Early Soviet chronographs (by Tammo)

[michele]

This is the data from the German booklet by Johannes Altmeppen. This is a quick translation from German to English. So the English syntax could be a little bit odd, because I wanted to keep the context is close as possible.
Tammo
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In the development of the first chronographs, the Soviet watchmakers could fall back on their fathers experiences with Buhre and Moser and the available know how from America.
Hampden had developed already in 1910 the “Prototype Chronograph 16 size Experimental”.
The Soviet Union obtained with the purchase of the Dueber-Hampden Watch Co. not only the tooling and machinery but also all technical and construction details. Together with the move also the know how of specialist staff of Dueber Hampden went from Canton Ohio to Moscow.
Another skill upon which the Moscow watchmakers could rely on, during the end of the 30’s, was inherited from their fathers. During the time of the Tsar the watchmakers of Pawel Buhre developed already pocket watch chronographs for the Russian market. Although the production took place in Le Locle in Switzerland, the watchmakers of the Tsar gained a lot of experience during repair and maintenance.
1: Single (crown) Stopper
The single (crown) pusher chronograph from the 1st State Watch Factory is a column wheel chronograph based on the Type 1 caliber. In the archives of the 1st Moscow Watch Factory there is no mentioning of this watch at all. It was produced from 1938 onwards. When the production finished and how many were produced in unknown to the author (Johannes Altmeppen)
This watch has interesting details on the dial:
The minute counter not symmetrical positioned on the dial. It is positioned at 1o’clock.
The reason for this is the way the base caliber is constructed. A pocket watch with the seconds at the “6” causes the crown and spring barrel to be positioned at the “12” and there for there is no space for the minute counter.
The other interesting item on the dial is the arrow on the minute counter. It is indicating that it turns counter clockwise. The reason for this is the missing star wheel in the wheel train.
The text on the dial mentions in Cyrillic “ Industrial Cooperative “Precision Time”, Moscow”. This indicates not the maker, but the customer for whom the watch was made.
2: Stopper at “11”
The chronograph with the stop button at “11” is also a column wheel chrono. The base caliber is a Type 1 supplied by both the 1st as well as the 2nd State watch factory.
Like with the chronograph mentioned above there is no mentioning at all the archives of the 1st nor 2nd Moscow Watch Factory. The first watches were built in 1937. Even during the war when the 1st State Watch Factory was evacuated to Slatoust, the chronograph module was being built in Moscow. This is confirmed by observing movements dated 1944. This watch could three different texts on the dial:
Industrial Cooperative Trust of the Military Company
“Precision Time “, Moscow
Machine building Trust of Sokolniki Moscow
The dial is very similar of the one stopper chronograph. The minute counter is however located at 1hour 15 minutes (slightly more the left) indicating that the construction is slightly different.
Source: Johannes Altmeppen - Uhrenausstellung Russland , Berlin Pariser Platz

Photo 1-2:
1910 Pocketwatch Chronograph Pawel Buhre 1910

Photo 3-4:
One stopper Type chronograph

Photo 5-6:
Chronograph with stopper at 11