AGAT Vodolaz WatchTitanium, 46 mm, AGAT movement

The story of one watch. A good friend of mine has spent his life collecting historical objects, from bayonets to hard-wearing stitched leather boots, especially things connected with the war years. One day, while we were working the same shift, someone came in wearing a titanium watch from Zlatoust Watch Factory. My friend noticed it immediately: a Zlatoust watch is hard to mistake for anything else. After taking a closer look, he asked whether I knew about these watches. I did not. He could not believe it. He told me how famous they were, mentioned that Schwarzenegger wears one, and shared the story behind them. I like simple, practical things, so I began reading up on the watches. At first the prices on the website surprised me, but good things cost money. I decided on titanium: its resistance to the elements and its strength won me over. Around that time, I saw a promotion in the factory's VKontakte group: they had hidden a gift certificate. I became fascinated by the challenge of finding it. After watching the first clue video, I realised it was somewhere on the Chusovaya River; I just had to work out exactly where. The problem was that I had to leave for a holiday on 24 June, while clues were being released weekly, so I could not wait for the third one. The second clue made things interesting. I studied the video frame by frame, watching it countless times. I needed an overland route because I did not have time for a river trip and had to work. I spotted a faint track leading to the rock and realised we might be able to reach it by land. Then I studied every map I could find online, but they contradicted one another: one put the rock here, another 15 km upstream on the opposite bank. What a mess. My friend Maksim joined in, showed me where to look, and together we located the rock. The navigation app estimated a six-hour drive. We had no idea whether someone else would beat us to it, whether the certificate was still there, whether we could reach the place or exactly where to search. Maksim said, 'Let's just go for it,' so we set off on a whim. We packed hiking gear, backpacks, axes, shovels in case the car got stuck, and weapons in case we encountered bears or wolves. When the tarmac ended, the dirt road ahead looked suitable only for a logging truck. I told Maksim we could drive no farther. Being the consummate professionals we were, we left all our gear in the car! We walked about three kilometres and were nearly carried away by mosquitoes. When we reached the rock, Maksim asked how we were supposed to climb it. I said the person who filmed the clue had not arrived by helicopter. We searched for a way up. Some people rafting down the river stared wide-eyed as two figures emerged from the forest. It was around 30°C, we were drenched in sweat, and daylight was fading. We scrambled up on all fours because there were no steps and the slope was worn smooth. At the top we searched around a particular birch tree. I was certain it was the one: it was the only large birch among the spruces. We looked everywhere and found nothing. I was starting to despair, especially as parts of the ground had already been dug up, and we had disturbed some of it ourselves. With no internet connection, I tried to replay the clue videos in my head. We felt around the birch and searched the neighbouring trees while dusk, hunger and exhaustion closed in. Then I noticed an oddly flattened patch of earth near the birch's roots. I dug with my hands and saw the plastic corner of a waterproof bag. 'Maksim, come over here! I think we found it!' When we opened it, we were so stunned and happy that we shouted, swore and whistled with joy. The rafters probably thought we were mad. We walked back much more calmly; we had the whole night to get home. This is the story I will tell my children, and anyone else who asks, of how I came to own this watch.