# Molnija Oddballs



## nepman (May 26, 2006)

1 is a standard issue Molnija open face with the script black Arabic numerals, the outer ring with red 13-24 subsidiaries. Dial marked under the 12

SERKISOF

18 JEWELS

Between the minutes ring and the seconds dial

MADE IN USSR

All 3 hands are polished well, and gold plated.

Rear of case has the standard Molnija locomotive, underneath which

SERKISOF

and curved under that

DEMIRVOLU

Both the I's in both words have some diacritical symbol on them.

Overall it looks a lot like a mystery Perseo/Cortebert I own, too.

2 is a standard Molnija locomitive motif watch, with the standard case. The dial-now that's quite a different subject. It's a United States pattern Montgomery locomotive dial with all minutes numerically marked, the 10 values in red, and bold unambiguous Arabic blocky numerals. The 5 and 7 are partially cutoff by a large bold seconds register with the 10 seconds intervals clearly marked. This is a classic watch dial in the US, but seems to have not caught on elsewhere-although the Swiss made million of these style to export to the US.

The dial is marked under 12

(A crown? Tiny red trademark)

Under that in fine script

Marcel

Under that a locomotive passenger car.

Between the hour/minute hands and the seconds register

17 JEWELS

(and note not 18, so I suspect this is an older watch.

The movement is marked a tiny sticker MADE IN USSR-so I expect this was not intended for import into the USA. The movement is also a little better polished than my other Molnijas.

Anybody know anything or care to venture a guess?


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