the mainspring on my beloved Vostok Komandirskie broke this past weekend while i was in Indianapolis. this came as a blow to me since i had worn the watch almost every single day since purchasing it in a dubious shop in Kabul where Soviet militaria gleaned from Afghan battlefields was sold alongside assorted firearms and bricks of heroin.

i suppose it’s a fitting death for a good watch, to finally succumb after accompanying its latest owner to nearly a dozen different countries in over four years of tireless service. it’s braved just about everything from dust storms to category three hurricane force winds and kept perfect time up until only a few days before it finally perished.

fixing it will be near impossible because spare parts for Soviet timepieces are extremely difficult to come by, especially in Chicago (believe me, i’ve asked) so i’ve decided to order a shiny new one. i know it won’t have the same electrifying history as my old one but, with any luck, i’ll be able to give it one.