# Best Quality



## seemore (Oct 25, 2007)

Quality wise is there one russian manufacturer or even period of time that are better than the others or are they all similar. As it was communist for quite some time i suspect all watches were equal or were some just a little more equal than others.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

seemore said:


> Quality wise is there one russian manufacturer or even period of time that are better than the others or are they all similar. As it was communist for quite some time i suspect all watches were equal or were some just a little more equal than others.


Sophisticated forum or what? !

Orwellian questions? You're gonna get a few differing opinions on that one I would think. Vostoks tend to be chunky, simple and robust (made from old tanks and ex cavalry leather boots was once said) :lol:

If you can get a real one, the Volna Precision series seem to be very accurate for their time period. The Poljots can be variable across the range, the Chronos are a veritable version of a Swiss movement, but can be a bit fragile some foks say, whilst the simple calibre's are strong and robust. 

And those plus the Raketa (BIG watches and true 24 hour watches) are only the most popular, there's a whole range of Russki watches outside of those few well known makes. One of each make would form a sizeable and interesting collection, and would not be an easy collect, some of the early makes have either disappeared or are very rare now. (Rare=costly, even on fleaby)

My 2c worth


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## tomshep (Oct 2, 2008)

There are some good and durable watches out there. The 3133 Chronograph movement is pretty robust and keeps good time, the Poljot/Luch 2209 is a honey but the grail for most people is the 3017 Chrono which is a real space watch, pre dating the Omega. It is quite pricey now and not wonderfully robust (though you cannot fault its timekeeping.) Apart from the Vostok divers, they hate water but they are not bad watches for all that.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Personally I find that the late 50's Kirovskies from the 1MWF are very good.

I wonder if it is because they were made for, and exclusively for, party members...

Vostok, and others, were military only, and they ar emore robust, solid designs, but the Kirovskies are lighter in design...

The 2209s are very good, and are cheapest when bought as Sekondas.










I like my 3133s,










especially those which may have been issued....










But I love my Kirovs....


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## Johnny M (Feb 16, 2007)

Those Kirovs look superb Chris and I love that Okeah :swoon:


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I rate this 17 jewel Vostok Amphibia Radio Room manual and I am told that as an older model it is quite rare and worth about Â£100.










The case is all st steel unlike the newer auto Vostoks( not the Europe ones) which have a chromed brass case head

I had trouble with a Poljot once though that was magnetised and the time keeping was up and down like a fiddlers elbow.

There seems to be quite a varying degree of quality and reliability with some Russian movements


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## seemore (Oct 25, 2007)

Some of those watches look absolutely lovely and quite unusual not what i normaly see on the bay or on my travels are they that rare or do they just get snapped up.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

seemore said:


> Some of those watches look absolutely lovely and quite unusual not what i normaly see on the bay or on my travels are they that rare or do they just get snapped up.


They are about, you just have to keep looking!

The Kirovs are quite rare now, but the Okeah and the other chronographs are relatively common. Sekondas are evreywhere, and most of the vintage ones will have decent Russian movements.

Try searching for Sturmanskie or Okeah or vintage Sekonda or Kirov or Kirovskie or Pobeda (we haven't mentioned them...)

There's a beautiful looking Kirov on the bay at the moment... 120328557841

Let us see what you find.


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## Barreti (Apr 18, 2008)

That item is in the Ukraine. Isn't it a worry with all the scammers about that you'd never actually see the watch?


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

You buy the seller, Baretti :yes: Check Feedback - above 99% check the negatives or neutrals that have caused that, and then decide. TBH I have bought from this seller in the past without problems, although he does tend to paint a rosy picture of condition, a bit generous in saying perfect when most of us would say (for example) "wear consistent with age", but then he is trying to sell :yes:

Oh, and he doesn't flood ebya with loads of cr*p, mostly a steady supply of reasonably average to good items. If he had something I wanted, I would buy from him again. :lol:

Your mileage may vary of course.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

I've been buying from Russia and Ukraine for 7 or 8 years or more and have never yet had anything fail to arrive....

Condition may be, as Mel says, optimistically described, but they've always got here...

I may have been lucky!


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## Barreti (Apr 18, 2008)

Well thats all good to know. Thanks chaps.

I notice the watch has now sold - with a BIN. Was it someone on here?


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