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Greetings, watchfans --
Okay. Let's talk 2209.
This is the first movement that truly attracted me to Soviet watches, and has continually perplexed me as I've attempted to gather information over the years. One area of that I've found particularly difficult to track is the overall timeline of movement stamps and dial logos. My past attempts at organizing this history have been proven wrong time and time again, so I will take a new stab at it (surely to be later corrected).
THE EARLY DAYS
To begin, it seems the 2209 did not debut in 1961 as originally believed, but actually 1962 or even 1963. Where did the 1961 date come from? I have no idea. This date is consistently repeated in forum posts (including my own) and unsubstantiated websites, but I cannot find any hard evidence of this date. On the other hand, the Minsk Watch Factory Wikipedia page (which is very well-documented) states that caliber 2209 development began July 1, 1962. The official Luch website seems to confirm this:
"1962: The Ministry of Industry, together with the [Minsk Watch] Plant, have decided to manufacture particularly flat men watch "Vympel", produced by the 1st Moscow Watch Plant, which give the technical documentation for it. This watch has received the trademark Luch-2209."
Also of interest is that development of the caliber 2209 appears to have been a collaborative effort between Moscow and Minsk, not a 1MWF-only enterprise. Further information from the Minsk Wikipedia page supports this:
"The first Vympel watches were assembled using the ChN-961K case obtained from 1MWF: a round, gold-plated case with diamond-machined rim and bezel, stainless-steel back, a silver dial with printed indices. Complete mastery of the Vympel was finished in August, 1963. By this time, more than a thousand hours had been delivered to the finished goods warehouse."
From the above sources, I believe we can infer that the caliber 2209 movement was mastered in 1962, but that full production did not ramp up until August, 1963. There are lots of rumors about a 1963 International Watch Fair in Leipzig (maybe the Leipzig Trade Fair?), during which the caliber 2209 supposedly received a gold medal and diploma, but I'm scouring the net and finding no reference information to back up this claim. I did find the following photos, along with a description:
1963 Press Photo Leipzig Fair 1963: Technical Fair - Soviet Pavilion - KSB45017
This is an original press photo. Leipzig Fair 1963: Technical Fair - Soviet Pavilion: Out picture shows the Soviet Union is showing in pavilion a thermoplast-automat TP - 250 for producing of thermo plastics. Photo measures 8.25 x 6inches. Photo is dated 3--1963.
I was also able to locate three other photos from the 1963 Leipzig Spring Fair which show the Soviet Pavillion (1, 2, 3), as well as a video. So it does seem at least plausible that the 2209 movement could have been showcased at the Spring 1963 Leipzig Trade Fair.
So, how long was the Vympel produced? Well, if we are to believe this delicious NOS specimen (photos below), at least until July, 1965. Notice in particular that the paperwork is printed with "POLJOT" on the outside, and Vympel stamped inside. Yes, a Poljot Vympel.
Now, if we are to believe this invaluable chart (as well as the common knowledge around here), 1MWF was renamed "Poljot" in 1964. New dial logos were then manufactured to reflect this change. Therefore, the first Poljot-branded 2209s probably didn't leave the factory until late 1964 or early 1965. Once the Vympel was completely phased out, Poljot-branded 2209s continued to be produced until ~1975, when 1MWF stopped 2209 production entirely. The only noticeable change would have been a slight font update around ~1970, when the standard Poljot font was undergoing a transformation from serif to sans-serif.
LUCH DIALS
So what on earth was going on at Minsk?
Good question, glad you asked.
The first Luch logo, which elegantly depicts the brand name in an arc shape, lasted for a long time. In 1970 and 1972, we still see this brand name exclusively featured on dials. It is not until 1977 that we see a catalog featuring the two logo styles side-by-side:
On the left, you can see the old-style "arc" logo, while on the right, you can see the new-era "scribble" logo. Without further documentation, it's impossible to say exactly when these logos were retired and introduced, respectively. But I think it's helpful to understand that from around 1962-1977, Luch watches featured the arc logo, while post-1977 watches featured the scribble logo.
Other dial logos exist, such as the cursive logo and the arial font logo, but I suspect these were export variants produced in the 1980s, and I'm not even going to attempt to classify them.
MOVEMENT LOGOS
So how do the movement logos fit into all this? Well, we need to go back to the beginning.
The first movement logo is generally agreed to be the quadrilateral (aka diamond) logo:
Based on our history above, we can presume this logo was very short lived. My best guess is that 1962 saw limited quantities of this caliber produced, most if not all destined for solid gold watches (more on this in a sec). I suspect full production of 2209s with the quadrilateral logo occurred in 1963 and the first half of 1964 only.
Later, the 1MWF pentagon logo was introduced. This logo was used from ~1964-1975. After 1975, Poljot no longer produced the caliber 2209 movement.
And that's the story for 1MWF. Short and sweet.
Meanwhile....
Minsk was hard at work producing their own 2209s, first using this triangle logo I have only found on a few solid-gold watches:
This leads me to a theory: I suspect that, like the Poljot 2200, the very first caliber 2209 movements were destined for solid-gold pieces only. From the time of mastering the movement in 1962 until mass production began in August, 1963, I believe limited quantities of the caliber 2209 were introduced in these solid-gold watches. Once production expanded and costs decreased in late 1963, these movements found their way into more affordable watches.
Support for my theory? Well, there's that incredibly rare triangular Minsk logo above, which I've only seen twice (both times in solid-gold watches). And below, you can see two solid-gold watches -- a Luch and a Vympel of striking resemblance. One can infer that they were contemporaries. Elite siblings from 1962, perhaps?
I digress.
As Mink expanded production to gold-plated watches, the pentagon logo was introduced (below). This probably took place around 1964, the same time the pentagon Poljot logo was introduced. You'll notice their design similarities right away, so to me it makes sense that they would be manufactured concurrently.
Around 1975, when Poljot ceased production of the caliber 2209 and Minsk assumed full responsibility of the fate of the movement, the Luch logo changed again to the "beam" movement logo:
To my knowledge, this is the final domestic movement logo which continued on throughout the 1980s until the fall of the USSR.
Of course, there were other movement logos as well, such as the "SU" and "twenty three jewels" logos. But like the rare-ish dial logos, I believe these are export movements produced in the 1980s, and I'm not going to include them here.
THE TIMELINE
Using all of the above information, I will attempt to create one simple timeline, knowing full well that this is all subject to change. All dates are approximate.
1962: Caliber 2209 mastered; limited production for solid gold watches from 1MWF and Luch
1963: The Vympel begins mass production
1964: 1MWF is officially renamed "Poljot"; Poljot begins producing 2209s with the pentagon "1MWF" movement logo; Luch begins producing 2209s with the pentagon "Minsk" movement logo
1965: Overlap year, when both Poljot and Vympel-branded 2209s are produced, both with pentagon "1MWF" movement logo
1966: The Vympel is extinct; Luch and Poljot production continue
1968: Sans-serif Poljot dial logo introduced
1975: 1MWF ceases 2209 production; Luch changes the pentagon "Minsk" movement logo to the "beam" movement logo
1977: Luch arc dial logo is phased out
Said another way...
MOVEMENTS
Luch triangle logo: 1962-1963
1MWF quadrilateral logo: 1962-1964
1MWF pentagon logo: 1964-1975
Luch pentagon logo: 1964-1975
Luch beam logo: 1975-1990
DIALS
Vympel-branded dial: 1962-1965
Luch arc dial: 1962-1977
Serif Poljot dial: 1964-1970
Arial Poljot dial: 1968-1975
Luch scribble dial: 1977-1990
I hope this thread will drive the emergence of some period documentation or NOS examples which can support or refute the timeline(s) above. I will update as necessary.
Thanks!
Okay. Let's talk 2209.
This is the first movement that truly attracted me to Soviet watches, and has continually perplexed me as I've attempted to gather information over the years. One area of that I've found particularly difficult to track is the overall timeline of movement stamps and dial logos. My past attempts at organizing this history have been proven wrong time and time again, so I will take a new stab at it (surely to be later corrected).
THE EARLY DAYS
To begin, it seems the 2209 did not debut in 1961 as originally believed, but actually 1962 or even 1963. Where did the 1961 date come from? I have no idea. This date is consistently repeated in forum posts (including my own) and unsubstantiated websites, but I cannot find any hard evidence of this date. On the other hand, the Minsk Watch Factory Wikipedia page (which is very well-documented) states that caliber 2209 development began July 1, 1962. The official Luch website seems to confirm this:
"1962: The Ministry of Industry, together with the [Minsk Watch] Plant, have decided to manufacture particularly flat men watch "Vympel", produced by the 1st Moscow Watch Plant, which give the technical documentation for it. This watch has received the trademark Luch-2209."

