Watch Collection

Vostok “Komandirskie” watch: Russian:

This is the "Submariner" version of the Vostok Komandirskie watch: many different versions exist. My wife bought me this watch as a present, but sadly soon afterwards I thought I'd broken it by repeatedly advancing the date by turning it back and forward through midnight (this is not a good thing to do with any watch- unless you go back to well before midnight- say 22.00). I ruefully cast my Komandirskie aside and it lay neglected deep in my desk draw. Well I bought another one - this time the brass(?) plated version arrived. This watch has done many years good service on various adventures (these are those sort of watches!). One day I dug out the original Komandirskie (on right) to give it a go... and it went fine... and has done now for seven years! It was never broken! So now I have two Vostok Komandirskies . I prefer the chrome-plated version - the case of the brass plated version has become a bit "pitted" -though I still enjoy wearing the old workhorse! These watches are satisfyingly heavy- and a watchmender once described these Russian watches as "agricultural"- I don't care- I love them!

Majak watch: Russian:

In English "Majak" means "Lighthouse".

I bought this watch because it was manufactured in the year I was born, 1954.

This watch has a 16 jewels "Pobeda" movement ("Pobeda" translates as "Victory", the name given by Stalin at the end of the Second World War). It has a shock resistant balance within a stainless steel case. The movement is of calibre 2603 with a second hand sub dial.

Like the Sportivinie watch movement below, the movement of this Majak watch was made at the First Moscow Watch Factory (1MCh3 is engraved on the watches barrel) but made into a watch at the Petrodvorets Factory which is located in the Petrodvortsovy District of St. Petersburg.

Sportivnie watch: Russian:

I bought this early 1950s Russian Sportivnie watch because I like going running and saw the "running / hurdling man" on the face. In fact this Sportivnie was produced with the sportsman in mind, as it has a "hacking" function, meaning it can be stopped, rather like a stopwatch, by pulling the crown out. This means it can also be accurately set to the correct time. It also has a sturdy shock proof balance. The calibre is 2634. Similar models were produced aimed at swimmers and cyclists.

This 17 jewel Sportivnie was not expensive to buy, although such watches are becoming scarcer as they can be modified to resemble the desirable Sturmanskie military watches: some say Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, wore a simiar model Sturmanskie watch. Sturmanskie translates as Navigator . The 17 jewel Sportivnie has an almost identical movement and case as the Sturmanskie military watch.

The Sportivnie watch was manufactured at the First Moscow Watch Factory and was the first wristwatch made in the USSR with a central second hand and hacking function. As well as the figure, on the face is written (in Russian) Sportivnie and '17 jewels'.

Vostok “Komandirskie” watch: Russian:

I really like my two manual wind Vostok Komandirskies. I think they are "out of the ordinary" and I especially like their well-known rugged build. Also they are inexpensive and I would much rather have a manual wind Komandirskie than a battery powered quartz watch of similar price!

Komandirskie watches started being manufactured in 1965 at the request of the USSR Ministry of Defence. The original movements were upgraded in 1970: my Komandirskies were manufactured around the year 2000.

Komandirskie can be translated as "Commanders". Vostok (or "Boctok") is translated as "East", this name being chosen in honour of the first manned space flight by Yuri Gagarin (12 April 1961). These watches were (are still!) made at a factory in Chistopol which was established as a watch making facility after the First Moscow Watch Factory moved back to Moscow after its temporary stay there for the duration of the Second World War.

My Vostok Komandirskie watches are manual wound with a date: their movement is 2414a calibre with 17 jewels and a central seconds hand. The cases are of chrome plated brass and these watches have a very attractive design on the Stainless steel screwed down back. The "crystal" of Komandirskies are domed and made of acrylic plastic. (Note: many modern watch crystals are made of acrylic: minor scratches can be "rubbed out" by application of toothpaste using a gentle circular motion).

My Komandirskies have a submarine design on their faces, but a huge range of case and dial combinations are available.

My wife bought me my first Komandirskie, but sadly soon afterwards I thought I'd broken it by repeatedly advancing the date by turning it back and forward through midnight (this is not a good thing to do with any watch unless you go back to well before midnight- say 22.00). I ruefully cast this Komandirskie out of sight in my desk draw. Well I bought another one - this time a brass cased version arrived. This watch has done many years good service on various adventures. One day I dug out my original Komandirskie... and it went fine... and has done now for sixteen years! It was never broken! So now I have two Vostok Komandirskies. The case of the brass version has become a bit "pitted" -though I still enjoy wearing this old workhorse! These Vostok Komandirskie watches are satisfyingly heavy- and a watchmender once described these Russian watches as "agricultural"- I don't care- I love them!

Below you can see my chrome-cased Komandirskie (left) and the very attractive case back of my Komandirskies.

