Vostok Amphibia Scuba Dude Russian Watch - Lets find out how this Russian military watch performs out of the box from new. Spoiler alert - I had to poise the balance due to some serious positional error. Watch the video to see the result :) This exact watch for sale: amzn.to/32cnS8z Vostok Watches on Amazon: amzn.to/32cReDO Timing Machine in this video: amzn.to/2otCaDi
got this one last november. Nothing really special abut it, but at this price I think is pretty good. Mine goes ~+20ses/day just from raw observations on a day-to-day wear. The only thing that bother me to some extent is the achromatic crystal that already got some scratches but everything else is fine. This particular case-dial combination can pass a dress watch :)) chistopolcity.com/120/613-russian-military-vostok-komandirskie-tank-watch-211306.html
I own several amphibians, the one i have being using every day for the past 2 months, it’s today just 1 minute ahead. And I will not put it on time, just because I’m intrigued on how will perform in a longer time. For the price, I think it’s an epic performance. I also used one that went ahead 1 minute in a week. I do mode them, some more than others. Normally it’s only the bezel and insert. Some people like to compare it with Swiss made 20.000 dollar watches, and that’s just plane wrong. The price of this watches in Amazon is les than 90, and in EBay even less. Also I saw people pressure testing the amphibia and most failed above 50 bar. And some withstanding over 80 bar, that is over 800+ meters. The acrylic crystal will get scratched, there is no way around that.
@@OvidiuHretcanu It's easy to polish the crystal, even with toothpaste. New crystals are a couple bucks. komandirskie.com/catalog/aksesuary/zapchasti_parts/steklo_koltso_dlya_chasov_amfibii/
Yes that is remarkeble.....in my country most watchmakers would charge easely 30 euros ( or more....depending where u go) for a regular service. Most of these watches can be bought under 60 euros on ebay...so you better think twice to go with them to a pro watchmaker.
It also shows the the actual movement is decent quality, but it is the final assembly that needs improvement. If Mark worked for Vostok these watches would be in competition with Omega and Rolex.
Old Komandirskie owner here. Mine gained 5 seconds on the wrist in the day, and lost around 3 in the night, crown side up. I rode a scooter on pavement every day for 2 years straight, bumped into stuff hard, and played in a rock band and it still kept to this standard until recently when it started losing 2 minutes a day. Time for a service!
My first automatic watch was a Vostok Amphibia. I don't have anything to actually test it on but I seem to be getting about +5 to +7 per day, just worked out based on how often it seems to gain a minute. It's my cheapest watch and one of my favourites!
I use to purchase these watches for $20 ea from our Russian painters who just arrived at the warehouse back in the 90's (after the break up of the Soviet Union.)....I love these watches! I took the liberty of buying quite a few because they are really a work horse! Thanks for making such a great video!
Great video. Nice to see the inner workings of a Vostok. Also, nice to see no plastic cogs or wheels. Unlike some more expensive brands like Seiko or Citizens. Utilitarian but functional. A true testament to Russian engineering.
I own one of the 090 variety with the cushion case, and I gotta say, while it might not be a chronometer, it is a brutal little thing. It is as rugged as a mechanical watch can be, its a brutalist watch with ingenious designing. Honestly, I'm surprised Swiss and Japanese watchmakers haven't used the two piece caseback design, its a very intelligent design and I've never seen anything like it. I love my little Vostok and while its sub-$100, I feel like it might go to my kids someday! I love it!
I have had one of these, with date, for a couple of years, and I am very pleased with the watch in general, and the timekeeping is around minus 5 seconds per day, less if I remember to leave it with the crown facing down overnight. Setting the date is a clever trick from the factory. To advance the date, manually advance to past midnight until the date clicks over, then wind the hands back to 8 pm. Then advance to midnight and the date will click on one day. Repeat as necessary.
Thank you!!! Please do a few more soviet and Russian watches. They are extremely competitively priced and deserves a bit more publicity and attention!!!
Loved the video. I have 4 vostoks 3 amphibia and a komandirskie GMT. Very fortunate that all are running between 6 and 10 seconds a day fast. I think they are fantastic value for money and a great source of conversation. My next one will be the K35 24hour white dial version. Keep up the great content and I look forward to seeing the next video.
Interesting video - thank you! I would very much have liked to see the whole poising process: how you determined where the heavy spots were, and how you used that Bergeon tool to remove the excess material from the balance.