Also of interest is that development of the caliber 2209 appears to have been a collaborative effort between Moscow and Minsk, not a 1MWF-only enterprise. Further information from the Minsk Wikipedia page supports this:
"The first Vympel watches were assembled using the ChN-961K case obtained from 1MWF: a round, gold-plated case with diamond-machined rim and bezel, stainless-steel back, a silver dial with printed indices. Complete mastery of the Vympel was finished in August, 1963. By this time, more than a thousand hours had been delivered to the finished goods warehouse."
From the above sources, I believe we can infer that the caliber 2209 movement was mastered in 1962, but that full production did not ramp up until August, 1963. There are lots of rumors about a 1963 International Watch Fair in Leipzig (maybe the Leipzig Trade Fair?), during which the caliber 2209 supposedly received a gold medal and diploma, but I'm scouring the net and finding no reference information to back up this claim. I did find the following photos, along with a description:
1963 Press Photo Leipzig Fair 1963: Technical Fair - Soviet Pavilion - KSB45017
This is an original press photo. Leipzig Fair 1963: Technical Fair - Soviet Pavilion: Out picture shows the Soviet Union is showing in pavilion a thermoplast-automat TP - 250 for producing of thermo plastics. Photo measures 8.25 x 6inches. Photo is dated 3--1963.


