| ← 2020 | 2021-22 | 2023 → |
Collector's pin These pins are true collectibles! The 2021 parade was canceled due to the covid pandemic so 2021 floats and memorabilia that had already been ordered, paid for and delivered were simply carried forward to the 2022 parade. Such was the case for our fund-raising pins. |
Artist's Concept |
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The theme of the 2022 Rose Parade (carried over from the 2021 parade which was canceled due to the "covid" pandemic) is DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE. Our float is titled Arctic Dream and is intended to commemorate polar exploration and focus public attention on the importance of the polar regions to our planetary climate. Cold polar regions maintain global temperatures in the range that has allowed we humans to flourish on our planet. The polar regions are currently warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe, and Arctic and Antarctic ice habitats are literally melting as temperatures rise. The float depicts Odd Fellows and research scientists exploring and encountering wildlife found at both our northern and southern poles. Such a simultaneous encounter with both polar bears and penguins is possible only in a DREAM. The polar bears and penguins are sending us an early warning of the climatic dangers facing us all. We BELIEVE that by working together we can ACHIEVE the Arctic Dream depicted by our float — a secure future for polar bears and penguins - which will benefit all life on earth.
To learn more about Arctic and Antarctic research efforts, please vist Polar Bears International and the 2041 Foundation. |
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Of polar bears and penguins... some interesting horological history...
In the 1970s and 1980s the Soviet Union's "Racketa" (Rocket), "Pobeda" (Victory), "Vostok" (East) and possibly other affiliated wristwatch factories may have anticipated our 2021-2022 rose parade float with several models of watches honoring polar exploration. Many of these watches featured a polar bear and 3 penguins on the watch face. These were mechanical (wind up) watches of decent quality and are now collectable (e.g. you can often find them in good working and cosmetic condition on the ebay and etsy web sites, usually selling for less than $100). I have found these watches advertised in both men's and women's models, with case diameters ranging from 32 to 40 mm.
The watches commemorating polar exploration were usually named as "Buran" (БУРАН) models. "Buran" translates to "Snowstorm" or "Blizzard" in English and refers to a northeasterly wind of gale force. "Buran" was also the name by which the Soviets referred to their attempt to copy our space shuttle.
The label at the 6 o'clock position (СДЕЛАНО В СССР) on the watch face to the right translates as "made in USSR".
Lets compare a "Buran" watch face with this antique Odd Fellows brass door knob.
- Are not the rays emanating above the hour hand pinion reminiscent of an "all seeing eye".
- Are the 3 penguins an analogue of the three links?
Our float as it appeared on float mechanical and fire testing day, August 28th, 2021. At this stage, the foat is wearing only its "underwear". Decoration with floral material begins in December.