I really love Vostok watches. There might be some quality-control issues with them, but at the end they are just 60 dollar watches. For me I had much more quality problems with my Seikos. I had four Seikos: a Samurai, a Turtle, an SKX 009 and a Marine Master 300. The Samurai gave up after my first dive in a depth of 5 meters, because the seal behind the caseback was damaged. And My MM died after a swim in the sea, because the "master japanese watchmakers" forgot about the gasket in the crown. I love my Seikos really much but my Amphibians are unique in a really loveble Way, thats why I take them diving with me instead of my Seikos.
Does the Vostok bezel become more functional at depth from your experience? Mine turns so easily it is hard to believe it is useful diving. I like the unique Vostok look, low cost for auto with no date to adjust.
I love Seikos but my Samurai has alignment issues and also has developed erratic time keeping after only 18 months. And my Alpinist keeps near chronometer accurate time, but half of the small lume pips are out of position. Makes it hard to want to commit to buying anything else from the brand.
When you said “the watch seems to be made of a soft rubber” I wasn’t looking at the screen and I managed to ingest some of my cup of tea up my nose......
Another great instructional video, per usual. Nice job, mister. By the way, a friend of mine purchased a brand new Vostok Komandirskie model 350501. Unfortunately he somehow forgot to secure the crown and went to spend a day by the sea. Some water entered the watch and the result was awful. Now I have serviced and oiled this watch but the problem is the dial which I've sanded and prepared. I will try some experiment with sunnyscopa film and a very complicated dial design inspired by your recent Seiko sportsmatic dial restoration. Believe me if I say that the dial is quite difficult to replicate via a vector drawing based program. Not to mention the painstaking work related with the russian alphabeth. Let's keep fingers crossed. Regards from Mallorca.
That, Sir, was truly mesmerizing. Seeing all the parts laid out makes you really appreciate how complicated and incredible a mechanical watch is. Vostok is a true underdog. They are SO amazing bang for buck. No other company offers anything even close for $100. Heck, they don't even OFFER any watches at $100!! I have an Amphibia. Bought it to scratch my mechanical watch itch, after making the grave error of selling a beautiful Seiko JDM when i was desperate for cash. I'm shocked at just how great these Vostoks are.
I fancy a case-opener like yours (and also a decent press), but the proper swiss made ones are beyond my budget. Would be good to see a video discussing cheaper alternatives - what things to look out for and what things you can and shouldn't scrimp on, when building a watch maintenence workshop.
Having 5 vostok, this is the most enjoyable video i saw in your channel ( theothers are also really good ), my vostoks are not that bad as this one ( none of them are the cheapest ones i must say ), some of them run on 12 seconds a day and the wors one on 23 a day. those are ones of my fauvorite watches, as there are very few watches that gives you as that much for the price you pay. wear them on a daily basis and enjoy every single one of them. Great video Mark
I now see why my past watch repairs failed. I needed more than a Walmart screwdriver and a pair of needle nose. Thanks for the great video. It's almost like watching a dance.
The best Vostok movement out there now! Serviced and regulated! I have three different models and all the timings are very good! I do enjoy these quirky watches!
Really love to see you working, very impressive. I have just added an Ampibian to my collection which already includes a Kommandirskie and two hand winders, love them.
Thank you for this review. I have two of these, one of them the exact model that you got, the scuba dude 120658. I also noticed the deviation between the positions. Since I don't have your skills, my approach was to measure the average error over a week of typical office and home use. I got a stable 30 seconds plus a day. I adjusted it back to zero and now it is on plus minus 2 seconds a day, very stable, I never had to open it since. I love this watch. It is very reliable, people throw it into washing machines, freeze it, boil it and run over with cars. Very trustworthy watch.
I have ordered this watch. I am getting the same movement. I have a long wait in front of me. I have been watching this video over and over as it is the best video showing how to service this movement anywhere. You are a true master at what you do. I chose this watch partly on account of this video and also because the watch is quite unique and interesting and has its own history. I really appreciate the fact that you have taken enough interest in it to buy it and show us how it is put together. A real gift.
As usual, great video. I own one and replaced that ridiculous bezel with a Pepsi version that is actually usable in everyday life..(I use the bezels on my watches frequently). Mark, in my opinion the sealing mechanism that Vostok uses on the back is far superior to how most watch manufacturers go about it. The problem I find with my Omegas and other watches is that when the back is tightened or loosed this creates “shear” which distorts the rubber seal, weakening it. Why does Omega, Seiko and others stubbornly stick to an inferior design when they could easily use the Vostok method?