I was also able to locate three other photos from the 1963 Leipzig Spring Fair which show the Soviet Pavillion (1, 2, 3), as well as a video. So it does seem at least plausible that the 2209 movement could have been showcased at the Spring 1963 Leipzig Trade Fair.
So, how long was the Vympel produced? Well, if we are to believe this delicious NOS specimen (photos below), at least until July, 1965. Notice in particular that the paperwork is printed with "POLJOT" on the outside, and Vympel stamped inside. Yes, a Poljot Vympel.


Now, if we are to believe this invaluable chart (as well as the common knowledge around here), 1MWF was renamed "Poljot" in 1964. New dial logos were then manufactured to reflect this change. Therefore, the first Poljot-branded 2209s probably didn't leave the factory until late 1964 or early 1965. Once the Vympel was completely phased out, Poljot-branded 2209s continued to be produced until ~1975, when 1MWF stopped 2209 production entirely. The only noticeable change would have been a slight font update around ~1970, when the standard Poljot font was undergoing a transformation from serif to sans-serif.
LUCH DIALS
So what on earth was going on at Minsk?
Good question, glad you asked.
The first Luch logo, which elegantly depicts the brand name in an arc shape, lasted for a long time. In 1970 and 1972, we still see this brand name exclusively featured on dials. It is not until 1977 that we see a catalog featuring the two logo styles side-by-side:

