Sowiecki K-43

[spam01]

Welcome
I bought the last pocket watch K-43, TYPE-1 production of First State Watch Factory Moscow USSR (on the license-Dueber Hampden). Circa 1936-1938.
Movement nice









http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6549/dscf5049.jpg

 

[Kent]

Thanks for showing us this watch.

Here's a model 5 Hampden with which to compare it.

 

[Kevin W.]

Yes sure looks very Russian, very plain but a well made watch.Kent,s example is quite elegant.The poor dial has seen happier days though.

 

[spam01]

Hampden from my collection

 

[Roland Ranfft]

Hi spam01,

this appears to be the design that was passed to the USSR:
http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&Hampden_Wm.McKinley



I guess it was no matter of licensing; the complete Hampden factory including all rights and some staff was sold to Russia.

Regards, Roland Ranfft

 

[Larry Treiman]

[Excerpt from Roland's post] "I guess it was no matter of licensing; the complete Hampden factory including all rights and some staff was sold to Russia."

Regards, Roland Ranfft

Well, Roland, they could sell the factory (at least the equipment therein), all rights and designs, etc., but they couldn't sell people, as I'm sure you are aware! I suspect that the staff was paid to accompany the factory machinery, etc., to get it set up and working and to instruct the Russians. I wonder if any of the people from Hampden decided to stay in Russia on a more permanent basis?

Larry Treiman

 

[Kent]

On page 40-41 of “From Springfield To Moscow: The Complete Dueber-Hampden Story," (Revised and enlarged successor to the 1954 Supplement to the NAWCC Bulletin) James W. Gibbs, Philadelphia, PA, 1986, it states:

... twenty-one former Dueber-Hampden watchmakers, engravers and other technicians ... were employed for one year to go to Russia and supervise the establishment of a Soviet Watch Factory at Moscow and train the Russians in watchmakeing. ... All but six or seven of the toolmakers, who stayed an extra six months, returned to America at the end of their year's contract. Even then the Russian Government wanted them to stay longer but only on the same basis as Russian employees. Needless to say thre is no record of any Anerican staying beyond the eighteen months.

 

[Roland Ranfft]

Hi Larry,

I actually expected nobody to take my remark seriously. The USSR just included some manpower in their acquisition to get started with minimum friction. Probably it's my German origin. We say literally translated: They bought the factory with man and mouse.

The socialistic system had currency exchange troubles right from the start and needed own supplies for almost every domestic demand. And so it was a pretty economical approach to start an own watch industry with purchasing a running factory, and get their staff skilled by the previous operators.

Regards, Roland Ranfft