-hosted by Ukraine.
For each of the collections mentioned, I’ve included just one example image taken from the KWH shop — just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about.
For the sake of simplicity, I’m only showing men’s watches, even though the Embroidery collection is actually focused mainly on women’s models. Some of those are quite interesting — at least from a woman’s perspective.
But again, those models fall outside the scope of my personal interest.
At the start of the brand, the company decided to use only Swiss movements — primarily various Ronda quartz calibres. Some models were also developed with ETA automatic movements. As of today, nearly the entire collection consists of watches powered by Ronda quartz movements, with just a few automatic models using the Ronda R150 movement. But I’ll talk more about that later.
So, what did I choose? I selected four watches from three different collections: one from the Forces line, one from the Classic line, and two from the Antonov series.
Let’s go through them step by step — from the most affordable to the most expensive.
a) Kleynod Forces
This was the first watch I took out of the package from Julian — my very first contact with Kleynod. And my initial reaction was: “Oh, what an interesting watch box concept!”
It’s nothing spectacular, but it’s different from anything I’ve seen before. The inner part of the box rises out from the outer shell, but it doesn’t come out entirely. Once lifted, the box opens. I liked it — a small but pleasant surprise.
Opening the box and seeing the watch for the first time, however, wasn’t nearly as exciting. Quite the opposite — my first impression was that I was looking at a cheap watch with a plastic strap.
Although the case is made of stainless steel, it doesn't give off that solid, quality feel. The light blue strap looks cheap, and I really dislike the fact that you have to cut it to size. Since the watch was only on loan and not mine to keep, I didn’t cut the strap — so unfortunately, I can’t give you a realistic impression of how it wears on the wrist.
That was my first impression. But then I started examining some of the details more closely — and I must say, I was quite impressed by the dial. If you look carefully, you’ll notice a variety of subtle colors appearing under different angles — a kind of hidden beauty. The hands are equipped with decent lume as well.
Even the strap, in fact, isn’t so bad after all. I just had the misfortune of choosing the version with a light blue color — and that’s probably the main reason it gave off such a plastic impression. The issue lies more with the color than with the material itself. The strap extends all the way into the case, which is a nice design touch.
Unfortunately, the crystal is only mineral. I really can’t understand how a watch marketed as part of a "Forces" collection comes with just a mineral crystal. You’d expect a watch designed for the “forces” to be a robust, all-purpose tool — and mineral glass simply doesn’t meet those expectations.
The water resistance is also disappointing: just 3 ATM. Again, far below what you’d hope for in this type of watch.
Inside is a Ronda 715 quartz movement with a date function.
I should point out that some Forces models feature a very different dial design. The main difference lies in the numerals: while my version only has hour markers, about half of the models include — at least in my opinion — quite unattractive oversized numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. These numbers dominate the dial and, to me, ruin the overall design.
Another detail worth mentioning is that the case can also come with a PVD coating. So the same basic watch can end up having a very different overall appearance. Just to give you an idea, I’ve again included a picture from the webshop showing a version that features both of these differences. In that example, the bezel stands out more due to a strong color contrast, while on my version, the bezel is more visually subdued. (The bezel, by the way, is fixed.)
The watch has a diameter of 43 mm and a height of 10 mm.
Price? In Ukraine, it’s listed at $180 USD. At Poljot24.de, the same watch costs €225 (VAT included for EU customers; non-EU buyers can deduct the VAT). In my opinion — that’s too much.
One interesting fact: Forces watches were reportedly used by Ukrainian president Mr. Zelensky as gifts to distinguished members of the Ukrainian marine forces and army.
b) Antonov 178
If the Forces model can be described as a simple, affordable everyday sports watch, the Antonov 178 is a completely different story. From the very first moment you handle it, the watch presents itself as something far more refined — offering the best it has.
The Antonov 178 is a relatively new military mid-range transport aircraft, designed and manufactured by the Ukrainian company Antonov — a name well known since Soviet times for building robust and capable aircraft. The plane’s first flight was in 2015, and in cooperation with the Antonov company, Kleynod launched a special collection dedicated to this aircraft.
I must admit, the designers did a great job. There are plenty of subtle details that reference aviation or the Antonov 178 specifically — a number of small visual cues that gently remind you of the watch’s inspiration.
Due to a small misunderstanding, Julian ended up sending me two Antonov 178 watches. So the fact that I’m reviewing both here isn’t part of some hidden agenda. But what started as a mix-up actually turned out to be a good thing — if I had received only one (the blue version, which was my original choice), I wouldn’t have gained such a broad perspective on the watch.
The box follows the same basic construction as the Forces model, but it’s still different in design. I really appreciate that the company pays attention to such details — each collection has its own distinctive box, yet all remain clearly recognizable as part of the same brand. As you’ll see with the next watch as well, Kleynod does this very well.
