Posted on 09/16/2009 6:40:41 PM PDT by Decombobulator
He skis down volcanoes, strips off in Siberian rivers and even ventures to the bottom of lakes in mini-submarines. Hardly surprising then that Vladimir Putin – Russia's action-man prime minister and judo black belt – is a fan of Swiss watches. Expensive ones.
Yesterday, Putin stunned workers at a factory in the town of Tula when he gave away his latest timepiece to a worker.
Dressed in blue overalls, factory employee Viktor Zagaevsky approached Russia's tsar-like leader and asked him whether he might like to offer a memento. Apparently unable to think of an appropriate souvenir, Russia's premier swiftly took off his £5,500 black Blancpain watch and handed it over to a gobsmacked Zagaevsky.
"My father wasn't expecting such a generous present," Zagaevsky's son, Dmitry, said today. "He just wanted something to remember Putin by."
He added: "I've got the watch. Neither I nor my father are planning to actually wear it. It's now a family relic.
"The workers at the factory were divided over it. Some congratulated my dad and said: 'Well done'. Others thought there was something indecent about asking him for a present."
It's not clear what prompted Putin's generous gesture. Perhaps it was patriotic feeling. According to today's Russian newspapers, Zagaevsky proudly informed Putin that he had two sons, both serving in the Russian army.
Today, Dmitry Zagaevsky admitted that the men in his family normally sported bargain-basement watches. "They don't cost more than 1,000 roubles [£20]," he said. Under normal circumstances, it would take his father two years to scrape together enough cash to buy Putin's watch.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
He’s all that and a bag of chips, aint’ he? *SPIT*
Please. For the love of all that’s holy...no pictures of a shirtless Putin are to appear on this thread!!

Interesting gift. Dear Santa,
Here's a picture of Helen Thomas instead, I hope you find this to be an acceptable substitute:
The guy has billions, no big deal for him.
Where’s my watch, Obama?!
Blankpain translates from the French as “Whitebread” I believe.
Im no fan of Russias leadership, but you have got to hand it to the guy; hes got class and a set of them. I wish we had leadership with a set of them...
Thank you! I almost didn’t click on your ping, LOL!
This is the only ‘watch’ you need concern yourself with:
Countdown until Obama leaves Office:
1221 Days, 16 Hours, 00 Minutes, 20 Seconds.
I tend to agree with the "others," but Putin didn't have to give him anything, yet he did.
I’ll bet the stem pulls out to reveal a retractable garrotte wire, too...
That's correct. I was wondering if anyone else caught the humor (and irony) in that name.../g
“Stay thirsty my friends.”
ROFL, that’s the best picture of Helen Thomas I’ve ever seen.
>> Blancpain translates from the French as Whitebread I believe.
Yup, correct - and they are all damned expensive. Rolex watches are, BTW, considered a “commodity” by the industry. Blancpains are nice cuz’ the “involuntary wealth reallocating workers” don’ know what deys is - ‘till now.
Thank you thank you thank you!
Oh, yeah, and don’t waste your money - buy a $20 Wally*Mart special, wear it for 6 years then trash can it when it coughs.
It’ll keep better time.
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