Komandirskie

The Komandirskie ("commander's") debuted in 1965, the year the Chistopol factory became an official supplier to the Soviet Ministry of Defence: it was born as a field watch for Red Army officers, with a sturdy barrel-shaped case designed to withstand knocks rather than deep water. The dials of the first military pieces often bore the inscription "ЗАКАЗ МО СССР" ("order of the USSR Ministry of Defence"), a detail now highly sought after by collectors of original pieces from the period.

In its most common configuration the Komandirskie uses the manual calibre 2414A, with 17 jewels and a minimum power reserve of 38 hours; over the decades the line has also gained automatic variants and a large number of themed versions linked to the various branches of the Soviet and later Russian armed forces (air force, navy, paratroopers, special forces), while keeping the same basic case and movement layout. The caseback, once decorated with the Soviet five-pointed star, now typically bears the Russian double-headed eagle.

Thanks to its combination of mechanical toughness and very low price, the Komandirskie has gone far beyond its original military use: in 1991, during the international military operation in Iraq, the US Army ordered a significant number for its forces, appreciating their reliability. It remains one of the brand's most produced and best-known lines today, with the name "Komandirskie 1965" used by the manufacturer itself to explicitly recall the model that gave rise to the collection.