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Generalskie / Генеральские

Generalskie watches were a unique sub-type produced at the Chistopol Watch Factory in the 1980s and early 1990s (see also: Vostok). The easiest way to understand the Generalskie classification is to consider them 'automatic Komandirskies' – but of course there are nuances. What follows are some relatively-firm guiding principles which tend to define the Soviet-era Generalskie brand:

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  • Case – chromed, either type 091 or type 921​

  • ​Hands – simple, straight, Komandirskie-style hands (no arrow on hour hand)

  • Crown – usually rounded (but not always)

  • Bezel – painted, with no lume

  • Case back – one of four types:

    • "Waterproof / Automatic" written in English (1)

    • "Waterproof / Automatic" written in Cyrillic, with or without orca (1, 2)

    • "Watch & Clock Makers" export (1)

    • "Onion dome" export (1)

  • Movement – 21-jewel caliber 2416Б ​

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There is much confusion about the precise distinctions between the Amphibia, Kormandirskie, and Generalskie lines. It does not help that all three were produced through the decline and dissolution of the USSR, a period when quality control and precise record-keeping were sorely lacking. This makes a variety of combinations possible (and even legitimate), regardless of what Chistopol Watch Factory designers originally intended. 

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Generalskie designs after the fall of the USSR did not follow the pattern described above. 

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(Source: 1)

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