so this is the mysterious watch i bought in Kabul last year. i knew it was manufactured by Vostok for the Soviet military but not much else. until now, that is.

according to some very knowledgeable people i’ve met on a few great forums, it’s relatively rare and the insignia is for Specialist First Class of the Soviet Strategic Rocket Forces a.k.a. the chaps who held their fingers precariously over the Big Red Button during the Cold War.

that said, i wonder how this particular timepiece came to be in Afghanistan because, as far as i know, there was no real reason for any member of the Strategic Rocket Forces to be in the country. my only theory is that there might’ve been some watch swapping amongst Soviet servicemen.

…and that there are hundreds of secret Soviet missile silos buried beneath the Afghan soil.