Moscow on Eve of New Year

Novy Arbat Street in Moscow on the eve of New Year  (using last year pics at about this time).

A Happy New Year!

2016 USPS NASA Stamps

.@USPS 2016 stamps are out of this world w/ Pluto & @NASANewHorizons + solar system & more: https://t.co/rAsG5dqcPW pic.twitter.com/LCD9vyEvIS

— NASA (@NASA) December 30, 2015

Lemmy, Killed By Death

Dave Pearce Anthems - 19 December 2015

Dave Pearce Anthems - 19 December 2015 by Davepearceanthems on Mixcloud

BBC News - A watchmaker's paradise

BBC news website pretends to be interested in watches.

BBC News - A watchmaker's paradise

It's about Joux valley... aka Valjoux

 

In the Joux Valley, in the west of Switzerland, the traditional craft of watchmaking is flourishing. It's not just leading companies that have workshops in the Jura Mountains but also highly skilled, independent craftsmen, as John Laurenson discovers.

Greetings via RRI

Two months ago sent a reception report to RRI but got no QSL.

However today I got this seasonal card which I forward to all SW (and watches) lovers and all readers of this blog.

350 in 1961-91 Rubles

Starting a new topic here on my blog - banknotes and other notes.

Here's a stash of money that I found. I think, it was me that had stashed it away but I have now found it again.

350 Rubles in the 1961-91 Rubles of the late great Soviet period.

Not collectors' items at all -- real working money -- frayed, worn at edges, well used up.

All denominations, except only for the 100 Ruble note - the largest denomination.

And by the way, the 1961-91 Ruble was officially valued at about RUB1 = US$2.

The 25 Ruble banknote.

350 Rubles in Soviet times could pay for workers' canteen dinners for a whole year.

The 50 Ruble banknote, the second largest denomination.

Electronika 53V x 2

"ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT!"

Russia Insider into watches now?

ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT!

MW DX: Ukrainian Radio in Moscow

MW DX: using my in-car radio I was able to hear in Moscow some Ukrainian radio at 549 kHz on Sat Dec 5, 2015 at about 20:00 (SSS).

Reception was usable but the signal tended to disappear after about 5 minutes and then reappear.

The broadcast was in Ukrainian. 

Winter? Not so far

Winter is a bit slow in coming to Moscow this year.

A third of the winter month of December is behind us already but the weather is in the plus range and there's almost know snow.

Nothing like what it was, say, in January of last year (2014) as I captured in these pictures.

Irn-Bru in Moscow

Irn-Bru in Moscow.

Scotland's other national drink has a heavy presence in Russia... 2l bottles.

Not all countries get Irn-Bru, in others, you can only find it in selected stores, in some others it is apparently banned altogether but in Russia we get plenty of it, certainly in Moscow. And no diet stuff either.

Paints the inside of your mug and you orange.

 This stuff even helps you fight ebola.... 0.5l bottles.

About Watch Water Resistance Ratings

Here's a look at some water resistance marks on some of my watches.

According to Wikipedia, Water Resistant is a common mark stamped on the back of wrist watches to indicate how well a watch is sealed against the ingress of water. 

Any water resistance mark is better than none. One assumes that, if there is no such mark, the watch is not "sealed against the ingress of water", with most watches being in this category even now which is especially true for so called "smart watches".

It has to be said though that the whole water resistance mark thing in watches had resisted standardization for a long time until some recent past, and some claims of water resistance had to be taken with skepticism but now there are at least two ISO standards dealing with the matter, though they are not universally applied, even in this day and age.

Watches from the Soviet and now Russian periods may continue to use non-standard water resistance marks. Here is a look at such marks and what they mean on the example of some of my own watches.

This Slava 3050 says Водонепроницаемые on the back which literally means "water-proof" as in "impermeable to water". But in reality it at best corresponds to the current standard of Water Resistant 3 ATM or 30m, that is, splash/rain resistant only and NOT suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, snorkeling, water related work and fishing, and most certainly not suitable for diving.

Two Zaria 3105.01 moon phase watches. The water resistance mark here says Водозащищенные which literally means "water protected" and in actual fact probably means same as above - Water Resistant 3 ATM or 30m, that is, splash/rain resistant only. NOT suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, snorkeling, water related work and fishing, and most certainly not suitable for diving. 

However, I should note that the back on those Zarias is very tight requiring a watchmaker's press to snap it back after you open it and there is also a rubber seal and some water repellent lubricant in the crown stem assembly. You could probably take a shower wearing it with no consequences.

Komandirskie 2416b above. Says Водонепроницаемые as in Slava 3050 above. But in this case I am willing to bet it corresponds to at least Water Resistant 5 ATM or 50 m, that is, suitable for swimming, white water rafting, non-snorkeling water related work, and fishing but NOT suitable for diving.

I showered with it on once myself no problem, except it's not good for the pressed leather strap, even though it is supposed to be water repellent treated. 

Slava 2416 Flotskie, above. Marine-themed, as Flotskie means of, or pertaining to, Fleet or Navy. The water resistant mark here says Повышенная водозащита which means "increased water protection" and there's a picture of a cute little dolphin for good measure on the back. Water born- and sea-dwelling creatures are often used to indicate water protection and not only in Russian watches.

In this case we have also only basic water resistance as in Water Resistant 3 ATM or 30m, that is, splash/rain resistant only.

My Sturmanskie Strela 3133 Volmax mech chrono. Says Водонепроницаемые 30м, that is, exactly this: Water Resistant 3 ATM or 30m, meaning splash/rain resistant only, and NOT suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, snorkelling, water related work and fishing, and most certainly NOT suitable for diving. 

Also it is a mechanical pusher-operated chronograph and mechanical chronographs and water typically don't mix in any combination with few exceptions. 

A whole bunch of three Vostok Amphibias. These are the most water resistant Russian watches (second only to military spec Zlatoust divers). The back says Водонепроницаемые 200 м, i.e. Water Resistant 20 ATM or 200 m, meaning suitable for professional marine activity, serious surface water sports and skin diving and suitable for skin diving. Some even claim that they are more than that and can be used as professional divers but I have my doubts.

My experience, however, suggests these watches are good for a hot tub, sauna, steam bath, swimming pool -- used them in all of those places with no ill effect at least in the immediate aftermath. Though I replace them after about 3-4 years of use but never service.

And here's a bonus - my Seiko 5 cal. 7s26 of 2001 vintage below. The water mark here is again the non-standard WP probably meaning "water protected" - the most basic water protection offered by Seiko probably again corresponding to the current standard of Water Resistant 3 ATM or 30m, that is, splash/rain resistant only. NOT suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, snorkelling, water related work and fishing, and most certainly not suitable for diving.

Luch 1992 Travel Clock, Mechanical with Electronic Alarm - Дорожные часы "Луч" 1992

V V Brown - Shark In The Water

Fury Beats Klitschko

Klitschko was of course well beaten by Fury on the weekend.

Klitschko basically handed over all his belts to Fury, below in Russian and Ukrainian.

Prior to that Fury's only claim to fame was that he once nearly managed to knock himself out.