On the left, you can see the old-style "arc" logo, while on the right, you can see the new-era "scribble" logo. Without further documentation, it's impossible to say exactly when these logos were retired and introduced, respectively. But I think it's helpful to understand that from around 1962-1977, Luch watches featured the arc logo, while post-1977 watches featured the scribble logo.
Other dial logos exist, such as the cursive logo and the arial font logo, but I suspect these were export variants produced in the 1980s, and I'm not even going to attempt to classify them.
MOVEMENT LOGOS
So how do the movement logos fit into all this? Well, we need to go back to the beginning.
The first movement logo is generally agreed to be the quadrilateral (aka diamond) logo:

Based on our history above, we can presume this logo was very short lived. My best guess is that 1962 saw limited quantities of this caliber produced, most if not all destined for solid gold watches (more on this in a sec). I suspect full production of 2209s with the quadrilateral logo occurred in 1963 and the first half of 1964 only.
Later, the 1MWF pentagon logo was introduced. This logo was used from ~1964-1975. After 1975, Poljot no longer produced the caliber 2209 movement.

And that's the story for 1MWF. Short and sweet.
Meanwhile....
Minsk was hard at work producing their own 2209s, first using this triangle logo I have only found on a few solid-gold watches:

This leads me to a theory: I suspect that, like the Poljot 2200, the very first caliber 2209 movements were destined for solid-gold pieces only. From the time of mastering the movement in 1962 until mass production began in August, 1963, I believe limited quantities of the caliber 2209 were introduced in these solid-gold watches. Once production expanded and costs decreased in late 1963, these movements found their way into more affordable watches.
Support for my theory? Well, there's that incredibly rare triangular Minsk logo above, which I've only seen twice (both times in solid-gold watches). And below, you can see two solid-gold watches -- a Luch and a Vympel of striking resemblance. One can infer that they were contemporaries. Elite siblings from 1962, perhaps?

I digress.
As Mink expanded production to gold-plated watches, the pentagon logo was introduced (below). This probably took place around 1964, the same time the pentagon Poljot logo was introduced. You'll notice their design similarities right away, so to me it makes sense that they would be manufactured concurrently.

Around 1975, when Poljot ceased production of the caliber 2209 and Minsk assumed full responsibility of the fate of the movement, the Luch logo changed again to the "beam" movement logo:

To my knowledge, this is the final domestic movement logo which continued on throughout the 1980s until the fall of the USSR.
Of course, there were other movement logos as well, such as the "SU" and "twenty three jewels" logos. But like the rare-ish dial logos, I believe these are export movements produced in the 1980s, and I'm not going to include them here.
THE TIMELINE
Using all of the above information, I will attempt to create one simple timeline, knowing full well that this is all subject to change. All dates are approximate.
1962: Caliber 2209 mastered; limited production for solid gold watches from 1MWF and Luch
1963: The Vympel begins mass production
1964: 1MWF is officially renamed "Poljot"; Poljot begins producing 2209s with the pentagon "1MWF" movement logo; Luch begins producing 2209s with the pentagon "Minsk" movement logo
1965: Overlap year, when both Poljot and Vympel-branded 2209s are produced, both with pentagon "1MWF" movement logo
1966: The Vympel is extinct; Luch and Poljot production continue
1968: Sans-serif Poljot dial logo introduced
1975: 1MWF ceases 2209 production; Luch changes the pentagon "Minsk" movement logo to the "beam" movement logo
1977: Luch arc dial logo is phased out
Said another way...
MOVEMENTS
Luch triangle logo: 1962-1963
1MWF quadrilateral logo: 1962-1964
1MWF pentagon logo: 1964-1975
Luch pentagon logo: 1964-1975
Luch beam logo: 1975-1990
DIALS
Vympel-branded dial: 1962-1965

Luch arc dial: 1962-1977

Serif Poljot dial: 1964-1970

Arial Poljot dial: 1968-1975

Luch scribble dial: 1977-1990

I hope this thread will drive the emergence of some period documentation or NOS examples which can support or refute the timeline(s) above. I will update as necessary.
Thanks!