# Sturmanskie Gagarin 50Th Opinions?



## RegF (May 13, 2013)

Hi All

I have a Vostok Amphibian in my collection.

And at $60 that it cost me, I can forgive its foibles, limitations and idiosyncrasies - that's part of its charm

I'm a bit of a space buff and the Sturmanskie Gagarin 50th Anniversary model is interesting

I think it looks kind of cool, the limited edition engraved back is nice, the little capsule presentation box is cute

But it seems expensive at $370 for a russian watch.

Am I being harsh. Is this one a cut above the Vostock that I have and worth this kind of money?

Or is it merely a communist plot to subvert nostalgic capitalists?

Anybody got any opinions?


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

The 50th Anniversary is a watch made by Volmax, the now umbrella company to Sturmanskie and Aviator, and what emerged as the surviving and fortified remains of Poljot. I think you can't really compare it to Vostok. Volmax makes very nice and good quality watches, Vostok makes watches that are amazing... for the price.

Now, as to that particular one... is it expensive or too much? Yes and no. To me it is, no matter how well made it might be. But then again it's a case of if you want it or not. That's their price and that's what you'll have to pay to get one, there's no alternative except maybe getting an old vintage one in gods know what conditions. You are obviously paying extra for a couple of things, such as the scarcity of Russian calibres (Vostok being the only ones still making them), the commemorative thing and the big price increase on watches made by Volmax when comparing them to similar models made on the Poljot era. But if you buy a Rolex, you are also paying for the brand and picking a part of the check of their huge advertisement department. Still, that's the price of a Rolex.


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## RegF (May 13, 2013)

Kutusov said:


> The 50th Anniversary is a watch made by Volmax, the now umbrella company to Sturmanskie and Aviator, and what emerged as the surviving and fortified remains of Poljot. I think you can't really compare it to Vostok. Volmax makes very nice and good quality watches, Vostok makes watches that are amazing... for the price.
> 
> Now, as to that particular one... is it expensive or too much? Yes and no. To me it is, no matter how well made it might be. But then again it's a case of if you want it or not. That's their price and that's what you'll have to pay to get one, there's no alternative except maybe getting an old vintage one in gods know what conditions. You are obviously paying extra for a couple of things, such as the scarcity of Russian calibres (Vostok being the only ones still making them), the commemorative thing and the big price increase on watches made by Volmax when comparing them to similar models made on the Poljot era. But if you buy a Rolex, you are also paying for the brand and picking a part of the check of their huge advertisement department. Still, that's the price of a Rolex.


Well, that does help - Thanks

I guess my fear was that the "extra" $300 was all for memorabilia value and the plastic "Vostok" capsule presentation box, but I would end up with a watch the quality of manufacture of the Amphibian.

So paying a component for the "name" and the brand history is okay by me when there is at least some qualitative difference to set it apart from its peers on the mechanical quality, complexity or decoration front as well

So, it would be unfair to say it was 6 times better than my Amphibian, but better made with better attention to quality control and possibly even more accurate as a result? The rest of the difference is the historical memorabilia factor.

I guess I can live with that.

I wasn't expecting it to be as good as my Omega Apollo commemorative speedy, but for the same sort of dollars I could get a nicely made japanese mechanical from Orient for example that is excellent quality.

I guess I'm trying to match my expectations of this watch with reality, as it is likely to head to Australia in any case. I'm hoping that it arrives with a grin inducing presence rather than buyers remorse

Hence all the questions


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## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

This might help. I wish I had one, and a Vostok Amphibian, but very different watches.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

If that black one was a little bit bigger, or at least with 20mm lugs...


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## RegF (May 13, 2013)

Well, having skinny wrists has to have some compensations

I have half a dozen smaller sized 33-35mm items that look okay on me.

Okay with feedback from here and other forums, I guess I'm comfortable that the Volmax produced Poljot movement is better quality than the Vostock I already own and the overall finish is better, the rest of the asking price is down to nostalgic collect-ability value , which I can live with.

Okay, so now the dilema - which one to get. I've since been away and have been looking at the 40th Anniversary ones that are closer to the real thing - but is it too small? I have skinny wrists and own other things in this range. The 50th are all 38mm

There's two pretty close to the original one with a white dial - one 50th in 38mm , one 33mm 40th- the 40th comes on a bunds strap and the hands are not quite the right shape with no box or papers but its $200 vs $380- should this be a deal breaker?

There's one that looks the same with a black dial - it's a 40th with 33mm same strap, same no papers

There are two different ones with a black dial in 38mm 50th, one with Cryllic text instead of a logo that has the date of the flight and Yuri Gagrin first human in space allegedly on the dial

I know that the winged bomb logo on the white and grey dialed versions was from the bomber group that was the default logo of the airforce and is the one on the watch that Gagarin actually wore, albeit on a much smaller watch _ might still go back to that 33mm model

Can anyone tell me what the symbols on the black dialed one is that has the winged star and shield looking thing?

