# I'M In Love With A Russian Model!



## UGfan (Dec 30, 2010)

Hello Everyone,

Until now I've been completely immune to the appeal of chronographs.I think it's the huge cases and very busy dials that put me off.Today,browsing the Internet I came across the Shturmaniye re-issue of their 1963(?)pilot watch and fell in love with it instantly! I'm thinking of getting the exhibition back model.Am I right in thinking that this watch is similar to the one Yuri Gagarin wore when he orbited the earth? Is so,that would be great cos he was a childhood hero of mine.Does anyone out there own one of these watches and can give an idea of how reiable they are?


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

UGfan said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> Until now I've been completely immune to the appeal of chronographs.I think it's the huge cases and very busy dials that put me off.Today,browsing the Internet I came across the Shturmaniye re-issue of their 1963(?)pilot watch and fell in love with it instantly! I'm thinking of getting the exhibition back model.Am I right in thinking that this watch is similar to the one Yuri Gagarin wore when he orbited the earth? Is so,that would be great cos he was a childhood hero of mine.Does anyone out there own one of these watches and can give an idea of how reiable they are?


Nope, Gagarin had a non chronograph Sturmanskie like this:










The next generation of cosmonaut watches was the Strela:










And then the Sturmanskie you speak of, I believe you mean this one (it's a reissue model, very similar to the original one but with some differences):



















More info on the Gagarin watch on Anna's book and threads

http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=64772

http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61000

...and on the original and reissue Sturmanskie 3133 chrono here:

http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=62376


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## UGfan (Dec 30, 2010)

Kutusov said:


> UGfan said:
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> 
> > Hello Everyone,
> ...


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## UGfan (Dec 30, 2010)

UGfan said:


> Kutusov said:
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> > UGfan said:
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Thanks,Kutusov,for your very helpful and comprehensive reply.I like the style-even without the Gagarin connection-and this will be my first foray into the world of chronographs.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

UGfan said:


> Thanks,Kutusov,for your very helpful and comprehensive reply.I like the style-even without the Gagarin connection-and this will be my first foray into the world of chronographs.


You're welcome. The only problem with the Sturmanskie is that pretty soon you'll be needing an Okeah reissue too


















(this was the Navy version and was released before the Air Force version).


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## Vaurien (Jul 19, 2010)

Kutusov said:


> UGfan said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks,Kutusov,for your very helpful and comprehensive reply.I like the style-even without the Gagarin connection-and this will be my first foray into the world of chronographs.
> ...


 :lol:

Wellcome, UGFan, and remember: Kutusov is right! k:


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## UGfan (Dec 30, 2010)

Vaurien said:


> Kutusov said:
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> > UGfan said:
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## Luxury Bazaar (Jul 28, 2010)

Kutusov said:


> UGfan said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks,Kutusov,for your very helpful and comprehensive reply.I like the style-even without the Gagarin connection-and this will be my first foray into the world of chronographs.
> ...


When was the Navy version released, and how was the Air Force version different? I've seen a lot of trades in Russian watches, some of them are quite nice, but they just haven't become mainstream enough in the West yet for me to know their specifics off-hand...


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Luxury Bazaar said:


> When was the Navy version released, and how was the Air Force version different? I've seen a lot of trades in Russian watches, some of them are quite nice, but they just haven't become mainstream enough in the West yet for me to know their specifics off-hand...


Well, you have better references on the links I posted above but mind you that both mine Sturmanskie and Okeah are 2004 reissues.

The original Okeah made it's dÃ©but in 1976 with the new 3133 movement, a close but reworked version of the Swiss Valjoux 7734. It is in fact a better movement than the Swiss one in different aspects. The Air Force Strumanskie was released shortly after (I can't remember the precise date now) with several differences made specifically for the Air Force, namely hacking capability. This is known as the caliber 31659 which is basically a 3133 that hacks. The Air Force version also didn't have the crown at 9 and had a fixed chapter ring. So my Sturmanskie reissue is in fact a reissue of a civil version and not the original Air Force model (because it is a 3133 and has the crown at 9 that controls the chapter ring).

Anyway, the 3133 movement was for many years exclusive to the Soviet Army and only became available to the public (I think) in 1983. It's still the movement of choice in almost all Russian chronos, with more or less complications like 24 hours subdials, moonphase or even a striped down version where the 3133 looses all chrono complications to give rise to the 3105 movement (a normal watch with a second subdial at 9). It's an excellent movement for not much money, touch and reliable.


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