Vostok Amphibia 420065 Watch Opereation Desert Shield

BIRTH OF THE DESERT SHIELD SERIES

An American businessman, Bruce Erikson, got an idea: importing watches made in the USSR to the United States. Bruce founded a company called Timepeace Russian Watches Inc and stroke a deal with Vladislav Tsivilin, Director of the Vostok Watch Factory in Chistopol. 10,000 watches were to be supplied. The timepieces destined to commemorate the famous military action - operation "Desert Shield" - had to be "Russian military watches, heavy, massive, rugged" (according to Tsivilin's memoir). The dial was designed by Flag Research Center and features an American flag surrounded by Saudian coat of arms: two crossed tribal swords (representing the Kingdom of Hejaz and the Sultanate of Nejd united in 1932 to become the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia) under a Phoenix palm tree. Soon, the quantity was increased to 40,000 units.