# First Pobeda



## C.W. (Aug 17, 2006)

Picked this up off the 'bay. Didn't know what to expect as the 'bay has burned me many times with cheap Russian watches.

THIS one was a pleasant surprise!










What can you tell me about your experiences with this brand?

I love the classic art deco look of this watch and can't wait to clean it up and get a decent band on it.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

I have a couple of Russians, including Pobeda. Победа is the Russian word for victory, commemorating the end of the Great Patriotic War.

As I understand it, The 1st Moscow Watch Factory (1MWF later Poljot) made the first Pobeda immediately post war in 1946.

The original ?15 jewel? movement was supposedly based on the French Lip R26.

1st Moscow Watch Factory solely made Pobedas until 1953, after which production was shared amongst Vostok (2MWF) ZIM (Samara factory) and Raketa.

In each of these facilites slight changes were introduced, and different developements followed, such that Pobedas after '53 are all slightly different according to where they were made.

I have your watch myself, and I agree it's a lovely piece of dial design; Constructionist / Deco!

Do you have a picture of the inside? The serial number will incude the date of manufacture, and we should see a makers mark.


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## C.W. (Aug 17, 2006)

chris l said:


> Do you have a picture of the inside? The serial number will incude the date of manufacture, and we should see a makers mark.


I'll snap a picture soon. I did see that is a 15 Kamer. Victory! I like that!


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

C.W. said:


> chris l said:
> 
> 
> > Do you have a picture of the inside? The serial number will incude the date of manufacture, and we should see a makers mark.
> ...


This is what you'll see....










The date marker is the '2-53' - (secon qurter of 1953). And a 1MWF lozenge.

I'll wear mine to work today, now that you've reminded me about it - thanks!


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## C.W. (Aug 17, 2006)

Nice looking! Mine is a touch different, maybe older, maybe newer? Maybe a different factory?










and the movement inside...










Clearly less ornate. No stars and clearly has been opened a worked on a few times. you can see the mini seconds dial has been repaired at the very least as the hand at one time was etching into the finish, now it isn't. So what does this tell us, if anything?

I really want to take the movement out and give that case a good buff. Maybe even transfer it to a new one.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Very interesting; mine has the same dial, but was made by 1MWF, whereas yours is marked and made by ZIM. (The '3NM' marking).

Yours must be after '53 then, but has the same dial; maybe they were using up older dials from 1WMF?

The case on mine is in very good condition, very hard chromed!










(very poor picture, raining and dark outside!)


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## C.W. (Aug 17, 2006)

Wow that is odd, your's has some words at 6 as well. Mine, nothing. They may well have shipped off the remaining spares to Zim s they improved or switched to a new model at the No. 1. Who knows. I tend to be fascinated by the Russian watch manufacturing story. Do you happen to know if there is a book covering this topic?


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## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

C.W. said:


> Nice looking! Mine is a touch different, maybe older, maybe newer? Maybe a different factory?
> 
> and the movement inside...
> 
> ...


Interesting. This movement was made by ZIM after the Soviet factories stopped using the date stamps and before they introduced the calibre stamps. Early 1960s that would be. Yet the 'baby' Pobeda is an older model than that, I thought. Maybe the watch has a replacement movement, or perhaps ZIM used up old-stock cases and dials from 1st Moscow (who would have had no use for them after ~1957)


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