2MWF Split-seconds Stopwatch 30min.

also known as "Slava" Cal.5498

A collection of pictures of one of the most understated, yet legendary, chronometers

information collected by ocram, 2010 (Ver. 1.05)

Index

• Former Models
• Archive
• Siblings
• Roots
• How to name it
• How to date it

Unfairly little known, the Slava Caliber 5498 is a beautiful and technically impressive 20j split-seconds stopwatch, production of 2-nd Moscow Watch Factory. Caliber 5498 features a central minute counter, a plain (or screwed) balance running at 36,000 bph, breguet hairspring (with regulator). Icing on the cake, the rattrapante function (split-seconds) is based on a column wheel.

Andrew Babanin is a well-known master watchmaker in Moscow. He is very active in spreading his first-hand knowledge about russian watchmaking. But when asked for some information about caliber 5498, he replied:

I know that there was a lab at the factory, where approx 20 watchmakers assembled these stop watches. Unfortunately, there is really not so much info about such interesting caliber.

I've already gathered some information about it at orologiko.it in italian. Here are some pictures about this horological marvel.

Note: All pictures have been collected over the internet, except where explicitly noted. I've tried to preserve the original information (e.g. exif data) to explicitly credit original authors.

Variations on a Theme

This watch has been in production for 30+ years. However, there seem to be very few differences among all the samples I've seen. Here's a brief list of what I've found.

Dial variations: The outer numerals (seconds) are usually bold at 5 seconds intervals (5, 10, etc), however samples have been found with 'flat', unbold, numerals.
The most obvious difference is in the logo, placed just below numeral '30' inside the inner minute ring:

• час2з-д москва - abbreviated form for 2-й часовой завод москва, 2-nd Moscow Watch Factory (2MWF).
• 2M - numeral '2' and capital 'M' overlapped, stylish form of 2MWF.
• Слава - Slava (glory, fame), this is the most common 2MWF "brand" (can't actually talk of "brands" in USSR) since the late '50s.
• SLAVA - latin alphabet, all caps, this is the logo generally used on export version.

Serial Number (S/N) variations: Unlike most soviet watch factories, 2MWF serial numbers are quite easy to understand. They simply used to engrave a progressive, 6-digits, unique number on any movement. In the mid '50s the counter was reset, still retaining 6-digits. However, stopwatches production started shortly thereafter, so there's no risk of ambiguity. In 1973 the counter was reset for the last time, but this time grown to 7-digits thus eliminating any ambiguity once again. Just keep an eye on how many digits are there in your S/N, model #012345 may be several years older than model #0012345.

Movement variations: As far as I know, this is the only part evidently changed throughout the years:

It's the plate holding the chronograph mechanism, which was given a broader surface and an additional screw. The one shown above is the new plate, part no.8281, appeared around 1969. (get part list here)

Another minor change occurred in 1973, when the former beautiful screwed balance wheel was replaced by a more functional smooth one. Due to the lack of an anti-shock device - and plenty of spare parts available - it is likely that the whole balance were replaced whenever the staff broke, possibly exchanging screwed and smooth ones without caring too much.

Other more subtle variations are found in the inscriptions. All movements are signed with the 2M logo in the lower/right side (sometimes upside-down). Samples could be found where the logo is surmounted by the letters SU (Soviet Union) possibly indicating an export version. On the right side the serial number is always present, as well as "20 камней" i.e. 20 jewels. On the right side of the serial number we may found:

• three digits in the form Q-YY, where the first digit is which quarter of the year has this movement been produced, and the latter two digits are the actual production year (e.g. 3-66 means: produced in the 3-rd quarter of 1966)
• nothing at all.
• 5498, which is simply the reference of the caliber, usually found on later models.

Caseback variations: According to russian fellows at watch.ru, the protective film comes in various colors: blue, black, yellow, transparent and even red. Its intended purpose is to prevent chromium plating oxidation due to sweat of the hands. Apparently the paint is very prone to peeling, and is partly or completely missing in most of the stopwatches found. I've seen casebacks intentionally polished, maybe to remove aestethically unpleasant paint residuals, as well as evidently repainted ones, maybe to hide a flaw or two. The inner side may be polished or perlaged.

Packaging variations: Some models came with a simple wooden box with a green cloth inside, some with an expanded polystyrene foam box. User's manual and a caseback opener are always part of the bundle. Be very careful if you plan to use the case opener, it's very easy to scratch the caseback.

Former Models

Year: 1954, S/N: ---, 15 jewels

"Rare stopwatch 2 MWF", screw balance

Year: 3Q-1956, S/N: 004478, 15 jewels

eBay Ukraine, "Rare USSR Sport Stopwatch SLAVA 2 MChZ", smooth balance

Year: 3Q-1956, S/N: 004643, 15 jewels

watch.ru "Rare stopwatch 2 MWF", smooth balance

Year: 4Q-1956, S/N: 006079, 15 jewels

"Rare stopwatch 2 MWF" featuring 50 tickmarks, smooth balance (possibly replaced). Interesting sample found at watch.ru.

