Andrei has sent in his Soviet classic in the hope of getting it working again as it should. This model has a lot of history in the Russian air force and a modified model made it all the way into space with Juri Gargarin.
The watch is not running and has received a lot of action in both the hands of the owner and previous watchmakers so I knew this would be a challenge I was accepting.
Mitka and I like to surprise each other with the odd watch here and there, and Mitka had something special in stock for me – a Russian Wolna calibre 2809. Probably one of the finest watches made in the USSR.
It’s a copy of the Zenith 135 movement, but with a couple of differences. A communist watches doesn’t need decorations, so those were left out, but it has the added feature of a central second hand instead of a sub-second hand. I’ll trade that any day! Continue reading
This watch belongs to William, and it’s a Russian Vimpel, made by Kirova. It has 23 jewels, and that’s all I know about it. Maybe one of my readers can identify the movement and shed some light on it?
I also know nothing about Russian hallmarks, but the case looks like 9ct rose gold to me. Continue reading
I don’t get Russian wrist watches too often, and there is a good reason for that. It’s the value of these watches that normally doesn’t make it economical to service such a watch. But if you like them, and you want to wear the watch you have, it doesn’t really matter.
This Sekonda stops intermittently, so it needs some attention. Continue reading
Robert from the Netherlands sent me this great looking Poljot chronograph. It’s not keeping good time, and not working properly.
Let’s see what’s happening…
Another one of Richard’s watches – a lovely Sekonda Alarm with a great dial. The crystal is quite scratched, but that’s not a problem, and the watch doesn’t work.
The Sekonda movement is pretty much an exact copy of the AS1930, used in various Swiss alarm watches, such as the Oris.
Without naming names, I just removed a balance with hairspring from a watch a client has sent in. This one beats everything I’ve seen so far.
Please don’t open up your watch, bend all sorts of things, and kill the hairspring. Keep it closed.
I bought this lovely ladies’ watch on eBay from a guy in Belarus (vlad7600). Not only did he ship very quickly, but the watch was as described, so full marks for him. I bought it for £3.13 plus £3.13 postage. Not bad for a total of £6.26 ;-).
Currently, my daughter has a quartz watch with a cat on it, and I’d like her to have something a bit nicer.Our own Cirrus made a valiant effort to free her from the chains of her current watch, and sent me a nice looking pin-pallet ladies’ watch, but it was too worn out to be repaired…
This Poljot was sent in by David from Alberta in Canada. The watch isn’t working – it just doesn’t wind up. Looks like the mainspring is slipping or the ratchet wheel on top of the barrel is broken.
My next Russian pocket watch project – a “Raketa” (you have to love that name). Very unique design, and very 70s I would say. It has a date display and central second hand as well, and it comes in a very sturdy case. Let’s see what’s inside!