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Omega “Genève” watch: Swiss: 1974

I bought this beautiful Omega Genève very cheaply in a junk shop. The owner of the shop told me it was a fake. However when I went to a reputable jewelers to buy a strap I was told I ought to have it cleaned... because it was a nice example of an early 1970's Omega watch! At his recommendation- to look after my investment(!)- I had it cleaned. In fact it is the more expensive (and more modern) Omega watches that are often faked. The glass was quite scratched, but after cleaning it looks fantastic! The Omega site has a "Vintage" page where I discovered this watch is from the "International" Collection, was manufactured in 1974, has a caliber number of 1030 and is water resistant to 30m. The case is polished stainless steel and the date can be moved on by pulling out the bevel and pushing it back in. There is no serial number (or other markings) on the back of the watch. Like the Seiko, I guess this is a "dress" watch, so it doesn't always suit what I'm wearing!

Seiko “Sportsmatic” watch: Japanese: 1974

This is an "automatic" self-winding watch that my father was given when he left a large company after many year's service. I remember him wearing it when he was struggling to fix cars - so it's got a few scratches on the "glass", the worst of which I've got out using toothpaste. Now it's mine- and I wear it with pride. The case is gold coloured (plated?) and it has a 17 jewel "Diashock" movement. On the reverse is written "SEIKO SPORTSMATIC FULL AUTOWINDING FRONT EGP 15035". The serial number is 4004622. For some reason (now forgotten) I originally thought the initial "4" indicated that it was made in 1974 - though I am grateful to the expertise of Jon who e-mailed to tell me the date of manufacture was actually 1964 - the Seiko logo on the watch was only in use during the early 1960s - and the statement "full autowinding" for even less time. Like most of my watches it could do with cleaning!

“Zan” watch: French(?): 1950’s

This is probably my favourite wristwatch- I think it's got a very stylish, retro style- and it's the cheapest one I've ever bought! I picked it up at a French "vide grenier" ("attic emptying"). At first it stopped occassionaly when the second hand caught on the minute hand- fortunately I managed to open it up and tweak the second hand away. It keeps very good time! I've been told it's a 1950's watch with a good 17 jewel movement ("Ancre 17 Rubis"), although I suspect the movement isn't French as on the reverse is written, in English, "WATERPROOF- STAINLESS STEEL- ANTIMAGNETIC" and a reference(?) number- 1041. It claims to be waterproof (""Etanche")- though I wouldn't risk it! The are two marks imperfectly stamped into the side of the watch: a star(?) within a square and a 5(?) superimposed on a B(?).

“Medana” pocket watch: Swiss: 1920’s⁄30’s?

This is one of my "Uncle George" pocket watches- "given" to me when I was very young (too young?- see later!). I can't remember Uncle George, though I think my father said he emigrated to America, maybe around the 1930's.. It looks to be a basic, inexpensive watch. I can't find out much about the brand name "Medana" other than it was a name used by Meyer and Studeli, of Solothurn, Switzerland around the 1890's. They went bankrupt and I think the name passed to The Roamer Watch Company, again of Solothurn. I believe this company was "recently" bought by a company in Hong Kong which is still producing watches. In years gone by many Swiss companies produced watches branded with their own name, but these companies had only really assembled/ branded watches manufactered elsewhere. Inside the watch case is a scratched watchmender's mark, "REGD. T.M. No.711164" and "PURE NICKEL": presumably this refers to the cover. There is no lettering on the movement. This was the first watch I "tampered" with (aged about 12 years)... fortunately I didn't get too far into the works, and the result is only that one of the three screws holding in the movement is missing: the watch still runs well, but should be cleaned....

Waltham watch: USA: 1919

Another of Uncle George's watches- maybe bought after he had made his "fortune" in America! The Watham Watch Company is very well known and started the mass production of watches. Inside the watch case, as well as two watchmenders marks, is written "STAR 10 YEAR", "DENNISON WATCH CASE CO LTD" and "686370". I have read that the Waltham Watch Company was started by Howard, Davis and Dennison in 1850; maybe it was the same Dennison who had made the case (though I have also read it was started by Dennison and W and Edward Howard in Roxbury in 1848). Inside the back of the watch case is written "ENGLISH MAKE", "THIS CASE GUARANTEED TO WEAR 10 YEARS","686370" and "22". On the nicely engraved backplate of the movement itself is witten "A.W.W.Co. WALTHAM, MASS." and a serial number "22786798", indicating that the movement was manufactured in 1919 (see Waltham Pocket Watch Serial Numbers). I like to think about the history this watch has seen... This watch runs intermittantly and could do with a service - but I am not going to fiddle with it myself!

The changing names of Waltham watch manufacturers..

The companies manufacturing Waltham watches changed their names a few times as follows:-

• The American Horologe Co.: 1850
• The Warren Manufacturing Co. (The Boston Watch Co.?): 1857
• The American Watch Co.: 1859-85
• The American Waltham Watch Co.: 1885-1921
• Waltham Watch Co.: 1923-25
• Waltham Watch and Clock Co.: 1925
• Waltham Watch Co.: until 1950

For a thorough history of the company see (of course..) the entry in Wikipedia.

Also if you are interested in Waltham watches then you might want to look at the 1911 catalogue of the Waltham Watch Company provided on the Special Project page of the superb Web Horology Site.