When I first published my review of the Raketa Baikonur, one of the forum members commented that Slava had also released a new Slava Televizor watch. I wasn’t aware of this, and the information intrigued me enough to look into the watch—and eventually buy it. That idea became a reality during the New Year’s sale on the Slava web shop, and since I also own an original Slava “Tank” watch, I decided to prepare a comparison between the original and the reissue.
The original Slava Televizor is more commonly known by its nickname Tank, so I’ll use Tank for the vintage version and TV for the new version from here on.
Slava began producing the Tank watch in the early 1970s. For younger readers who grew up with flat-screen TVs, it may be unclear why this watch was nicknamed “Televizor,” but for older generations, the name makes perfect sense. The nickname Tank was added due to its heavy weight and robust design—quite different from other watches of that time. But I’ll return to that later.
The Tank was powered by the Slava automatic 2427 movement, featuring both day-of-the-week and date complications. The quick-set button for the date is located above the central crown, while the day can only be set by turning the crown past midnight. The 2427 movement existed in several versions in the former USSR. The earliest had 32 jewels, followed by a slightly different generation with 31 jewels. A later version had 27 jewels—technically the same movement, but with four non-functional jewels under the date ring removed. Versions with 26 jewels also existed, and the new version has 25. As a side note, Poljot International has used the Slava 2627 movement with just 21 jewels in some of its watches.
This movement is well-known for its unique construction, particularly the use of two spring barrels. You can find pictures and more information on websites such as www.ranfft.de webpages.
From this basic description and the first photo, we can already identify the first key difference: while the original Tank uses the 2427 movement with 27 jewels, the new TV version uses the 2427 movement with 25 jewels. In both watches, the jewel count is also printed on the dial.
According to factory specifications, this movement typically runs between -25 to +60 seconds per day. However, my TV watch currently performs much better, running within ±10 seconds per day.
Let’s continue. The TV replaces the Tank’s chrome-plated case with stainless steel. Similarly, the acrylic crystal used in the Tank is upgraded to mineral glass with a sapphire coating in the TV. Why Slava chose not to use a full sapphire crystal remains unclear.
I also measured both watches.My own measurements (in millimeters):
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Tank: 37 (with crown 39) × 39 × 12
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Televizor: 42 (with crown 45) × 40 × 14
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Lug-to-lug: Tank 43 mm; TV 44 mm
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Bracelet width: Tank 30/18 mm; Televizor 32/21 mm
It’s clear that the TV is a larger version of the Tank. However, the increase in size is not proportional in all dimensions—while the original Tank was almost square, the Televizor has a more rectangular shape. What’s interesting, though, is that the lug-to-lug length is almost the same. Because of this, despite the Televizor being much larger on paper, both watches feel almost identical on the wrist. I personally don’t notice much difference.
That said, my wrist is not small—19 cm—so this impression might be quite different on a smaller wrist. When it was first released, the Tank was considered a large watch, and even today it doesn’t feel small to me. So when I say the TV wears similarly to the Tank, that doesn’t mean the TV is a small watch—it’s quite the opposite. It simply means that the Tank was already quite large to begin with.
Let’s now take a closer look at how both the Tank and Televizor look on my wrist.
Personally, I am very pleased that the Televizor retains the dial design, hands, and placement of the date and day of the week from the Tank. At least to me, everything works well together and presents a nice blend of vintage styling with a modern touch.I should note that some Tank versions had the same dial layout as my Televizor, although I do not own a Tank with this exact dial. So, the use of numerals instead of markers is not something “new”; it’s simply that the Televizor is based on a different Tank dial version. The hands have lume—just enough to mention it. It’s far from bright, but it’s there. To be fair, the Tank originally had lume too, but on my example it has long since faded.
In my opinion, the crown on the Televizor is too large. Unlike the Tank, it is not partially hidden into the case. The crown is also smooth rather than ridged, which makes it less practical to operate. While the watch is automatic and doesn’t require regular winding, one still needs to set the time or day of the week from time to time, and a smoother crown doesn’t help in that regard. The red marking on top of the crown feels unnecessary and is inconsistent with the original Tank. A simple engraved Slava logo would have been a better choice.
On the other hand, the quick-set date button has remained small and nearly flush with the case. Even though the Televizor follows the Tank in this respect, it’s not a very user-friendly solution. Setting the date is quite tricky, and you’ll need a pencil or similarly thin tool to press the button. Many modern watches using the 2427 movement feature a proper push-button that is far easier to operate. However, it’s also true that a larger, more prominent button would likely disrupt the vintage aesthetics—and the Televizor would lose its connection to the original Tank.
I was surprised by the design of the caseback on the Televizor, which is again a direct imitation of the Tank’s caseback. It appears that the Televizor also uses a ring screwed around the backplate to hold it in the case—a typical "Russian" approach.
The watch overall gives the impression of a well-finished product. My only criticism concerns the edges on the back side of the case, which are quite sharp. They are much smoother on the Tank. Of course, it’s possible that the Tank originally had sharp edges as well, but years of wear and the chromed case may have softened them over time.
I have to praise the new bracelet—it’s far superior to the one on the Tank. It’s solid and substantial, yet remains fairly supple.
My only serious complaint is the clasp. Closing the clasp on the Tank is difficult and uncomfortable, with the locking teeth placed on the upper part. This has now been changed: the tooth is on the lower part, which is an improvement. However, it still seems as if they intentionally tried to retain a “Soviet” feel in the fastening mechanism. While it’s better than the original, it could definitely have been made smoother and more user-friendly.
The bracelet is huge. I had to remove four links and place it on the first micro-adjustment hole to get a proper fit—and my wrist is not a small one! This again confirms that the watch is generally intended for wearers with larger wrists.
Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately?—the design of the lugs remains the same as on the Tank. This approach makes it impossible to replace the bracelet with a different bracelet or strap. Still, standard hidden lugs would likely ruin the distinctive Tank look. Due to the watch’s width, a more conventional lug setup might simply look awkward.
At the time of writing, the Televizor is marketed as a limited edition watch, available in several variations (green, blue, red, and grey dials; grey or black PVD coating). During the pre-order phase, it was possible to mix and match dials and coatings, and even choose a serial number—but that opportunity is now gone.
So, what about the price? A vintage Tank in very good condition can easily be found for a maximum of €100. A modern Slava watch with a 2427 25-jewel movement can be purchased from their webshop for around €70. Of course, that version comes with a chromed case, acrylic glass, and a low-quality strap. But this clearly shows that the 2427 movement is not an expensive component for Slava.
So it might come as quite a shock that the cheapest Televizor in the Slava store is listed at around 52,000 RUB (approximately €580). Too much? Add shipping costs and VAT for EU customers, and the final price easily climbs to €700. For collectors of Russian watches, that’s quite a lot. But this seems to be the new reality, something I already pointed out in my review of the new Raketa Baikonur. There’s clearly a healthy margin being charged to “crazy watch lovers,” and I’m one of those who paid it.
I console myself with the fact that I bought the watch with a 20% discount and that I now own a modern piece that closely resembles my vintage Tank. And to be honest—I don’t regret it at all. I truly enjoy this watch, I like wearing it, and it fits perfectly on my wrist.
The watch comes in a decent box with an interesting slot for the papers and booklet.
Final verdict: One of the best reissued ex-USSR watches I’ve seen. Highly recommended!
P.S. Slava has released other interesting models with the 2427 movement, such as the Mir and Sadko reissues. Nice watches!
P.P.S. This article was first published on the PortalSatova forum in January 2021.
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