Power over time, or your favorite watch brand presidents

suffering from uncontrolled lust for power only people envy the presidents, monarchs and other first person states and nations. In today's world to the description of the president, in our opinion, is best suited quote unforgettable cinematic plumber Athos Borshchov: "Yes, what glory there? Is he a hockey player? Worries mouthful, and one salary! ".

Indeed, it is ridiculous to compare the salary of the president of Russia (about 1, 5 million rubles a year), with an annual salary of our young hockey star Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin (over $ 8 million + benefits and bonuses), and even more so with an annual income of President kakogo- oil and gas, or any of metallurgical monster. Therefore, in normal countries the presidency are only those who sincerely and strongly wants to change the life of his country and its people better. And I am willing to sacrifice so many: family, profession, health, and even taste preferences in everything - from food and clothing to watches and cars.

However, becoming president one day, the person ceases to think about things anturazhnye. Firstly, as he said Athos, and really cares mouth full, and secondly, he was not supposed to think about it. For this is protocol service. All the same, after all, no matter how fond of Vladimir Putin 21st "Volga" (he had as many as two), and ride it, he can force a couple of times a year in the country. In the remaining 363 days Protocol commits move in an armored Mercedes, and the passenger. This armored monster difficult to love, but can not be helped ...



Same thing with the clock. Perfect, classic, but reserved to asceticism watch Patek Philippe Annual Calendar, as well as some of the models Breguet Classique can respect, admire the hidden mechanism under the dial or, finally, invest in them, but they are hard to love. Just as it is impossible to love a ceremonial or formal tuxedo suit. Well, not in their aesthetic perfection Cartier, sporting luxury Audemars Piguet, charm and humor Corum, cheerful glamor Zenith or grotesque power and charisma Panerai. But if the president of the largest country in the world rely on the status of wearing such a watch, he is forced to wear them. Well, at least Patek, and not, say, $ 10 Timex, which throughout the twentieth century had the title of the official hours of US presidents, and they wore them as pretty as they symbolized the economic patriotism and closeness to the people. Similarly, she is wearing a gold watch "Flight", Boris Yeltsin. Only the first and last Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev, to try to maintain the image of a progressive western counterparts a new wave of politics, allowed himself such liberties, such as the signing of the agreement in Reykjavik fateful end of the Cold War in an elegant ultra-thin Longines Les Grande Classsique.

Putin was very lucky that he led the country at a time when the hour culture in Russia began to develop rapidly and formed a definite etiquette hour. This allowed the second president of Russia, not really who liked to watch that in the end love them. Starting with the classic protocol Patek Philippe and Breguet, Putin soon discovered A.Lange & Sohne - German brand upmarket with a purely German (read classic) design. Starting with again with the most low-key model of A.Lange & Sohne 1815, he soon became the proud owner of a remarkable model Tourbograph (winner of the Grand Prix of Geneva 2006). The company from the German town of Glashütte is famous not only because it produces watches exclusively in the case of precious metals, but also amazing decor and careful treatment mechanisms. The Germans even attached to each his powerful magnifying glass clock with a multiple increase in the owners can watch at your leisure to admire the hand-decorated platinum and bridge mechanism, and at the same time ensure their integrity. I think that Putin once, but still followed the advice of the Germans. And, of course, what he saw he could not help but admire his, and indeed every man, indifferent to perfect the technique. From that moment, perhaps, Putin became interested in the clock really.



It is a logical continuation of his hobbies steel watches IWC. And the logic here is that these watches also do, in fact, the Germans - that is, German-speaking Swiss - with his characteristic of this nation fanatical pursuit of quality and excellence. Interestingly, it is actually thanks to the IWC took place in the mid-1990s revival of A.Lange & Sohne. Swiss Germans helped Germans Saxon almost everyone - professionals, technical documentation in their native language, computer programs, etc. And in the watch design, which produces from Schaffhausen manufactory is also clearly felt very close to the German idea of ​​the beautiful.

IWC watches are different from the canonical classics unless more, just huge buildings. As you probably already know, it is caused by the fact that the Swiss are using reliable and precise mechanisms of large diameter and the desire maximum protection from all kinds of gauges operational adversity. So completely natural evolutionary way shortly after he won the chronograph IWC for Laureus in the most interesting hexagonal body, Putin has acquired one of my favorite hours. It is about the legendary Big Pilot Watch or Die Grosse Flieger Uhr, which became a milestone in the development of the watchmaking art (in particular in the class military watch) and exemplary aviation clock at all times. Of these hours, without exception dreamed pilots of WWII. There are legends that have found their work after frontal collision of aircraft in the air and on caller ID names of the dead aces. Schaffhausen is just 20 kilometers from the German and Allied air bombers several times mistakenly dropped a bomb on the manufactory IWC. The then director of the company wholeheartedly ...... grumbled about it: "If the Americans were Big Pilot Watch, this cursed war would have ended much earlier!".

But back to the clock presidents. Found out about passion himself to good hours, for some time, most donors are trying to present it to Putin clock. However, a good watch - has long been the number one gift to the bureaucracy in Russia. According to the owners of salons time if your collection day will gather to sell Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, it will take a year and a half, at least. And then, provided that it is evenly distributed throughout the cabin clock both capitals. I do not know how to dispose of gifts Putin hour, but I do know that the former president is to watch soberly and completely without snobbery. About 5 years ago, during a visit to the Northern Sea Fleet, one of the very modest kaperangov presented to the President quartz Casio's gilded brass body double - digital and analog - time display. I remember that Putin quietly carried them a month and a half. Only once official visit abroad, made his return on the wrist Patek Philippe.



As for Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's younger than he is, and therefore he drew attention to a good watch much earlier than its predecessor. As evidenced by many of the students of St. Petersburg University, the future third president of Russia in general always dressed so thoughtfully and carefully, "we are all a little jealous of him, and dreamed of someday becoming like him." At that time, Medvedev wore a Jaeger-LeCoultre. An excellent choice, as it is the best deal in terms of price / performance in the time class de luxe. It Jaeger-LeCoultre supplied its perfect mechanism vast majority of luxury brands - from Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet to Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. This brand has always stood for more than reasonable prices for its magnificent clock.

But it is time the presidency and Medvedev had to go to the official protocol Breguet Classique. He had several of them, but all the classic.

I think that Dmitry Medvedev is absolutely no time to think about the increase and diversity of its watch collection. (Interestingly, someday we will have a president, which would not be so many problems, but it will be enough time to get yourself to diversify hour wardrobe?) I do not doubt that for 12 June, Russia Day is considerably enlarged, and in January 2009, becomes excessive. It will be interesting to see what it would prefer the current president. The specialist can determine this choice very much.