Eaglemoss Military Watches Collection.
Issue 16 - 1950s Russian Airman
by
, Dec 29, 2014 at 09:09 AM (10986 Views)
This watch is based one that was issued to all graduates of the Orenburg pilots school. The First Moscow Watch Factory "Sturmanskie" (navigator).
Manufacture of this early Centre Seconds watch was made possible after the purchase of automated equipment from the French watchmaker, LIP.
Famously this watch was worn by the first man in space, Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
Case
Brushed SS 33mm case, 35.3mm with crown, 42mm lug to lug, 8.3mm deep.
Case back engraved with description of the watch. 29.2mm flat glass.
NB: The inscription on the Case back reads "1950s Russian Astronaut" not more correctly 'Airman', or even 'Cosmonaut'.
Of course Russia didn't have astronauts at all, The USA had the 'Astronauts'.
It is this continued poor attention to detail that detracts from the collection.
Dial
Cream coloured dial black minute scale around outer ring. Arabic hour numerals, off white with black border.
'Moderne' style hours and minutes hands, gloss black border with green infill. Slim straight gloss red seconds hand.
Lume on minute and hour hands only.
Strap
16mm brown leather strap, narrows to 14mm Brushed Buckle, aprox 170-215mm fitting.
I often feel that the dials can be a little bland, a small 'Eaglemoss' logo would enhance many of the dials greatly.
Although logos are generally copyright Eaglemoss have copied logos before, the tank on the issue 4 as an example.
On this watch something similar to the stylised star and wings, like the one on this replica 40th anniversary Sturmanskie, would have been very nice in my opinion.