# Vostok - Worth Having?



## Drum2000

I've been looking on a certain popular internet auction site yesterday at a number of Vostoks including the submariner and a number of the old soviet military watches. There are a vast array of themes but what is the quality like? I'm not expecting dizzy heights as the general price for these are Â£25-30 and there are a lot of them around. Any input?


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## mel

IMNSHO, every collection should have at least one, preferably an Amphibian. Tough as old boots auto movement, possibly built from parts of old Soviet tanks :yes: (not really :grin: ) and just a great beater. The range is so large, you're almost bound to find a "special interest" dial that you like/want, and you can hardly go wrong at the money! I'd be inclined to get a vintage one if you can, but that's just me. NEW ones abound, just pay a bit more :yes:

Price of a meal out for you and the Mrs, VFM and usually good timekeepers "out'a the box" !


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## Drum2000

I like the idea of a Soviet era watch. My son too likes these and is planning out my future pay cheques. I like a bit of fun as well as a good watch. I don't have the money to buy top of the tree but I also don't want to invest in toy town. Cheers.


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## AlexC1981

I have one amphibia type, one casual/military type and one Soviet era dress watch. The amphibia is brilliant. One of my favourite watches. The dress watch is ok too and has kept well for its age.

The military type has had a few problems. The automatic wind failed, which didnt matter much since it could still be hand-wound, but I stopped wearing it when the Vostok badge fell of the dial.








:thumbup:








:thumbup:


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## Drum2000

I had a number bar fall off one of my watches once. It only cost Â£15 to get it put right and a overnight stay at the watch doctors. It's a lovely looking watch and well worth doing.


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## Guest

mel said:


> possibly built from parts of old Soviet tanks :yes: (not really :grin: )


Unless the Russian you go for is a Sturmanskie SS-18,''reclaimed from SS-18 'Satan' ICBMs''.


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## sangman2000

For what they cost you cant go far wrong imho I recently sold my Amphibian to a friend and it has hardly been of his wrist and looks good. I wish I hadnâ€™t sold it to him, so will be replacing it soon.. At the moment I have this Vostok partner










And this VE Expedition 2006 which I am enjoying at the moment, I have it on an orange bond nato


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## BlueKnight

mel said:


> IMNSHO, every collection should have at least one, preferably an Amphibian. Tough as old boots auto movement, possibly built from parts of old Soviet tanks :yes: (not really :grin: ) and just a great beater. The range is so large, you're almost bound to find a "special interest" dial that you like/want, and you can hardly go wrong at the money! I'd be inclined to get a vintage one if you can, but that's just me. NEW ones abound, just pay a bit more :yes:
> 
> Price of a meal out for you and the Mrs, VFM and usually good timekeepers "out'a the box" !


Mel's right. Despite their quirky crowns, they are accurate. I got rid of the plastic strap and dressed mine up with a kevlar band with deployant.


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## dapper

BlueKnight said:


> Despite their quirky crowns, they are accurate.


The 'quirky crown' is a practical design feature that allows the crown to be accurately positioned for screwdown - you'll rarely hear of a Vostok with crossed or worn threads 

Of the volume watch producers, only Seiko & Rolex share Vostok's all in-house manufacture :thumbsup:

The Amphibias are also fitted with a 'Ring Lock System' - just like the Rolex Deepsea that proclaims the feature on the rehaut









A current Amphibia....










....and a Soviet:










Oh, and Bill Murray wore an Amphibia in 'The Life Aquatic'


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## mach 0.0013137

Great watches I`ve presently got 10 plus a Vostok Europe :thumbsup:

I`ve owned this one for 18 years & it`s still going strong...

*Vostok Amphibia, 17 Jewel 2414A c.1980`s*


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## ollyhock

Drum2000 said:


> I've been looking on a certain popular internet auction site yesterday at a number of Vostoks including the submariner and a number of the old soviet military watches. There are a vast array of themes but what is the quality like? I'm not expecting dizzy heights as the general price for these are Â£25-30 and there are a lot of them around. Any input?


the vintage model with brown leather strap and porcelain circles sewn ito strap with lenin's head on them.

thats the best to go for,


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## AlbertaTime

dapper said:


> Of the volume watch producers, only Seiko & Rolex share Vostok's all in-house manufacture :thumbsup:


And, so far as I know, Sea-Gull's own branded watches.

And--absolutely--get an Amphibian.