I'm now torn with indecision as to whether to go with more authentic or the font that I like - no box and save $170 but its a smaller watch -And before somebody suggests it, no I can't get all of them

I'll throw it open to some feedback - I just need some other perspectives and opinions to help me decide


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi, watch the video that luckywatch posted. The guy selling the 50th aniversary watch is Craig Eister and, besides being a seller, he's also a collector and one of the major experts on Russian watches. He's active over at WUS and surely knows his stuff.

Anyway, if you watch the video you'll find that the 50th white dial version is the most accurate reproduction of the actual watch (same size, same kind of movement, same dial, same hands, etc).

The logo on the black one is actually not from Russian military but the logo of Sturmanskie itself (which is heavily inspired on the airforce logo that existed on a lot of watches they produced). Notice that Russian watch brands don't work like on West. Sturmanskie was more of a line of models than a brand. What mattered was the factory. Sturmanskies were made in the First Moscow Watch Factory, along watches branded as Poljot, Strela and other stuff.

So... the way I see the 50th anniversary edition... it's the closest thing you can get to the actual watch. You've mentioned you have a Speedmaster... it works just like that. If you want the Appolo missions Omega, the automatics, sapphire crystal ones won't do it... it will have to be the manual wind one with plexi crystal (sorry, no idea on the model as I know close to nothing about Omega codes).

If that is the case (you wanting the closest reproduction possible), than you'll almost be obligated to buy the white dialed one. The silver/grey is mentioned by a lot of people that saw the watches on the flesh as the most beautiful one but, of course, that's a matter of opinion.

The black one takes a lot of cues from Gagarin's watch but hasn't much to do with it on looks... Cathedral hands, current brand logo instead of a military marking, different font for the numbers... it's a bit of a reinterpretation of a pilot watch (Craig says in the video that Sturmanskie wanted for the black one to show the evolution in design and have a more current design but I actually disagree there... the black one has more of a vintage look, a bit like the Kirovas that also used to be a Soviet airforce watch).

Oh! And watch out on ebay... hundreds of franken watches claiming to be a Sturmanskie Gagarin. They aren't... Pretty hard to navigate sometimes through the maze so, when in doubt, go for an official distributor of Volmax. Should be a list one their site... http://aviatorwatch.ru/navigator/


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## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

Some lovely pictures there. You are lucky being in a position to choose.

I got two angles. First, I would buy the watch closest to the watch Gagarin actually wore. Always a good talking point no matter what size it is. You will be able to say â€˜he wore one just like thisâ€™.

2nd angle. If you were in love with someone from Russian but they had to go back at the weekend and they said they could never ever see you again. What one of those watches would you choose so they could remember you by?

Forget the box. Your call.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2013)

There was a black dial Sturmanskie going on the site "Whose name we do not speak" For about half the price of the 50th anniversary ones. Doing a bit of digging online and it was the 40th anniversary one (Just shows, they are hardly flying off the shelves) I do think that all these sellers over inflating their prices are going to cut their own throats in the end because the watch buying public will just look elsewhere.

These silly "Premiums" On Russian watches are what put me off purchasing a few times which is a pity because they are very well built and nice looking watches. Thank God the likes of Vostok still see sense.


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## RegF (May 13, 2013)

Thanks

After mulling it over I think the white dial 50th is the safer and better and truer option. The 40th in the smaller size worries me with the whole "No Box, No papers" deal from these guys:-

http://www.russian-watches.info/product/1083/

The speedy point is a good one. I have one of the 40th Anniversary Apollo 15 limited editions. It's manual wind and a hasilite acrylic crystal and only waterproof to 30m. It has the modern 1861 movement, so I still want a 60's era one with a 321 inside one day, and the Apollo 11 one at some point

By that logic, the white Gagarin wins and I may pick up some of the variants if cash availability pricing and inclination allows.

I should be able to order it next week - thinking from these people:_

http://www.ebay.com/itm/POLJOT-2609-STURMANSKIE-GAGARIN-RETRO-2609-1701700-2609-1701700-SHTURMANSKIE-/261203045086?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_212&hash=item3cd0ea2ade

Paypal protection is some buffer against fraud

Whose site don't we speak about?

Or have I just made a faux pas


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

RegF said:


>


I liked the look of this version so thought I`d check out the company, their site has an ebay`Top Rated` seller rosette but when you click it you get this message. Also doing some more checking I found a number of negative threads regarding the site on Watchuseek including this one Do not buy from www.russian-watches.info, a site to avoid methinks :wink2:


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## Lampoc (Oct 31, 2010)

I'd recommend vostok-watches.com in Germany personally. 270 Euros for a Gagarin Sturmanskie.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Funny... I was looking for an official distributor in Australia and there isn't any...


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## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

This original 1954 is on the bay at the moment.










Here is the man. Check out inside left wrist.


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2013)

Is it actually original or one of the numerous Ukrainian "Vintage Sturmanskies" Currently on the bay?


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