Help identifying a Watch

[Charlie925]

I found this watch in a shop and I am wondering what the heck it could be. Has anyone ever seen one of these?

[oldhippy]

It’s a Russian watch with the Russian flag.

[JBerry]

Top word is Защитнику, reads as Zashchitniku, which means protector/defender. Bottom word Спецназовские , reads as Spetsnazovskiye , and means special forces (I think). So what you have is Russian Military watch

[AndyHull]

Some pictures of the "works" and a closeup of the dial might give us a clue about age. Is it wind up or quartz?

[Charlie925]

I would really like to have pictures of the movement but the gentleman that owned the watch would not let me open it up. It is a  mechanical watch not a quartz.

JBerry, thanks for the translation that helps me out.

So I wonder if this is an issued watch or just something you can buy as an aftermarket for bragging rights.

[AndyHull]

Obviously I cannot vouch for its authenticity, but in my limited experience, these watches tend to be conversation pieces rather than ex military. I did find another example in new condition which had been offered for sale on ebay by a US seller in "new unworn condition" which suggests that they might be a retail item rather than special issue.

According to that listing, the text reads as follows....
On the top of the rim: ЗАЩИТНИКУ - to a defender
On the bottom of the rim: ОТЕЧЕСТВА - of the Fatherland
On the dial plate: Спецназовские - of (or belonging to) Special Forces

You never know if it is genuine, I guess it might be. 

I do know that HMT produced civilian and armed forces versions of various models of their watches, for example the "Jawan" (soldier in Hindi) which differed simply in the fact that the armed forces versions had a broad arrow on the dial and/or case back. The mechanism being identical to their various other versions. Needless to say, backstreet aftermarket Indian dial re-painters tend to add the dial arrow and/or inscribe the case back with an arrow (sometimes very crudely) as it supposedly increases the "rarity value".

I also know that Fortis produced watches for the Russian Cosmonauts, and also civilian versions of the same watch, so these things are generally a little bit of both additional credibility and marketing gimmick. Fortis watches are generally well made, but like most watches, rely in the main on high end versions of standard movements.

What it all boils down to is, can you research a connection between that watch, and the Russian special forces. If not, then the watch is purely about bragging rights. Even if you can connect the two, the watch, like any other is worth precisely what you are willing to pay for it, not a penny more and not a penny less.

Edited May 7, 2019 by AndyHull

[yankeedog]

One thing for sure, no Grunt ever wore it in the field. The case doesn't remotely resemble anything put out by vostok, which it is apparently trying to imitate.My guess? Chinese Knock off trying very hard to convince you it's something it isnt.

[eezy]

I'm pretty certain that no Russian watches were ever issued to their armed forces, or any watches for that matter.

Vostok were the appointed supplier I think, but they were supplied to their equivalent of the NAAFI to be purchased privately.

So it is not an issued watch.

Other nations also adopted this policy, Portugal (Berlan), India (HMT) etc

[transporter]

Pretty sure they wouldn’t be wanting to advertise their roles either, so a conversation piece probably running a pin lever movement

[Charlie925]

Thanks all for the information. It was an oddity I wondered across and you have help fill in a lot of the blanks.