A friend wants to sell me this Vostok

[LittleWatchShop]

Here is similar watch on ebay.

I am posting pictures of the actual watch.  I dont think it has ever been worn.  Ex husband bought it and I guess it went into a drawer.

Thoughts on this brand of Soviet watch?  I have wanted a CCCP watch for awhile, but have not spent the time to do the research.

 

[watchweasol]

Hi looks clean enough, most Russian watches are not finely finished but are usually robust,  is the watch a worker or not . If it’s been in a drawer for some time it would benefit from a service for sure. Oil dries up and dirt does find a way in also the mainspring if been left fully wound and not able to run most likely dry or mane set.  Try it for winding and running for say 24 hrs if you can

[LittleWatchShop]

10 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

 Try it for winding and running for say 24 hrs if you can

will do

[Nucejoe]

 Russian watches are junk, your friend must have discovered this fact.

 

 

[LittleWatchShop]

Just now, Nucejoe said:

 Russian watches are junk, your friend must have discovered this fact.

 

 

Her ex husband.  Perhaps that is why he is an ex, no?

But I have thought it would be cool to look like a Russian.

[HectorLooi]

That's a Vostok Komandirskie. The problem is that they are worth about $20 to $50. Your friend might get insulted if you offered so little.

The lugs are quite close together at 18mm, making the strap seem skinny for a diver's style watch. I use a 22mm strap and cut off 2mm off each side to make it look more proportional. 

[watchweasol]

Hi I think the word junk is a general term. Could be applied to a lot of watches depending on your preference

[oldhippy]

19 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

 Russian watches are junk, your friend must have discovered this fact.

 

 

I'l second that. I would say 1970's 1980's was a good time for Russian junk. 

[LittleWatchShop]

Sometimes, I worry that I will not get the unvarnished truth on this forum.

[HectorLooi]

17 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

 Russian watches are junk, your friend must have discovered this fact.

 

 

I love my Russian watches. The Vostok Amphibia and Komandirskie... maybe not so much. 

They are rough but robust. Can take a lot of abuse, unlike my Swiss Army watch which uses a quartz movement and just dies sitting on the shelf.

It's like an AK47 compared to a M16.

[LittleWatchShop]

Is there any good Russian watch?  Asking for a friend.

[Nucejoe]

56 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

 most Russian watches are not finely finished 

How would you rate an escape wheel thats not finely finished or compare to some modern Swiss that can run without lubrication.

[HectorLooi]

5 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Is there any good Russian watch?  Asking for a friend.

Try looking at export quality Sekondas.

[Nucejoe]

6 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

I love my Russian watches. The Vostok Amphibia and Komandirskie... maybe not so much. 

They are rough but robust. Can take a lot of abuse, unlike my Swiss Army watch which uses a quartz movement and just dies sitting on the shelf.

It's like an AK47 compared to a M16.

Massey ferguson tractors are more robust. 

Open a Audmars piguet to see what a fine watch is.

[HectorLooi]

Haha. But @Nucejoe, you must remember that our friend is a cowboy. That AP is not going to survive after pounding in a couple of fence posts.

[oldhippy]

53 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

Massey ferguson tractors are more robust. 

[Kalanag]

I bought some of these watches new in the 1990s for about 10DM (Deutschmark) each.

They are constructed well but (very) poorly machined and finished, as others said already.

I sold these watches some years ago for about €20,- each. Should have been waiting for better times 

Edited January 15, 2024 by Kalanag

[watchweasol]

Hi @LittleWatchShop getting the unvarnished truth out of a forum such as this is like getting blood from a stone.  You will get many diverse opinions, that’s what forums do  , extract opinions and from the result you then assemble your own data.     By the way Massey Ferguson aren’t any better than most tractors, stick to John Deere or AlisChalmers.   Cheers

[Marc]

11 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Sometimes, I worry that I will not get the unvarnished truth on this forum.

One should be careful not to confuse the "unvarnished truth" with simple opinion based on an individuals personal experience (which can be base on as little as just 1 watch), preferences, and prejudices.

I like Russian watches (and I have serviced and repaired many) but they do have their faults.

Movement wise the designs range from direct copies, licensed or otherwise, of Swiss movements, to some highly innovative in house designs. Build quality can be somewhat variable, if you get a good one then fine, but if you're up for a bit of fettling then even the less that fantastic can be brought to acceptable levels of performance. The quality of finish ranges from quite acceptable to what can only be described as "agricultural", so the Massey Ferguson references have some grounding.

A lot of the 1970's and 1980's watches came in cases that had absolutely no water resistance, or even dust protection what so ever, so the movements often suffered from corrosion issues. The cases were generally chrome or gold plated base metal, and would wear through to the brass quite quickly. However the full stainless steel cases with a screw down back and a water proof crown were not too bad, and the Amphibia divers are pretty good.

12 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

Open a Audmars piguet to see what a fine watch is.

This is of course a completely pointless comparison, you're not going to get high end Swiss watch levels of performance or finish from any budget watch where ever it comes from, but so long as you keep in mind that that is what most Russian watches are (budget), you shouldn't be disappointed. I don't know about current prices but it was only a handful of years ago that Vostok Amphibias could be had brand new for as little as £75 including shipping, find me an AP at that price point...

