Hamilton
cccp staline heroe of soviet union - military hack watch

Very rare vintage Hamilton watch distributed by Stalin and high-ranking Soviet dignitaries to the Heroes of the Soviet Union for acts of bravery during the early days of the Great Patriotic War (the Soviet Union's entry into WWII on June 22, 1941, in response to the German invasion under Operation Barbarossa). This watch came from American Roshan War Relief shipments sent to the USSR in 1941.

The Roshen — or Russian War Relief Fund — from the American Agency for Foreign War Relief, was the largest American charitable organization at the time. Before the U.S. officially entered the war, it played a crucial unofficial role in sending military equipment (tanks, aircraft…), medicine, and supplies to countries resisting Axis powers. This organization financed volunteer deployments to China (Flying Tigers squadron), to the UK (American pilots joining the Royal Air Force), and funded cargo ships for England’s resupply operations under German blockade. Russian War Relief Inc. was founded in New York on July 29, 1941, just one month after Germany’s attack on the USSR.

Among the first military shipments to the Soviet Union was a batch of 300 Hamilton watches, similar to those used by the U.S. military before the war. These were Hamilton USA 987A models with 17 jewels and a power reserve of 38 hours after winding. The dial was a light silver tone with radium-lumed numerals and hands, featuring a small seconds subdial at six o’clock. The caseback was engraved with a specific message: героическому народу СССР, военный выпуск США, meaning “To the heroic people of the USSR, U.S. Military Edition – Russian War Relief.”

In the USSR and globally at that time, a watch like this carried significant value. These watches were awarded alongside the highest Soviet honors for acts of valor on the front lines. Stalin personally presented the first of these watches to those awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star — the highest decoration issued by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Over a hundred Soviet pilots, including aces like Alexander Pokryshkin and Marina Raskova, received both the watch and medal, as did Marshal Zhukov and Leonid Brezhnev (who received the title four times).

This highly symbolic gesture, widely publicized by Soviet propaganda, became an institution. In late 1941, Stalin ordered Factory No. 1, located near Moscow, to begin producing distinctive watches to reward civilian and military acts of patriotism and engagement in the defense of the homeland. (see our article on Vostok watches)

Between 1941 and 1945, Hamilton would produce 3,000 of these special watches for the USSR, out of a total of 160,500 military watches delivered to U.S. forces — including the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps. From a collector’s standpoint, this historically significant and rare watch is a true treasure. It is preserved in excellent condition, and a complete movement overhaul has confirmed that all its original components remain intact and in perfect working order.

Explore more stories about watches that made history in Mostra Mag, the official Mostra-store blog.