Then comes the surprise when opening both boxes: the two versions not only differ in dial color, but also in strap design — and not just in terms of color. The entire strap construction is different. The white dial version comes with a full leather strap featuring striking white stripes, clearly inspired by airport runway markings. It’s a clever and meaningful design element. Surprisingly, this detail is completely absent from the blue dial version, which instead features a leather strap with a fabric overlay — giving it a more casual and less aviation-themed appearance.
The first truly distinctive feature of the Antonov 178 is its stainless steel case, which has a very unusual, “aerodynamic” construction. The case extends at both the top and bottom toward the symbolic airport landing strip. This extension is cleverly designed so that the lugs are deeply recessed into the back of the case. The strap doesn’t just attach underneath — it actually integrates into the case itself.
Although the watch measures 44 mm in diameter, the lug-to-lug distance is just 45 mm. However, if you measure from edge to edge — including the case extensions — the total length is 55 mm, which might sound intimidating. But thanks to the short L2L measurement, the watch wears much more compactly than the numbers would suggest. Another factor that helps is the modest thickness — only 11 mm.
Both straps are quite thick, which I like — such a solid, robust case calls for a substantial strap. The band width is 24 mm. I also noticed that the strap on the blue version feels slightly softer, though that could simply be due to material finish. In any case, both straps are already fairly pliable, and I expect they’ll become even more comfortable with regular use.
The dial features concentric circles radiating from the center of the second time zone, described by the manufacturer as an imitation of a radar with a shifted center. These concentric waves are clearly visible to the naked eye on the white-dial version, while on the blue one they are much less obvious.
Next worth mentioning are the hands. All three are shaped to evoke the silhouette of an airplane. However, they are not the same across both models. The white version has clean, polished stainless steel hands with a blue second hand, while the blue version features hands that remind me more of rough stone in texture and color.
I should also highlight the hour markers: the white-dial version has beautiful indices that change color between blue and green depending on the angle, whereas the blue-dial version comes with plain white indices. The glass on both models is sapphire.
Both versions share the same blue crown, though I find the color a bit too aggressive. It has a shiny, almost glossy effect, whereas a darker, deeper blue would have been a nicer, more subtle choice. A nice detail is the engraved “AN-178” on the right edge of the case.
Unfortunately, the watch is quartz again, powered by the Ronda 4210.B movement. It offers two useful complications: a big date and a dual time function. Although advertised as a “second time zone,” it’s truly a dual time — the second time display operates completely independently from the main one. You don’t just set a different time zone; you actually set a separate time. However, the second time cannot be set with perfect precision because you have to use a pusher, which lacks fine accuracy.
Price-wise, both versions retail at around 390 USD in Ukraine and 425 EUR in Germany. It’s not the best value for a quartz watch, but still a fair price.
My price comment is based on the fact that the Antonov watch quite impressed me. Interestingly, I initially thought I would prefer the blue version, but in the end, the white one became by far my favorite. I seriously debated whether to keep the watch or send it back to Julian. The reason why I eventually sent it back will be revealed later.
c) Classic
Now, it’s time to talk about the automatic watch — the Classic model, first released in 2017. It’s interesting that Kleynod was among the first brands worldwide to use the newly developed Ronda 150 automatic movement. After many years, Ronda introduced this new automatic caliber in 2016, aiming to compete with the well-established ETA 2824 and its clones. However, even today, the Ronda 150 remains a relatively rare movement. The movement itself, and the fact that I didn’t have any watch with a Ronda 150 in my collection, added to my excitement about testing this watch.
Let me start again with the packaging. Once more, a different variation of the same box.
The first impression of the watch is “good, but nothing special.” But let me spoil the rest of the review — the watch grows on you, slowly but surely.
Going back to the introduction: after a brief overview, I decided to put it on my wrist. The watch comes with a standard leather strap and a butterfly clasp. All standard, no extras here. I set the strap to the middle hole, and it was way too big. I then moved the clasp to the first hole, and the size was just right! So far, so good — but my wrist measures 19.4 cm, which is not small. And I have to use the very first hole on the strap! That means anyone with a smaller wrist than mine will likely have to replace the strap or punch another hole. I’m not sure if this is standard packaging or if Kleynod offers strap sizing options, but mine is definitely an XXL strap.
As a result, the tail of the strap extends well beyond the lower part of my wrist, and from the top, you can clearly see it.
Another unusual combination is the 22 mm lug width on a relatively modest 42 mm case. Nothing wrong with that, as I personally like wider straps, but I would have expected 20 mm rather than 22 mm for a case of this size.
The shape of the case and the lugs is quite interesting.The case looks like it is made of three layers, giving it a stepped appearance. These steps continue onto the lugs as well. Do those lugs remind you of anything? If you are familiar with former USSR Poljot production, you might notice some similarities with the famous Poljot (actually 1MCHZ at that time) Kirovskie "crab" cases from the fifties. Check it out yourself! Below is an example of a crab case on a Sputnik watch.