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## K300

they're all a bit quircky and special, not my cup of cocoa but I can see the appeal for something robust and different


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## dapper

AlbertaTime said:


> dapper said:
> 
> 
> 
> Of the volume watch producers, only Seiko & Rolex share Vostok's all in-house manufacture :thumbsup:
> 
> 
> 
> And, so far as I know, Sea-Gull's own branded watches.
Click to expand...

Ah yes. Thanks Ron, I should have included Sea-Gull :thumbsup:


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## Drum2000

What of a VOSTOK AMPHIBIAN with a 2209 movement? Â£20 seems rather cheap?


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## Drum2000

Sorry, I should have added that it's listed as "D349 Russian watch Commander Submarine VOSTOK AMPHIBIAN".


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## Xantiagib

Drum2000 said:


> What of a VOSTOK AMPHIBIAN with a 2209 movement? Â£20 seems rather cheap?


They're workhorses.... do what they say on the tin.... Robust and you can runover one with your car and it will keep ticking... (see you tube)


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## sheepshearer

Drum - the guys on WUS are discussing just such an Amphibian (albeit with a different case back) and the consensus was that that dial doesn't go with that tonneau case.

but IMO if you like it, you like it and at that price do you care?


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## chris l

I have a number of the original tonneau Amphibias and they have, so far as I can recall, 2614, or 2414 movements..

These are the original hand wind models.


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## Drum2000

In the end I decided on this one. It's for my son who's birthday is at the end of the month. It has the 2414A 17 jewel movement.


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## mach 0.0013137

Drum2000 said:


> In the end I decided on this one. It's for my son who's birthday is at the end of the month. It has the 2414A 17 jewel movement.


I really like that dial B)

I`ve got one similar but with a differant case, it needs repairing something I must get round to sometime


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## Drum2000

There are lots of them out there with a large variety of cases. I chose this one due to its simplicity. I didn't fancy the more elaborate ones. The wife concurred. I think the boy will like it.


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## dapper

Drum2000 said:


> In the end I decided on this one. It's for my son who's birthday is at the end of the month. It has the 2414A 17 jewel movement.


Good choice :thumbsup:










Cheers


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## sheepshearer

lucky lad


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## Bish

Drum2000 said:


> I've been looking on a certain popular internet auction site yesterday at a number of Vostoks including the submariner and a number of the old soviet military watches. There are a vast array of themes but what is the quality like? I'm not expecting dizzy heights as the general price for these are Â£25-30 and there are a lot of them around. Any input?


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## Griff

I can recommend this Radio Room version, 17 jewel manual

This is all st steel but some of the more ordinary ones are actually chromed over brass with a st steel back


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## sheepshearer

ooh - that's really rather nice!


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## Xantiagib

those are going up and up in value .... wish I hadn't sold mine now... :crybaby:


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## louiswu

The more i see of these soviet beauties the more i like 'em. I've see examples with the crowns at 1 & 2 o'clock... is that for any particular reason, or just a mental design quirk?


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## dapper

Griff said:


> I can recommend this Radio Room version, 17 jewel manual
> 
> This is all st steel but some of the more ordinary ones are actually chromed over brass with a st steel back


All Amphibias have stainless steel cases (200M).

It's the similar looking Komandirskies that are plated (20M)


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## louiswu

holy moly... i saw some 80's Komandirskies go on fleabay for Â£100 to Â£150 last night.

I have a question. No doubt i may be able to find the answer via google, but if i do that my post count will never go up so please forgive.

What determines the model name of any given Vostok? Case, movement, dial or the stamp on the back? There seems to be such a variety of similar looking watches with endless combinations of case & face.... is a 31j movement in a Komandirskie case with a Komandirkie face still an Amphibia if that's what's stamped on the back?

ta


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## sheepshearer

louiswu said:


> holy moly... i saw some 80's Komandirskies go on fleabay for Â£100 to Â£150 last night.


yup - there's a Komandirskie craze going over on WUS. that one on the bay yesterday was soviet, in good nick and with original paperwork. hence the price.

current production:

Amphibias - 200m water resist 2416B auto movement in a stainless case

Komandirskies - 20m water resist 2414A manuals in chromed brass cases

see here:

http://www.vostok-uhren.de/vostok-watches-watchuseek.html

HTH


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## louiswu

Some great info there...thank you sir. i learned about the difference in crown on the Vostoks today. Had nowt to do at work so spent the day perusing Russ-Russian Watch blog which was mentioned in another post in this section, and another equally brilliant site linked from his blog. Both superb places for info and very pretty pictures to gawp at.


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## Xantiagib

...Then there's the ultra rare 2427 Day/date variant.... of the 2416B


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