I've had an amphibia in 420 case for two years now. From factory it was doing +16 seconds per day. After I opened it and regulated by moving the lever towards the minus sign (you need to move it in VERY small increments) now its around 5 seconds fast (or even less, its hard to measure without a timegrapher). It's a great watch, with plenty of modding options. I changed the bezel to stainless steel plain one (ordered from Meranom, they call it "Clean bezel") to get an all steel look.
Thank you for your effort and time, showing' us insides of those Vostok watches. I have Vostok Amphibia with 2416B movement for almost two years, purchased it new from the shop. Only one minor issue that it had 1.5 year later - oil clogged in one of two reversing wheels. No other maintenance has been done since then and watch keeps great time of - 10sec per day after some efforts for regulating it.
Missile Man I am literally wearing the Vostok Neptune Amphibia GMT right now.. just got it for two weeks now, and I wear it everyday as my daily beater.. I hope it will run normally like this for a very very looooooong time! I really like this watch! 🙂
One of the best watch videos I've seen- you're an amazing craftsman! I think Vostok is one of the best 'bang for buck' watches around. I've got two and another on the way and they see almost as much wrist time as my Seikos. My Vostoks have been regulated and I don't notice them losing or gaining a significant amount of time.
I have watched this video 4 times and get something out of it every time I watch it. This video is going to be the tutorial I use to take apart my 2415 bostoc movement when the time comes. I can't over stress how good this video is as a guide for servicing this movement. I was able to clarify a few area's by watching other video's but 95% of what I know about this movement comes from this video. I have the movement now but I am waiting for another to come in and I need a couple more tools. My plan is to start by servicing a 6497 movement a few times. Then I will try the 2415 movement. I am pretty excited about this project.
I was thinking of building a Vostok watch out of spare parts, but your video has frightened the life out of me!!! Hasn't put me off though thanks for such a detailed video I am sure it will come handy for my project.
Best watch chanel ive found! Thanks for going through the movements & luriation. Ive always had a facination with watches being mchanicaly curious, partticularly with the engineering of such seemingly artistic expression and the skill employed by your video is simply inspireing! Id love to apperentice with a watchsmith. I see you offer lessons & i think thats a great oppertunity & plan to look into what you offer. Again, its been mesmerizing & im going to wach your video many times because i learned so much from your gratious and skillful offering. Im interested in mchanical movement watches that are in the dive catigory that are priced for the common man. Id like to learn to matain & modify a military grade\ deppendable all teraine/ weather watch & from seeing you work ive realized i should educate myself much more before choosing a watch i can rely on as well as maintain properlly. Its been a delight to watch you work, thanks so verry much.
Man, it just blows my mind woth how precise you are at oiling parts that small. It just fascinates me that people are able to work with components as small as this. And my friends all think im nuts because i like watching all these videos. Lol.
I have one "420059" to be exact and yes Vostok's are mostly based on luck for what you get. It can perform +-4 out of the box, or ridiculous time losses just like yours. It can go down to 500m of depth or just 1 meters. If they can fix their QC issues they will be perfect for their price. Vostok's are cheap durable workhorses and they have unique designs that comes from 60's and 70's and I love them.
Very interesting. I came here as I am thinking of buying a Scuba Dude 710634 and this has definitely made up my mind - it is a lot of watch for the very modest price. As ever, a superb account of the dismantling and rebuild of the movement.
I really like the Vostoks. I have several and they are workhorses. Very easy to work on and a good value for the price. Im going to have to try your regulation tips. 👍
I’m going to buy one like this soon. I’m amazed at how intricate this is for so little money. The video which was interesting. My watches are generally solar quartz and practical but this is interesting so I want one. I’m having my Cartier Santos cleaned and then it goes on the block.
I found this this video fascinating because you knew the watch was going to keep better time after you cleaned it but had no idea how much. I thought the fellow’s explanation of the difference between government issue and the retail market really interesting.
I love your videos, you don't know how much I would like to have a watchmaker like you in my country to service my watches, great job you do, I admire you very much. Greetings
It seems so simple when I watch how relaxed you deal with inaccuracy and stuff. I mean, if I would buy such watch, I'd probably just say "what a crap ... never again". But you made a chronometer out of it -impressive!
