Will post unboxing pics when it arrives. Includes a bronze statue of Lenin’s hut in Razliv, a nice ushanka, and wool overcoat. Gonna be so cozy this winter 
Will post unboxing pics when it arrives. Includes a bronze statue of Lenin’s hut in Razliv, a nice ushanka, and wool overcoat. Gonna be so cozy this winter
They're all kinda "fake" (especially the inexpensive ones) and you just have to accept them as they are - often cobbled together from a handful of different watches or have had the face repainted to look like an uncommon model that is popular.
The frustrating bit about vintage watches is that they can be a bit fuzzy with keeping good time.
That's a shame, I was hoping some of them were essentially the same but maybe with the original glass replaced. I still dig the aesthetic regardless, even if it's not totally authentic, it's still interesting.
I went through a handful of vintage Soviet pieces before eventually settling on something more practical - a modern reissue of the original 1965 Vostok Komandirskie. It's a nice field watch with Soviet aesthetics (though it's a bit larger and more modern than the originals). I'd recommend it to others looking for a similar watch, but I ordered it direct from the manufacturer (Meranom) in Russia ages ago and it's probably more difficult to get one these days with the sanctions (unless you live somewhere outside of
lol). Plus, I have no idea if it was part of a limited anniversary run or whatever.
You can try a vintage watch, but just don't get too attached to it. It'll probably have something break or start running excessively fast/slow before you know it.
That's a very beautiful watch! Maybe a modern re-issue is the way to go to get something that will continue working. Only thing is I'm looking for a smaller watch, which excludes e.g. the Amphibia dive watches. Looks like some Komandirskies are small enough though, i'll keep looking. The reissued Sturmanskie "Gagarin" watch looks good too.
I've been hunting around Russian auction sites like Avito a bit as well. I have a contact who it could be delivered to, but I need to check how customs/sanctions since 2022 might complicate importing it.
Maybe I won't buy anything in the end, but it's fun to browse!
Soviet Antarctic expedition:
Pobeda with an interesting face:
Raketa SZRP - Unfortunately too expensive, but I like the subtle reference to a Bolshevik propaganda poster: