46 replies to this topic

[wotsch]

As I've had a bit of time recently, I've done a little research on a recent acquisition - a Sturmanskie chronograph - and noted down a few details about it.

First, a couple of pictures:









The watch has a Poljot 3133 hand-wound, 23 jewel, chronograph movement, running at 21600 bph and with a power reserve of 42 hours. I measured the accuracy over 48 hours to be a pretty linear -15s per day, which is well within specifications (see, for example, here). I've read that other forum members have much better accuracy (e.g. here), but I'm not sure that's to be expected for an old one. What are your experiences?

Here's the movement:



This movement is nearly identical to Valjoux 7734, being produced on the same machines which were sold to Poljot in 1975 - there's more details in another thread here.

The watch has a rotating bezel under the glass, controlled by the crown on the left-hand side of the body. I'm not sure whether this is intended for measuring elapsed time (like a diver's watch bezel) or for being able to quickly see the time in a different time-zone - both are possible. Any ideas which is the intended purpose?

The previous owner told me he bought the watch in 1995 from a watchmaker in Poland, who he says was a specialist in Russian Poljot watches. It spent the next 16 years in his cupboard and was never worn and seldom wound. I have no idea if he bought the watch new or used, so if an expert can give me an idea of when the watch could have been produced, then I'd be very grateful.

I obtained the watch on a slightly rough Vostock leather strap, which I really like as it gives the watch a more authentic 70s/80s feel to it.



The only anomaly I can see on the watch (but I'm no expert) is that the second-hand (which is always black in photos I've seen of this type of watch) seems to have been replaced by a red minute-counter hand.

I am really enjoying this watch and it's getting plenty of time on my wrist.

Hope you like it.
-wotsch

[Dick Browne]

Lovely looking watch - I've got a few Russian watches with that same movement and it's a real worker. The accuracy you're seeing is pretty much in line with what I see from my Poljot Chrono, which is the only one I've bothered checking for accuracy.

Oddly enough, I saw yours, thought "Nice watch, I wonder..." and fired up eBay (come on, don't tell me you don't do that!) and the first one I saw had a red second hand, not with a cross piece like yours, but red all the same. I prefer yours to the eBay one, btw, I'm still searching for the right Omega Flightmaster, so I like that style of hand anyway

Cheers

Richard

[wotsch]

Hi Richard,

thanks for the feedback, it's good to hear that the accuracy is OK.

re. the second hand. I actually meant the small second hand at 9 o'clock, should have been more clear ;-) As far as I have seen, the big timer second hand is always red.

BTW, I do that eBay thing too :-)

Edited by wotsch, 29 January 2011 - 02:54 PM.

[martinzx]

Lovely watch in excellent condition, you are correct the left sub dial second counter are normally in black, the Chrono counter with the cross on the end indicates its a re-issue from 1995, maybe sold under vostok hence the strap, but orginally by the 1stMoscow Watch factory Poljot.

You can look your watch up here & maybe find more info on Mark Godon's excellent site

http://ussrtime.com/start.html

Thanks for posting

[Chascomm]

wotsch, on 29 January 2011 - 02:15 PM, said:

The previous owner told me he bought the watch in 1995 from a watchmaker in Poland, who he says was a specialist in Russian Poljot watches. It spent the next 16 years in his cupboard and was never worn and seldom wound. I have no idea if he bought the watch new or used, so if an expert can give me an idea of when the watch could have been produced, then I'd be very grateful.

This dial, with no country-of-origin indicated, in combination with the old Shturmanskie chrono case with 2-piece back, bears out the previous owner's story. This watch would have been made in the earliest post-Soviet period in the first half of the 1990s. If I recall correctly, the snap-on caseback was becoming common for other models of Poljot chrono by 1995.

Quote

The watch has a rotating bezel under the glass, controlled by the crown on the left-hand side of the body. I'm not sure whether this is intended for measuring elapsed time (like a diver's watch bezel) or for being able to quickly see the time in a different time-zone - both are possible. Any ideas which is the intended purpose?

As you say, both uses are possible, and I've used this bezel type both ways on occasion. Given that half-hour marks are present, I would say that the designers considered the possibility of its use as an hour accumulator in combination with the 30 minute chronograph mechanism. By contrast, the later Shturmanskie-II chrono case (internal bezel with crown at 10 o'clock) has the bezel marked with hour numbers only.

[chris l]

The second hand is the same as that used on the later Okeahs.

I like the 3133, and have a couple of old Sturmanskies; one issue and one commemorative navy piece.

Very nice watch!

[mel]

Nice piece, very OKEAH -ish, or maybe 'tother way round, maybe the OKEAH's are STURMANSKI-ish.

The grey dial is very appealing, there are not that many watches in that colourway! E N J O Y!

[danyel]

Une autre poljot calibre Molnija 3105



sturmanskie 3133

[danyel]

sturmanskie 3133

Edited by danyel, 16 February 2011 - 03:41 PM.

[wotsch]

@danyel: lovely! Especially the one with the red star.

This one:

danyel, on 16 February 2011 - 03:38 PM, said:

sturmanskie 3133

is on my wish-list right up near the top, preferably with a cyrillic dial like the one shown here.

Cheers!

[danyel]

[martinzx]

danyel, on 16 February 2011 - 03:38 PM, said:

sturmanskie 3133

First time i think I have seen this one, it looks great

[tonyrsv]

Well, just started to look at the possible purchase of my first rusky and there are a few nice chronos here.
Particuarly like the one with the cyrillic dial in the link posted above.
Thanks all for the pics.

Quote

Oddly enough, I saw yours, thought "Nice watch, I wonder..." and fired up eBay (come on, don't tell me you don't do that!)

- Count me in too

Edited by tonyrsv, 19 February 2011 - 03:02 AM.

[Dick Browne]

tonyrsv, on 19 February 2011 - 02:56 AM, said:

Well, just started to look at the possible purchase of my first rusky and there are a few nice chronos here.
Particuarly like the one with the cyrillic dial in the link posted above.
Thanks all for the pics.

Quote

Oddly enough, I saw yours, thought "Nice watch, I wonder..." and fired up eBay (come on, don't tell me you don't do that!)

- Count me in too

[wotsch]

Just acquired another Sturmanskie to keep the other one company. Here's a first photo taken with my phone:


Sturmanski by wotsch, on Flickr

I'll take some better ones when the light is better and I have a bit of spare time.

This dial is a dark blue and the watch came with a Poljot steel armband that's a little lightweigt, but in perfect condition. Otherwise, it has the same case and case back, same movement, same rotating bezel under the glass, same pushers etc.

-wotsch