With a bit of imagination, I speculated even further. Could this Kleynod be a modern reincarnation of the classic Kirovskie two-tone crab watches? Like the great-grandson of those watches? If you look closely, most crab cases were known to have an inner circle and an outer ring, where the inner part had either a different pattern or a different color. Check the second watch from the top left, and then compare it to the Kleynod — the dial patterns are very similar. From that moment on, this watch got me hooked — for me, this is the Crab reincarnation!
Since I’m discussing the dial, another unusual detail is the design of the Roman numerals. Personally, I’m not a big fan of Roman numerals on dials, and the incorrectly written number four makes me a bit nervous. Nevertheless, I must admit that these numerals are quite interesting. My wife, on the other hand, thinks they look very nice.
The date window is relatively small, and I have the feeling that the date isn’t perfectly aligned—the second digit appears narrower than the first. The silver hands are elegant and thin, which I like. It’s a pity they don’t have any lume. I understand that lume could spoil the elegance, but since I wear my watches overnight, being able to see the time in the dark is a useful feature for me.
Going back to how the watch sits on the wrist, what impressed me is that for a mechanical automatic movement watch, it is quite thin—only 10mm! I don’t mind bulky watches (check out my other reviews), but having a nice slim watch in the collection is a great addition. The slimness is partly thanks to the movement, which is slightly thinner than the ETA 2824, the flat sapphire glass without any slope, and the backplate, which unfortunately is not transparent, so I can’t show you the movement itself.
I checked the accuracy of the movement and found it runs between +4 to +9 seconds per day, depending on the position. This means the positional error is relatively small. With some fine tuning, the watch could likely be adjusted to run within a 0-5 seconds daily range.
The price for this watch is 575 USD in Ukraine and 585 EUR in Germany. You can certainly find pure Swiss watches at this price, but considering everything, this seems like a reasonable offer. And after all that, you can probably guess—I’m keeping this watch. It won’t be going back to Julian.
d) Antonov Mriya
For the final part of the article, I’ll return to the Antonov family watches. Besides the Antonov 178 from this year, there are two other models in the Antonov line: the Antonov-225 Mriya.
The Antonov-225 Mriya was the largest military transport aircraft in the world when it was launched in 1988. It was also designed to carry the USSR space shuttle, Buran. In 2001, Ukraine repainted the aircraft in national colors, and it served in civilian roles. Sadly, at the very start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the aircraft was destroyed by the Russian army. Ironically, Kleynod and Antonov were already developing a new watch dedicated to this airplane before the war began.
The launch of this watch was originally scheduled for April 2022, before the war began. Although the watch was eventually released, production has been significantly slowed due to the ongoing conflict.
I present here two versions of the watch. The first is in the aircraft’s original colors and was produced in a limited edition of 1,988 pieces. The second version features the later Ukrainian color scheme and is limited to 2,001 pieces.
Much like the aircraft it honors, this watch is a mastodon! Its dimensions are 52 mm by 54 mm, with a strap width of 28 mm. I honestly have no idea if this watch is wearable at all. It’s once again a quartz watch, powered by the Ronda 7003.L movement.
At the moment, the red version of the watch is available for purchase, while the yellow-and-blue variant is delayed due to the unavailability of back plates. As a result, the delivery time is currently long. The watch is presently only available in Ukraine, priced at 690 USD.
I am seriously considering buying the red version for several reasons. Firstly, the watch is closely linked not only to my (now almost cleared-out) USSR collection but also to my space-themed collection. Secondly, I had the opportunity to see the Antonov 225 in person, and that aircraft left a huge impression on me. And thirdly, 15% of every sold watch is contributed to the fund for restoring the Mriya plane. It’s not a large amount, but I’ll be happy to help if this project has even a small chance of success.
This is also the reason why—despite my fondness for the Antonov 178—I won’t be keeping one. From the Antonov collection, I’ll wait for the Mriya watch. I could already order it directly from the Kleynod webshop, but for now, I’ll wait to see if Julian will be able to add it to his selection—and if so, I’ll order it from him.
I have to express my deep respect for the Kleynod team—for continuing their work and maintaining such a high standard of watch production while their country is under attack. Personally, I encountered significant difficulties just accessing information on the Kleynod website. On several occasions, my computer flagged malicious software attempts linked to suspicious Russian sources when I tried to open their pages. For that reason, I’ve decided not to order the Mriya watch directly from Ukraine at this time—I simply don’t feel confident that my data would be secure. I can only imagine how challenging it must be to carry out something as seemingly “normal” as watchmaking in an environment that is anything but normal.
And finally, a big thank-you to Julian Kampmann for sending me all the watches for review. I want to clearly state that this is not a paid review—all opinions expressed are entirely my own and completely unbiased.
P.S.: If and when I receive the Mriya watch, this review will continue.
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