# My First Russian Watch



## ptt (Nov 16, 2007)

Hi all

Well I just bought my first Russian watch and was wondering if any of you could help me find out what I have. With the little knowledge of Cyrillic I have I worked out it was a Slava and had 26 somethings which I assumed would be jewels. I subsequently scoured the 'net for a pic of what I have. The closest I could find was on e-bay (link below) but mine does not have the Zodiac symbols around it. In almost all other respects it's identical apart from the mechanism for changing the date. Instead of the slit and button displayed above the winding knob (more clearly seen in the bottom left picture in the link) mine has a raised circular housing (approx 2mm long and of similar diameter) for which one needs a pointed object to push the button inside. It also has the number 921 stamped on the back and is in pristine condition (apart from the non-original strap).

If anyone can give me any information on it I'd be most grateful. This is the e-bay link to the similar watch:

http://tinyurl.com/yoto92

Many thanks!


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## ptt (Nov 16, 2007)

Ok, well a trawl through the forum for info and subsequent web searches has come up with this photo:

http://ussrwatches.info/main.php?g2_itemId=2434

Anyone know anything about these watches? I'm really quite interested in their history, where they come from, who would have worn them etc. I picked it up in Kabul for about Â£10.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I hope you didn't pay $100 for yours? I can't see them being that rare.

Yep it's a 26 jewel slava and they are still making similar watches afaik.

I bought this one from Roy at RLT a couple of years ago.

.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Hi there ptt,

Welcome to the forum









Yes Slava it is. Probably has the 2427 movement as an "engine". Slava's are made in Moscow at the Second Moscow Watch Factory. Tend to have high numbers of jewels, 26 jewels manual wind is high. It pays to keep the quick date change button in use every now and then, otherwise they can get a bit "sticky" and slow to change-over.

You did well enough at a tenner, the one from the US at 100$ is very optimistic, but maybe someone will pay it!

List of Russian makers - CLICK HERE


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

mel said:


> List of Russian makers - CLICK HERE


Seeing your excellent list reminded me about my 'Cardi'.

It was designed by 'Cardi Design' - a Car Design company.

Powered by Zarja 2014A manual mechanical movement.

I think it was made by Orion:










I sold it to PG a couple of years ago & traded it back recently


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## blackandgolduk (Apr 25, 2005)

dapper said:


> mel said:
> 
> 
> > List of Russian makers - CLICK HERE
> ...


Always been interested in these - narrowly missed out on a 'Cardi-Vostok' a few months back. I thought the Cardi bit was just an export name


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

blackandgolduk said:


> Always been interested in these - narrowly missed out on a 'Cardi-Vostok' a few months back. I thought the Cardi bit was just an export name


Here's an interesting snippet about 'Cardi' that Chascomm posted over on WUS awhile back:

"Here's what I know about Cardi.They started in 1991 as a rebadger/reseller of Vostok, Raketa and Pobeda. Their first original designs were produced in 1993. These were the first Cardi-Vostoks. Later models were simply badged as 'Cardi, thus enabling them to use movements from a variety of sources. The name 'Cardi' stands for 'Car Design' and is licensed from Cardi auto design studio. Cardi Watches are currently marketed (and owned?) by Interex-Orion".

And here's a 'Cardi Curara':










Cheers


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## blackandgolduk (Apr 25, 2005)

Wow! They've come a long way since the Lada Riva...


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

blackandgolduk said:


> Wow! They've come a long way since the Lada Riva...


Check these beauties out!


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Archers in Edinburgh were the AD's for Lada when they were all the (cheapo) rage. They did a one-off publicity special something like this in midnight blue:-

















Thanks fopr the info about Cardi, I'll add it to the rest to-morrow. (Cardi is usually what SWMBO {710} puts on to go out to the car







)


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Oooops - hit button twice so edited out:-

*TOO MUCH*


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I've got a cardi vostok somewhere, a bit







tbh

I'll dig it out sometime and photo it.


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

A bit more 'Cardi' info:

"Brand Cardi was bought by Interex-Orion in 2002. Founded in 1991 Cardi - was the 1st Russian private company which opened watch atelier de terminage. Inexpensive original designed models with bright dials were very popular in Russia of post-perestroyka times. This project pretended to be a great success, if only management of Cardi could solve quality problem. Quality of Cardi watches was so poor, that soon even un-spoilt Russian customer refused to buy them. Absorbing notorious brand Interex-Orion ran risk. On the one hand there was no need to promote recognizable Cardi, on the other hand its bad reputation could tell on prestige of Interex-Orion. Beside that it's not so easy to place two different trade marks on one small production line. However re-launch of Cardi was a success. Interex-Orion applied on new product its own quality standards, kept original design of Cardi watches, and effectively integrated Cardi in Orion's distribution system. It was the first precedent in Russia when one watch brand successfully absorbed another".

I quite like the look of these new 'Cardi Pilots':

















Cheers


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

pg tips said:


> I've got a cardi vostok somewhere, a bit
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you want to flip it sometime, first refusal - - - ?

Might be an interesting addition to the list!


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Oh I'll be "flipping" nearly everything eventually Mel









I'll see if I can find it tomorrow


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