Yes they were. Usually normal watches with an engraved reverse. There are threads on this on the forum. Most items you will find on ebay are fakes or fantasies.
There are 2 award watches in the DPRK section made by the Shanghai watch company.
I knew a woman who had "retired" from the KGB 1991 and after much begging, she finally showed it to me. It was a very stylish woman's watch that from the face looked rather ordinary. However, the reverse had the engraving from the directorate where she had worked and the number of years of "excellent service" she had given to "state security."
I suppose the idea is that only the person wearing it knows the actual meaningfulness of what they are wearing on his/her wrist.
10-01-2012, 10:31 AM (This post was last modified: 10-01-2012, 10:35 AM by medals73.)
I suspect that in many ways this is a holdover from the early years after the revolution when the rejection of all things "tsarist" extended not only to things like military ranks but to awards. Orders, decorations, and medals were seen as corrupt symbols of a discredited dynasty and were bound for the dustbin of history. If an award was to be given, better it should be something of daily utility like a watch, cigarette case, pistol, or sword as oposed to a corrupt and corrupting feudal bauble; this was probably especially powrful in an era where such items of daily utility were in short supply. Even as feudal baubles were reintroduced (with gusto after 1942), the older award form continued.
In the West, and especially in the US, gold watches and plaques are given as marks of achievent since there is a republican revulsion against feudal baubles for anyone except the military and in any event such things are cheaper than giving cash.
For example, I present the cigarette case from the Lavrinovich group and the pistol plate (pistol gone) from the Karapetjan group.
medals73 Wrote:... If an award was to be given, better it should be something of daily utility like a watch, cigarette case, pistol, or sword as oposed to a corrupt and corrupting feudal bauble; this was probably especially powrful in an era where such items of daily utility were in short supply. Even as feudal baubles were reintroduced (with gusto after 1942), the older award form continued...
Ed,
Things of daily utility were also widely awarded in pre-revolutionary times.
There has been a long tradition of awarding or gifting people with watches for long service here in the United Kingdom (not quite the cradle of the revolution). There are a few in the collection awarded to British citizens by British "powers". The tradition doesn't stop there. The famous "Sword Of Stalingrad" is just a single example of a British weapon award. Most non-portable British awards include items such as drinking vessels and dining wear. These traditions pre-date 1917 by a considerable period.
The Imperial Russians were also awarded (pocket) watches before the revolution and members of the Greater German Luftwaffe were awarded with a goblet from 1940.
A practical gift or award has always and will always be appreciated.
This reminds me, can we make a sub-forum dedicated to the rich and generous culture of Soviet gift-giving? Post your watches, plaques, cigarette cases, model tanks, etc.
