# Picked Up A Few Russians At The Weekend



## Guest (Sep 29, 2008)

I picked up a few russian watches at the weekend, namely 2 Raketa Calendar watches, 1 with a white face and roman numerals and a blue faced one, both of which have issues so I'm trying to make one good one out of the 2.

I also picked up a Vostok, I've looked at 100's of images so far, but haven't been able to put a name to this one yet. The movement is shagged, so if anyone has a spare working movement I'd love to hear from you. There was also what appears to be a Vostok Knife scabbard (see pics). It's of no use to me, so I'd happily swap or p/x it for a movement.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

What model number is the non working movement?

I have one or two Russians about somewhere....


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

The non-worker Vostok looks like the 17j manual wind date job, probably a 2414 movement, plenty about on the bay but getting dearer as the years go on :yes: I don't have a spare I'm afraid, maybe someone else will have one. You should find the caliber number on the movement.

Haven't seen that dial in Vostok before, but it looks a version of/like something for a naval connection, the anchor and is it maybe laurel leaves, plus the red star? Who knows, some kind of special for convoys or some naval flotilla? :lol:


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2008)

I cant find any numbers on the Vostok movement, the only thing I can find is a roughly scratched number 12 in a circle under the balance wheel, which has to be removed so that you can see the number. The fact that It's a manual wind is about all that I can confirm at the moment. I'll take some pictures of whats left of the movement tomorrow.

The good news is that the Raketa is up and running. It's a pleasant enough looking watch, and possibly older than I first thought, as the calendar runs from 1980 to 2000. But the most pleasing aspect is the amount of work needed to get it going again. I've swapped the balance over (the old one would only run face down - I tried Mels heating tip, but in this case it would run well for about 3 minutes). The spring under the pawl that locks the mainspring was also replaced. The plunger used to remove the stem and crown was stuck down, so that was sorted as well. It's the most amount of work I've ever succesfully completed on a watch, so I'll certainly be keeping it if only for that very reason. Again, a piccy to follow tomorrow.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

The 12 in a circle is oft-times the stylized Bostok symbol - it's like an "@" sign but made up of a stylized letter B in a circle, and that's usually on the movement somewhere rather than under the balance wheel - of course the whole thing might be a Chinese Bostok (back to the fakes, homage, copy thing again







:lol, looking at the dial in your piccie it looks a tad un-crisp for a Bostok - then again. if it was a one-off limited run special for a small production run, maybe it wasn't as well printed as usual. :yes:

I'm off on some hols and won't be posting for a whiley, but a picture of the movemnet, someone may well be able to advise.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

The 12 in a circle is oft-times the stylized Bostok symbol - it's like an "@" sign but made up of a stylized letter B in a circle, and that's usually on the movement somewhere rather than under the balance wheel - of course the whole thing might be a Chinese Bostok (back to the fakes, homage, copy thing again







:lol, looking at the dial in your piccie it looks a tad un-crisp for a Bostok - then again. if it was a one-off limited run special for a small production run, maybe it wasn't as well printed as usual. :yes:

I'm off on some hols and won't be posting for a whiley, but a picture of the movemnet, someone may well be able to advise.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

_"The movement is shagged.." _

There's a phrase you'll never see in an Omega condition report from Bienne!

I'll have a look when I get home for a 2414; no promises.

I like that case and bezel very much...

1996 was the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Russian Navy by Peter the Great, and many commemorative watches were made at that time.


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## blackandgolduk (Apr 25, 2005)

That's a nice piece, I love the case styling and I've never seen that case back design before.

As an aside, I found the site of the house where Peter the Great lived when he was learning the British art of shipbuilding. It's on Deptford High Street and is now a Salvation Army charity shop! :lol:


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2008)

Cheers Guys

Here's a Pic of the Raketa, I know they're worth sod all, but I like the look of this one, and I'm rather pleased to have got it running again. The whole batch of watches and the scabbard set me back 5 euros. The scabbard has now found a new home (a mates son is into knives, and took a liking to it).

I also picked up a used leather strap included in the deal, it was only when I got it home that I realised that the strap and the buckle were signed "Breitling", the odds are that it's probably a fake. Alas, the french brocante season is rapidly coming to a close :cry2: :cry2:


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2008)

I've not had the time to put the Vostok movement back together, but a search through another forum has confirmed that it is indeed a 2414 movement ............... Mel certainly knows his stuff.


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2008)

I've managed to find out a bit more of the history of this watch.

What I thought was a knife scabbard is in fact a watch case .........therefore it was very quickly retrieved from my mate, luckily before he had told or given it to his son. I'm going to have to get him some sort of replacement though 

It appears to be a Komandirskie with a rare export version caseback.

It is one of a series of pieces issued to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of the great patriotic war, and was made in 1985.

There is another very similar version representing the airforce, with minor differences on the dial (No anchor, red star moved into the centre of the laurel leaves, and a set of wings where my red star is). Apparently both versions are rare.

It also has the original strap fitted, it is stamped Boctok, CCCP, and has the same symbol as the case back as well.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

catflem said:


> I've managed to find out a bit more of the history of this watch.
> 
> What I thought was a knife scabbard is in fact a watch case .........therefore it was very quickly retrieved from my mate, luckily before he had told or given it to his son. I'm going to have to get him some sort of replacement though
> 
> ...


I realised last night that it must be pre 95 because of the CCCP markings; I haven't found a spare 2414 yet, everything but, I'll have another look tonight.

Nice!


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2008)

chris l said:


> catflem said:
> 
> 
> > I've managed to find out a bit more of the history of this watch.
> ...


Thanks Chris

But please don't break up a decent watch - I'd rather rob the movement from a real old beater, than take one from a presentable watch. There is no great rush to get this watch going.............. I have got another watch or 15 to wear


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