I read about Russian watch history and would like to share with everybody here.
(I was concern if I link to the site, the mods may delete it coz' violation to the rule of linking website selling products.)
So the extracts from the website on Russian watch History:
"Russian watches have a rich and interesting history dating back over 80 years with the creation of the First Moscow Watch Factory, which today manufactures Poljot watches. A highlight of Russia's watch history came in 1961 when cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin took the first ever flight into space with a watch from the First Moscow Watch Factory.
Here's a chronological summary of key events in the history of Russian watchmaking.
1927 - The Labour and Defense Council passed a decree to establish a watch industry to serve government and Red Army needs. The Soviet watches were to be accurate, reliable and not inferior in quality to their Western counterparts. The equipment for the production of these watches was purchased from the USA. This was the origin of the First Moscow Watch Factory.
1930 - The first 50 Russian-made watches were presented at a ceremonial meeting in the Revolution Theatre, now known as the Bolshoi Theatre.
1940 - The "Commander" watch produced by the First Moscow Watch Factory was commonly used by officers of the Red Army. Watches with distinctive engravings were given by the army as a form of reward. In the ten years since the factory opened it produced 2.7 million pocket and wrist watches.
1941 - During World War II The First Moscow Watch Factory was evacuated to the city of Zlatoust. Throughout the war the factory worked for needs of the front producing aircraft watches and sea and aviation chronometers.
1942 - The Chistopol Watch Factory (NK MV 835) was created in July 1st and began manufacturing products for needs of the front. This is the origin of today's Vostok brand.
(Note :This factory was created on the basis of the Second Moscow watch factory and DOS factory,)
1943 - The Chistopol Watch Factory started production of the K-43 man's watch.
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Hello all of you - sorry for my english
My name is Wojtek. I live in Poland - you know where is it?
I love watches. I have some nice souvenirs.
I like pocket watches - some want you to show here
Dueber-Hamden
In 1885 German immigrant John C. Dueber, purchased the Hampden Company, makers of watch movements. The Dueber-Hampden watch factory was built in 1886 in Canton, Ohio and produced fine quality timepieces. The company pioneered the 17-jewel pocketwatch movement, and in 1898 they were the first to introduce the 23-jewel movement.
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?? - 1??? (First State Watch Factory)
Founded in 1930, the First State Watch Factory was the first Soviet watch and mechanical movement manufacturer. The Soviet government bought the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company, and moved twenty-eight freight cars full of machinery and parts from the USA to Moscow in order to establish the factory. Twenty-one former Dueber-Hampden watchmakers, engravers and various other technicians helped train the Russian workers in the art of watchmaking. In 1935 the factory was named after murdered Soviet official Sergei Kirov.
The Type-1 (
-1)
Four variations of watches were chosen to start production: a man’s pocket watch with 15 jewels for the various enterprises of the Ministry of Means of Communications; a man’s wristwatch with 7-jewels for the Red Army; a man’s pocket watch with 7-jewels and a ladies wristwatch with 15-jewels to be sold on the market. The first creations of the new factory were pocket watches called “the first type” or K43. Subsequently, the 7-jewel K43 was superseded by the 15-jewel movement for military applications. quotation:
http://www.bdwf.net/forum/showthread.php?t=70245K-43 is my favorite Soviet movement
I have movements K-43 with:
First State Watch Factory
Second Watch Factory
Chistopol Watch Factory
Zlatoust Watch Factory
I do not have K-43 with 5 Factory yet
I present my collection of soviet pocket watches K-43 Type 1.
First State Watch Factory, circa 1930-1936, dial the later period
First State Watch Factory, circa 1930-1936
First State Watch Factory, circa 1936-1938
First State Watch Factory, 4th quarter 1940
Second State Watch Factory, 1938
Zlatoust Watch Factory, 4th quarter 1958
Chistopol Watch Factory, 4th quarter 1948, dial with ZWF
Chistopol Watch Factory 1-st quarter 1949