As @HectorLooi says

12 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

That's a Vostok Komandirskie

and it's a nice clean example, looks like a late '70's or early '80's vintage with a fairly well finished movement. The case is chrome plated brass rather than stainless steel but the chrome is in good order.The case back gasket appears to be missing but get that sorted and it should have reasonable water resistance. At the right price (I wouldn't pay more than £40) it should be a fun introduction to Russian watches, and of course provides you with the the opportunity to start to formulate your own "unvarnished truth" about them. It also opens up a whole world of customisation should you wish to personalise it.

Well worth reading if you're interested in these...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/vostok-watches-history-explained-muhammed-amjad

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/vostok-amphibia

 

 

[LittleWatchShop]

2 hours ago, watchweasol said:

John Deere

Yup. I have a 3032E. When I am not picking up a microgram screw in the watch shop, I am picking up a 100lb rock wit my Deere!

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, Marc said:

One should be careful not to confuse the "unvarnished truth" with simple opinion based on an individuals personal experience (which can be base on as little as just 1 watch), preferences, and prejudices.

I like Russian watches (and I have serviced and repaired many) but they do have their faults.

Movement wise the designs range from direct copies, licensed or otherwise, of Swiss movements, to some highly innovative in house designs. Build quality can be somewhat variable, if you get a good one then fine, but if you're up for a bit of fettling then even the less that fantastic can be brought to acceptable levels of performance. The quality of finish ranges from quite acceptable to what can only be described as "agricultural", so the Massey Ferguson references have some grounding.

A lot of the 1970's and 1980's watches came in cases that had absolutely no water resistance, or even dust protection what so ever, so the movements often suffered from corrosion issues. The cases were generally chrome or gold plated base metal, and would wear through to the brass quite quickly. However the full stainless steel cases with a screw down back and a water proof crown were not too bad, and the Amphibia divers are pretty good.

This is of course a completely pointless comparison, you're not going to get high end Swiss watch levels of performance or finish from any budget watch where ever it comes from, but so long as you keep in mind that that is what most Russian watches are (budget), you shouldn't be disappointed. I don't know about current prices but it was only a handful of years ago that Vostok Amphibias could be had brand new for as little as £75 including shipping, find me an AP at that price point...

As @HectorLooi says

and it's a nice clean example, looks like a late '70's or early '80's vintage with a fairly well finished movement. The case is chrome plated brass rather than stainless steel but the chrome is in good order.The case back gasket appears to be missing but get that sorted and it should have reasonable water resistance. At the right price (I wouldn't pay more than £40) it should be a fun introduction to Russian watches, and of course provides you with the the opportunity to start to formulate your own "unvarnished truth" about them. It also opens up a whole world of customisation should you wish to personalise it.

Well worth reading if you're interested in these...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/vostok-watches-history-explained-muhammed-amjad

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/vostok-amphibia

 

 

A good comprehensive opinion of Russian watches. I have something of an affection for them being the first watch i repaired was Russian which runs for almost 48 hours, with great time keeping on the wrist. I also have a few of the Vostok amphibias, known as scuba dudes although that logo is often seen on other divers. One is modded and lovely to look at, the wobbly crowns are a unique feature.

[Endeavor]

18 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

I have wanted a CCCP watch for awhile, but have not spent the time to do the research.

It's a AKA3 MO CCCP. Initially only for sale for the military or Westerners with US$. Seems a nice and clean watch. There is nothing wrong with these watches, provided they are not already tinkered to death. But this one seems in good & nice condition.

I've always said, and will say it again; especially the Vostok Amphibia is the best value for money (or for the US: "the most bang for the buck") you can buy on this planet. Nothing comes even remotely close.

Go for it

 

Please note, this is the Amphibia 200mtr diver, not a Komandirskie. The Swiss could learn a thing or two from the Soviets / Russians.

 

Edited January 15, 2024 by Endeavor

[eccentric59]

I think of Vostok as the Timex of Russian watches. They take a licking ... you know the rest. They also produce some incredibly "budget minded" (aka cheap) watches, as well as some very decent timepieces with a long interesting horological history.

I have three Russian watches in my collection. A Vostok "scuba dude" just because it's cheap, quirky and fun. It's the VW Beetle of watches. A made-for-the-western-market Amfibia (spelled with a f instead of ph) that's a typical Vostok calibre with a bit more  finish on the case and dial. And a reissue of the Strela chronograph, the Russian version of the Omega moon watch.

 

 

Watches are like wine -- you can get good wine cheaply and some expensive bottles are pure vinegar. Don't let anyone tell you you're wrong for liking bulk wine in a box. And, that doesn't mean you can't appreciate a good vintage bottle from a well known cellar.

 

My opinion + $5 will get you a small regular coffee at Starbucks if you have a coupon.

Edited January 15, 2024 by eccentric59

[Kalanag]

In 1991 I bought a brand new Russian wrist alarm watch „Corsar“ for just 50DM (€25) from a department store in Stuttgart.

My initial excitement vanished immediately when I found, that the alarm spring could not be wound correctly. After opening the watch I found a ratchetwheel with the squared hole stamped about 0,5mm off center. So the ratchet wheel lost engagement with the crown wheel every turn. Hard to be fixed…

Unfortunately this was the one and only Russian alarm watch in the store.

The movement was a SU 2612,1 which is a copy of the AS 1930.

Edited January 15, 2024 by Kalanag

[Neverenoughwatches]

6 hours ago, Kalanag said:

found a ratchetwheel with the squared hole stamped about 0,5mm off center. So the ratchet wheel lost engagement with the crown wheel every turn. Hard to be fixed…

We had this a few months ago with another Russian watch, it turned out the rachet wheel could only be fitted one way on the arbor square. There was a 1 in 4 chance of placing the wheel correctly first time.