Well, it’s a 6L15 with hand winding and hacking feature. I really like hand winding my watch. Besides reading time and adjusting time, hand winding is the closest thing with interacting with the watch.

Most of my Russian watches are hand windable, they tend to go “click click click” when you wind, it’s the click going against the ratchet wheel. The click also prevents the main spring from unwinding.

Anyway, on newer movements, like 6L15 and ETA 2824, the winding goes without such clicking. It’s has a sandy feel, like sticking something into the sand and twisting it.

That’s the main difference on hand winding for me and the hacking is a bonus feature.

The watch, chunky piece of metal with a beautiful finished dial, raised hour markers.

Signed crown, a very nice touch, as my other Seiko do not have any signed crown.

Head only, very nice mirror polish, thou it’s like a scratch magnet if you are not careful with poking through drilled lug.

Damn solid end links, also problematic as you can see from the following shots…

Sumo on leather, doesn’t cut it. The gap is way too wide.

Wrist shot with leather, the gaps look ok here, but you have to look at it in person.

Rubber, same issue but the gap is smaller, more acceptable.

Finally, with my straight ends Anvil. Doesn’t cut it too.

Ok, now for the comparisons.

Sinn-ko VS Sumo VS Monster, some commented about the fat fonts on Sumo.. well it’s a Sumo what.

Sinn-ko VS Sumo VS Monster crown shot, signed crown is nice.

Anvil & Stock Bracelet comparison, now here’s where some will pick on, the puny sized bracelet. It’s actually 20mm and tapered down ! I didn’t measure, but it’s around 18mm. I think it should be 22 and tapered to 20.

Sumo with butterfly wings.

Sinn-ko with heavy duty flappers.

Monster with hmmm, monster wings..

And sadly, it has parted to his new owner.

Well, I been wearing it for a while, it’s about time to post up a decent review of it yet.

The Seiko 6138-0011 also know as the UFO. I went to read up a bit on Seiko chronographs and why everybody was advising on leaving the chronograph function on.

It’s an automatic chronograph movement, using column wheel to engage the chronograph function and most importantly, it’s using a vertical clutch system.

In typical chronograph, like my Poljot 3133, it brings the chronograph wheel train into contact with the normal power train to start the chronograph. In such engagement, usually you will see a jerky start and for the 3133, the size of gear teeth do not match, it will cause a lot of wear and tear if you keep the chronograph moving.

The special vertical clutch system, is always running and it will engage or disengage from the clutch face that carries the central chronograph hand.

You can read more on how the vertical clutch works here: http://www.horomundi.com/articles_details.php?id=20

Its a tad boring but you will get to know why it’s recommended to leave the chronograph turned on for vertical clutch based chronograph.

As for me, I got it last week, it’s been running for almost a week, ran of out power reserve for 1 day, I wind it up, yes, we can wind the 6138 manually.

It’s keeping really good time so far.

More photos:

Close up of the dial, using a Raynox Macro lens

Exposure of 1.6s, love how the second hand sweeps.

The back

The front with it’s spreaded wings

K2, Mr Goh’s thick thick 20mm Paros strap

Battle scars as my friend put it…

The first alarm wrist watch was first introduced in 1947 by Vulcain. The Cricket watch was also nicknamed “The Presidents’ Watch”, since Eisenhower, Nixon and Johnson were all loyal customers and eminent ambassadors for the Cricket.

In 1959, 1st Moscow Watch Factory developed the first Soviet Wrist alarm clock “signal” 2612 (“Flight”). It was almost a copy of the A.Schild 1475. I can’t find much information on the AS and Poljot link.

Photos of the AS 1475 can be found at Ranfft Watches.

In 1978, the 2612 was slightly tweaked, thus the caliber code was changed to 2612.1.

A comparison between the 2612 and 2612.1.

1st Moscow Watch Factory 2612

- serial number on the barrel bridge
- the 1MWF logo on the wheel bridge
- no “2612″ or “SU” markings.

Poljot 2612.1

- “2612.1″ on the barrel bridge
- no serial numbers marking
- SU on the wheel bridge

How it works
The top crown at 2 o’clock is for alarm adjustment and winding.
The bottom crown at 4 o’clock is for the time adjustment and winding.

1. Stud attached to caseback
2. Alarm hammer
3. Ratchet Wheel for alarm

Once fully wound, when the alarm is triggered, the spring will rotate the gears to vibrate the alarm hammer.

From the diagram, you can visualise the hammer going left to the watch movement and going right to the stud when the case back is screwed in.

A video of the alarm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnHub25JnX0

The alarms that I own now and my grail

A “Made in Russia” to pair with my first “Made in USSR” alarm

A NOS Полет, СДЕЛАНО B CCCP

With the box and papers, dated: 120891. Is it 12th Aug 1991 or 8th Dec 1991 ?

8th of Dec 1991 is a significant date for the Soviet Union where the leaders of the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian republics met in Belavezhskaya Pushcha and signed the Belavezha Accords declaring the Soviet Union dissolved and replacing it with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). (Source: Wikipedia)

Poljot, Russia

Sekonda, USSR

Poljot, Made in USSR, Tank case

Poljot Gold, Made in USSR

Полет Gold, СДЕЛАНО B CCCP

A group shot

A early Poljot 2612 alarm with the 2612 movement.

The same model found in a 1972 catalog. Numbered 4, 2612/473124.

My grail for the 2612 is 1 of the early versions of сигнал with the Signal dial.

Model: Pocket Watch
Movement: Molnija 3602 manual wind
Jewels: 18
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds

It has a sub dial second hand.

Movement shot

If you look at the movement shot, right on the top, there’s an inscription “85 2″. It means that this movement is produced during the 2nd quarter of 1985.

Inscription: “Made in USSR”

Model: Boctok Amphibian – 2nd Generation
Movement: Boctok 2209 manual wind
Jewels: 18
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds

It’s a Diver watch, up to 20ATM/200M with screwed in crown and the inscription below “Сделано в СССР” = “Made in USSR”.

A wrist shot

For those who can’t catch my excitement, the Восток Командирские / Vostok Komandirskie is a Commanders watch and “заказ По CCCP” translated to “By the order of Ministry of Defense of USSR”. It was a military issued watch, a civilian version is available, but it will be “Сделано в СССР”/ “Made in CCCP” instead of “заказ По CCCP”

Movement: Восток 2214 manual wind
Jewels: 17
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date calendar

It has a screwed in crown, however I not very sure on the water resistance rating.

A wrist shot

Movement: Poljot 2612.1 manual wind
Jewels: 18
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, alarm

It using an actuator alarm, (it really sounds like a cricket) and it’s Made in USSR.

A shot of the movement