Archive

Year: 1Q-1959, S/N: 009400

Year: 1Q-1959, S/N: 009791

Year: 2Q-1961, S/N: 013065

Year: 1Q-1962, S/N: 020648

Year: 1Q-1963, S/N: 042178

Year: 2Q-1963, S/N: 038323

Year: 4Q-1964, S/N: 070676

Year: 4Q-1964, S/N: 072152

Year: 1Q-1965, S/N: 075219

Year: 1Q-1966, S/N: 105805

Year: 2Q-1967, S/N: ---

Year: 3Q-1969, S/N: 217569

Year: ---, S/N: 266605

Year: ---, S/N: 266610

Russian Split Sport Chronometer Stopwatch SLAVA

Year: ---, S/N: 275856

Russia Chronometer Stop Watch Slava Military

Year: ---, S/N: 286232

Year: ---, S/N: 328561

Year: 1973, S/N: 359067

Year: 1974, S/N: 0017213

Year: ---, S/N: 0390648

Year: ---, S/N: 0407005

Year: ---, S/N: 0414594

Year: ---, S/N: 0551203

Year: ---, S/N: 0899544

Year: ---, S/N: 5807646

A couple of latin dials, export versions

A rare dial featuring 50 divisions

Year: 2Q-1960, S/N: 004937

The exception proves the rule?

So far, all samples have been listed ordered by date. Serial numbers appear to be in some sort of relationship with date, so that we could obtain a rule of thumb to ascertain how old is a sample. But...

Look at this sample from an italian forum. The expanded polystyrene foam box is unusual in 1960. But not impossible. The pasport is clearly after 1979 (GOST 5079-79), but it could be a fake one. The movement is signed 2Q-1960, so the logo should be час2з-д. It's signed 2M instead, but the dial could have been replaced. The serial number 004937, however, doesn't match with 1960. This is something I can't explain.

Maybe "the exception proves the rule." Or to say it with the words of Sherlock Holmes "I never make exceptions. An exception disproves the rule."

Lots of contradictions in this sample. There's no wrong or right answer here. You make the choice.

Siblings

Slowhand: 60 min

This is a 60sec./60min. split-seconds stopwatch, running at a more conventional rate of 18,000 a/h (5 ticks per second). It's interesting to note that the outer minute scale is divided into 100 parts. This unusual division is convenient for certain types of industrial timing, which this chronometer specifically addresses.
Older models feature caliber 5498 (evidently modified to slow it down), more recent samples are marked 54604. It's not rare, though less spread than the standard 30min version.

Lightnin' fast!: 1 min (get part list here)

Specifically aimed to athletics timing, this is not the classic rattrapante version, but a simpler 15 jewels, 1/100th second version, without column wheel. The seconds hand performs a complete revolution in one second (there are 100 ticks per second!) and the continuous minute counter in just one minute making it suitable for timing very short competitions. The movement runs astonishingly fast at 360,000 a/h thanks to its very small balance wheel and very strong hairspring. Caliber ХР-I-1, formerly known as 2ХР-1 and later renamed 54601. Difficult but not impossible to find. Here are some mixed pics from the net:

Roots

The 5498 is likely based on Cal.10004, a well known and reliable stopwatch movement from Lemania. Though cal.5498 did away with the time train, its resemblance is undeniable.

Lemania Cal.10004 (picture borrowed from PocketWatch) and 5498 side by side.

Here's a Lemania 1130, a 10004 derivative, from an italian auction.

Omega cal.1132, "Federazione Italiana Cronometristi" (1965). Movement made by Omega under a marketing agreement with Lemania.

For comparison, this is a Lemania caliber 1210 with no time train. Superior finishing, off-center minute counter, 65mm chromed brass case, acrylic cristal. But it's "only" 15 jewels and runs at 18,000 bph.

Another beautiful sample of the 1210, a naval deck stopwatch (1950's/1960's) featuring a very strange dial.

How to name it

Here follow a few hints on how to name it using the original Cyrillic alphabet. Definitions taken from the official technical specifications ТУ 25-1819.0021-90 (TU 25-1819.0021-90), which replaced state standard ГОСТ 5072 (GOST 5072) in 1991.

See here and here for an explanation of GOST, ESKD and TU specifications (in italian).

2-й Московский Часовой Завод (2МЧЗ)
romanization: 2-ĭ Moskovskyĭ CHasovoyĭ Zavod (2MChZ)
tr.: 2nd Moscow Watch Factory. (2MWF)

Секундомеры Механические "СЛАВА"
romanization: Sekundomer Mechanicheskij "SLAVA"
tr: "Slava" Mechanical Stopwatches

СДСпр-1-2-000 (formerly known as 51-СД and С-II-1б) - 30 minutes version (archive)
cyrillic: Секундомер Двухстрелочный, Справочное 1, класс точности 2
romanization: SDSpr-1-2 (Sekundomer Dvuhstrelochnyĭ, Spravochnoe 1, klass tochnosti 2)
tr.: Stopwatch with two hands, Reference 1, accuracy class 2

СДСпр-4б-2-000 - 60 minutes version (slowhand)
cyrillic: Секундомер Двухстрелочный, Справочное 4б, класс точности 2
romanization: SDSpr-4b-2 (Sekundomer Dvuhstrelochnyĭ, Spravochnoe 4b, klass tochnosti 2)
tr.: Stopwatch with two hands, Reference 4b, accuracy class 2

СОСпр-6а-1-000 - 1 minute version (lightnin' fast)
cyrillic: Секундомер Однострелочный, Справочное 6а, класс точности 1
romanization: SOSpr-6a-1 (Sekundomer Odnostrelochnyĭ, Spravochnoe 6a, klass tochnosti 1)
tr.: Stopwatch, single hand, Reference 6a, accuracy class 1

How to date it

That's a tough question. However the following table may prove useful to get an approximate, to say the least, idea of when was your sample made.