There's history and then there's history used by certain groups to continue hate and bigotry. Don't make a watch using the second example.

 

Because politics is not supposed to be discussed on this forum, I will steer clear of Stalin's record. However, I will say that I am a fairly "conservative-libertarian" person myself and I view watches like you describe as historical and entirely inoffensive. The USSR technically does not even exist anymore. I highly doubt that anyone would give you flak for wearing such a watch and if they do, just brush it off under the heading of "everyone is entitled to an opinion but not entitled to tell me what watch to wear". Now if my great grandfather had died in a Siberian gulag or something, I very well might feel differently. It is a very complicated question that you really need to let your own conscience answer for you. HTH...

 

Most first posts are something like - I don't know which Amphibia model to buy. The one with the scuba diver or the one with the anchor.

Of course, the answer: the one with the scuba dude.

 

Nah - the one with the Anchor! ;-)

 

A historical watch dial with a political or social comment design is still just a watch dial reflecting that ,a historical period of that view.In my own opinion the only watch dial I still find hard to reconcile with my watch collector/militaria hobby is the "NASTI" SS dial watches that appear now and again for sale,which as a matter of principle I do not consider collectible to me
As far as Soviet dial watches are concerned,I feel that they are more socially acceptable as historical icons without the same stigma as my previously mentioned example
If you are wearing a historical watch with a political dial,in my experience I find others are more curious about the unusual watch than your own political views

 

 

And all them other pics you posted
Geoff I just hope all that political paraphernalia is not in your house
REASONS:
1:It might be bugged!
2:You might be on a list somewhere
3:You or the wife is gonna spend a lotta time dusting!!!

 

I don't think the watches you describe are particularly controversial. Pobeda does mean victory, but in this context is most likely to be in reference to the victory over fascism/.... Germany in WWII. You won't find many who think that wasn't a good victory. As far as Glasnost and Perestroika go, that too is pretty uncontroversial. As far as I know, while they are viewed as the precursors to the ultimate break up of the USSR, people weren't murdered/persecuted under perestroika or glasnost policies. Perestroika meant restructuring, glasnost openness. I doubt you will offend anyone.


The red star was the symbol of the communism and the USSR. It was on everything.

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I don't think the watches you describe are particularly controversial. Pobeda does mean victory, but in this context is most likely to be in reference to the victory over fascism/.... Germany in WWII. You won't find many who think that wasn't a good victory. As far as Glasnost and Perestroika go, that too is pretty uncontroversial. As far as I know, while they are viewed as the precursors to the ultimate break up of the USSR, people weren't murdered/persecuted under perestroika or glasnost policies. Perestroika meant restructuring, glasnost openness. I doubt you will offend anyone.

- I agree.

Many, many decent, hard working Russian people suffered and died to achieve victory over the Germans in WWII.
The victory they earned is worth remembering, even here in the West.

KGB dials:
'Smersh' / СМЕРШ ('Death to Spies') dials:

I think these are inappropriate.
They are also no doubt offensive to some Russians, Ukrainians and people of former Communist countries of Europe.
I don't think it is wrong or immoral to own one of these, but I think it is inappropriate to wear such a watch in public.
A WWII history enthusiast might own a German SS lapel pin but he would not actually wear it.

 

LOL Joe, I'm ex-mob, the only thing my old colleagues will hear when bugging my phone and home is me complaining about work, enough to ease them into a deep sleep on a boring nightshift. Actually I took those photos in Housmans the radical bookshop in Kings Cross, where I do like to visit and browse when I'm in London. I have a lot of books at home, and yes dust is something I have learned to live with, my friend - or should I call you tovarisch comrade

 

 

You gotta love this big zero dial!

 

The real question and the reason I'm posting this, is this:
I have heard that Stalin oppressed and murdered many people, and I even heard people making an analogy between Stalin and .......
would therefore a watch like this be insulting to some people just as an object with ......'s symbol (the swastika) would be? Is it safe to wear such a watch in daily life or should it be treated as an historical object?

