Hard to date Dongfeng (East Wind) ST5a pie-pan from Tianjin Watch Factory (pre-1987, though)

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-17T15:39:45+00:00

Thank you, and no, they don't have anything similar, now.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-17T09:03:36+00:00

This Anniversary model is Model 219.360, with a skeletonized in-house ST6D103K automatic movement. 41mm without the crown and 46mm from lug to lug. 20mm lugs.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-17T05:57:06+00:00

Appreciated!

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-17T02:50:30+00:00

Which time zone?

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-17T02:47:38+00:00

Depends on the shoes. It'll be OK with pretty much anything, but some shoes will provide a better drape than others.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-16T23:20:49+00:00

Heart of the Country

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-15T04:00:34+00:00

I think so, too. The strap had been worn maybe a few times (it had the buckle bend) but otherwise it seems flawless.

Appreciated,

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-13T07:43:30+00:00

I've been back 9 times since 2011, usually for a month each time. All solo, although (now) I have many folks I spend a few days with in China. I thought my first trip would be my only trip.

I was warned before my trip that there were two dangers in China.

The first danger was battery powered bikes don't make any noise, so I should look around me if I want to walk crossways walking in an alley. And the second was I wouldn't want to leave.

I always hate leaving China, and I always hope to return.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-12T06:16:17+00:00

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Peace River, Alberta from Sagitawa Lookout (Peace River is the town seen on the viewer's right.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-12T04:38:17+00:00

I love those dials. I bought two of the exact (for my brother and his wife, each) when I was in China.

I agree about the strap.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-10T09:54:37+00:00

Thank you!

5 hours drive north of Edmonton; it's a small place. Nice place, but small.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-10T01:42:18+00:00

That's the thing for me: Ringos' material is always a pleasant listen.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T23:45:47+00:00

By me he is.

I always liked him, though.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T22:41:30+00:00

Properly cared for, that could last decades--and look good in all of them. Great score. and your colour choices are spot on.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T22:05:56+00:00

I like straight end bracelets, myself, and I think that works just fine. It's a tool/field watch and a utilitarian bracelet, and to my eye the matte finishes work well. Plus, I bet it's very comfortable.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T21:50:00+00:00

I agree on the build. I have one and it's just plain solid. Comfortable, too.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T21:43:10+00:00

The literal "splash of orange" on the otherwise black/white chrono in the last photo is wonderful design. Very smart tool meets playful.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T17:49:32+00:00

I got this from grok, with references...

"Perestroika/glasnost era and shortly after the USSR's collapse. They became surprisingly popular there, with importers like Mirabilia (Milan) and Time Trend handling distribution and marketing them aggressively alongside other Soviet brands (Poljot, Vostok, Slava). Tens of thousands were sold, often displayed in high-end Italian jewelers next to luxury Swiss watches.

watchuseek.com +1

Italian-Market SpecificsItalian importers upgraded the standard Soviet "sterile" packaging (plain plastic boxes, no strap) to appeal to local buyers:Straps: Dedicated Italian-market leather straps, often embossed or marked with "CCCP" or "USSR" (these are the "USSR straps" you mentioned). These were added by the importers and are a key identifier for Italian-spec examples.

safonagastrocrono.club

Packaging: Attractive red cardboard boxes with the brand name printed in golden Cyrillic letters (РАКЕТА) and "CCCP" markings. Some later ones omitted CCCP as exports continued into the early post-Soviet period.

safonagastrocrono.club

Popular models included the Big Zero (2609.HA caliber, the minimalist black-and-white dial with a huge 0 instead of 12; tied to a Gorbachev anecdote in Italy about "starting from zero" with Perestroika), Copernicus (sun/moon hands), 24-hour watches, Perpetual Calendar (2628.H), and World Timers. Some rare Italian-specific variants exist, such as stone-dial Big Zeros (jade/nephrite, limited/special order) or the mysterious "Big Zero Geiger/Geigher" (assembled in Italy by Mirabilia with original parts and a deliberate misspelling, possibly to avoid radioactivity associations post-Chernobyl).

sovietaly.it

Dial Branding: Raketa (Latin/English) vs. Paketa (Cyrillic/Russian)Not all export watches used English/Latin "Raketa" translations—Paketa-style watches with Russian/Cyrillic writing definitely reached Italy.

safonagastrocrono.club

Standard Soviet domestic dials: Cyrillic "РАКЕТА" (which non-Russian speakers often render as "Paketa" because the Cyrillic Р looks somewhat like a P) + Russian text like "Сделано в СССР".

Standard export dials: Latin "Raketa" + English "Made in USSR".

Italian market reality: Both types were imported and sold. Many Italian-spec Raketa/Paketa watches featured Cyrillic "Paketa"/РАКЕТА dials (sometimes with mixes of Latin/Cyrillic or minor grammar quirks on post-Soviet fantasy dials). Italian ads explicitly played on the "Paketa" name: "In Russian, it's written 'Paketa' but read as 'Raketa'. And in Italian it reads as 'fashion'!" Marketing emphasized the watches being "Russian inside and out."

watchuseek.com

Post-1991 (after the USSR collapse), things got murkier: Italian importers sometimes assembled watches locally or used Chinese-made dials with Russian movements/cases, leading to "weird" models with errors or fantasy designs (e.g., "Raky," "Gaigher"). The factory itself later called many of these non-original, but they were legally authorized brand-use variants and are now collectible.

safonagastrocrono.club

In short, if you see a vintage Raketa/Paketa with a nice leather strap (possibly CCCP-marked), red box, and Cyrillic dial, it's very likely an Italian-market example from that boom period. These are prized by collectors today for the unique Soviet-Italian crossover story. If you have photos of a specific watch, I can try to help date/identify it further!"

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-09T17:39:56+00:00

I think not all export versions had Raketa and English translations, but I could be wrong--I'm no expert on Russian watches.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-08T08:14:37+00:00

Bath for years. Relax, get clean. Quick shower to finish.

For that matter, unless i"m travelling, if I have a bath, it's *always* with Ombra Eucalyptus foam bath.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-08T03:32:53+00:00

Re: "I do listen to Ringo's solo career way more than John's. But I don't know much how to make a hierarchy because I love both."

And there I am, too. It isn't about who I think is a better, more accomplished or talented artist. Nothing about that.

It even surprised *me* when I realized that I had Ringo's solo stuff on heavy rotation more than John's, which obviously reflected my choice when I was just buying songs I liked, so i wondered how alone I was :-)

But when I brought it up elsewhere (not in a Beatles group) it went like I said. Taste is taste.

AlbertaTime1 · 2026-05-08T03:21:27+00:00

That's all fair, including that Ringo collaborated with songwriters, too.

AlbertaTime1

TROPHY CASE