I was born and raised in the USSR. I can attest that I would get insulted if you start collecting or wearing Soviet watches. If some one would tell them to take a hike. History is an iterating think. Let some people blame Comr. Stalin for all their problems. Stalin does not care any more. He died on March 5th 1953.

 

I have a Pobeda Glasnost watch. I don't agree with the USSR on many issues, but I love Russian/Soviet watches. They're unique. Just because someone has a certain watch doesn't mean the watch represents their views. I keep my watch hobby and politics separate.

 

I'll use this photo to address the OP's concerns:

"Pobeda" is the brand name of the watch. This brand was introduced immediately after WWII and celebrates the nation's victory (won at great cost) over the invading forces. "Pobeda" is also sometimes used as an inscription on watches of other brands produced to specifically celebrate the end of WWII. In such usage it would be "propaganda" but scarcely controversial.

"Glasnost" is certainly a propaganda slogan, and that is precisely its intent on the watch shown here. The word means "openness" and represents a specific policy shift by the Soviet leadership (led by Gorbachev) towards a more open and accountable government, including encouraging open discussion of the repressions of previous years. On this watch, the slogan has been merged with a red star which was a national symbol of the USSR, which here indicates that Glasnost was a national movement aimed at transforming the entire nation. I can't think of anybody who considers Glasnost to be controversial or representative of repression. Quite the contrary in fact.

If everything Soviet is to be considered tainted by Stalin, then it would be best to avoid all Russian watches made between 1917 and 1992. ;-)

 

Red star is symbol of all working class. Represent a five fingers of a worker hand. That symbol may be offensive only to rich capitalists

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Welcome to the forums!

 

OMG… how tedious life must be constantly watching over one's shoulder not to offend anyone. My best Czech buddy's dad went to jail for 1 year for criticising a Soviet friendship poster after the 68 Prague spring, yet we call each other Soudruh (official "comrade" greeting of the Czechoslovak Communist Party). His dad is always bemused by my Russian watches but only cos he is a Prim man himself.

If you like the watch, have it checked here by knowledgeable WUS people, do buy it and by any means do wear it & enjoy it.
If any complains just ignore them but do savour the guilty pleasure of rattling the cage of conformity...

 

I have a small collection of Russian watches commemorating the end of World War 2. I don't consider them to be propaganda.

 

Yes, for me "Pobeda" means victory, WWII, with the help and sacrifice of our Russian ally.

If you boycott Russian watches you should also boycott Bolshoi, Tolstoy, Dostoyevski, Ayn Rand, Kandinsky, Tchaikovsty, etc., etc.......wearable art, reflecting the Russian soul.

 

People are offended by just about anything nowadays. You are probably safer wearing no watch if you are afraid of someone being "insulted".

 

So true, especially here in Germany it's getting really weird these days.
I guess the most people would be more insulted by wearing a Rolex ;-)

 

I feel offended by people who don't wear watches.

 

Very interesting to read all the many replies. Nice to be welcomed by an active community!
I've decided I'm gonna buy the watch. Although I'm planning on studying the Soviet history some more beforehand (it is very interesting!). There is indeed a difference between an SS watch for example and just a watch with a lot of historic value, and I think it is true that it is hard to think of the word 'glasnost' as offending.
By the way, it really is a shame that my original post was censored. But okay, forum rules are forum rules...

 

Zeiss is one of signature German brands. As far as I know no one in the USSR even during the darkest day of Stalingrad battle hesitated to use Zeiss binoculars or rangefinders.

 

Heck!! The Russian didnt even hesitate in take the whole factory and take to mother Russia, actually i think it ended in Ucraine...

 

A watch from a certain period in the past is a relic of history.Many consider them worth collecting & preserving,I certainly do in my haphazard,amateurish fashion.

*Being offended is almost a full-time job for many people in the 21st century.*

Buy & wear just whatever you like & enjoy it to the maximum!

 

If wearing a potentially offensive or controversial watch might lead to it get it getting noticed more often by the general public, I'm pretty sure most of us on here would have 10 in our collection...

 

 

east.stalgia

 

Good Bye Lenin!
Âèäåî ê ôèëüìó «Ãóä áàé, Ëåíèí!»: Òðåéëåð

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Rita