I just bought one of these 2 months ago to replace an old one that got lost. It's the exact same watch and band except for a blue dial. So far I think it's better than the old one, I'm gaining about 3 minutes a week which to me is perfectly acceptable for an automatic in this crazy low price range. Also, considering that I typically rotate between 8-10 watches every couple months I doubt I'll even notice it as the spring only lasts 2 days. I'm liking your silver dial one so much I may get one. At this price why not? Oh, and great video, your attention to detail and memory where everything goes is stunning. Subscribed.
Excellent video.....I have 5 Vostoks (3 of them are Amphibias). I am an avid fan. With Vostok's price, reliability, history, and 10 year service interval, they are an exceptional value, imo.
I have 2 amphibia, 1 komandirskie hand winding and another one automatic gmt. They all have decent accuracy, only the komandirskie gmt auto seems to have corrosion issues in the crown, so I need to oil it to avoid it getting stuck and screwing roughly. Amazing video, thanks for sharing.
Great video! I got 2 Vostoks from Mernom about a year ago and while I haven't put them on a timegrapher, they seem to run to acceptable accuracy. I like the watches, they're qwerky and seem to be good value for money. Can't wait to see your re-build on the vintage watch.
I have bought at least 25 amphibians over the years - and have sold many to friends and coworkers. Also a few have been given away as gifts. No problems with any of them - if you can regulate the watch, you have a very reliable timekeeper/diver for very little money. The movements are very sturdy little machines! I still love my amphibians (i only have 2 modded ones right now - maybe I should get a SE model...)
I am considering a Vostock Amphibian, although have not purchased one yet. I just love the history, function and simple aesthetics of this watch. While not an investment as some watches are, and they clearly have their issues, they're just too cool to pass up. Sort of like old Timexes in the US.
I own about 10 or more of these watches and I wish I had the same skill to do a full service on them all. As it is I’ve done some modding, only going as far as changing the date wheels from white to black with a black dial and changing the hands to blued(a personal preference), and Some of them work really well, but some can be troublesome when I put them on the timegrapher machine. Nevertheless I love these watches. You nearly got this to COSC standards, superb as always.
Mark, always love watching you work on watches. This Russian diver isn't on my list. I have a large collection of divers - and all of them go diving. I especially enjoyed your brief discussion of adjusting the poise of the balance to even out positional variation. I hope you can work that in to a video of it's own - or perhaps another level of your courses. I can't wait for the next course (Calendar, Chronograph, and automatic mechanisms) to become available - as I really enjoy your courses!
I have heard that it is the luck of the draw when this watch model is purchased. So I ordered one. I would like to try disassembling one of these movements. You have the best video I have seen yet for disassembling and assembling one of these watch movements. I really appreciate it.
I had one of the paratrooper versions when I was younger. I'm not a true watch aficionado, but it worked well. The crystal was plastic, the biggest bummer, but the thing was an awesome conversation starter. This was during the USSR days, so they weren't that common in the US, and it was like a magnet to anyone from the Soviet bloc. Sadly it was lost to a vehicle break-in. I guess I should get another one. Maybe it could be my first attempt at disassembly.
I have one, and it was gaining about +40 s a day, after adustment now is about +7 to +11 s/day. Definitely not perfect watches but I like them more than affordable homage, and I'm pretty sure that they will serve much longer.
thanks for posting...love seeing the difference in the quality of parts in the movements of all the watches you do and be it tanks or watches the Russians are good at making things that last.
Отличная работа! Почитал несколько комментариев ниже, вижу некоторые люди думают, что это недорогой товар и соответственно качество плюс/минус так себе. Они ошибаются. Это просто подарок из доброй России, радуйтесь, что вы можете себе позволить такой товар по такой цене.
Hi. I was waiting for a russian for some time. I already did a 2416b and it went quite well. The most difficult part was to assemble that spring under the barrel bridge - it was slipping and didn't want to stay still. But all went ok at the end. Thank you.
I was told that the Vostok watch from the factory is set up for great activity and shaking, bumps and temperature changes, in order to show the exact value at the same time! But in the usual calm state, they will show large deviations in the readings. What is not typical for other watch brands is the opposite! Therefore, the East is called sentry AK-47.
I have an amphibia that I regulated and in the pendant up position it was about -1 to 0 seconds a day. Now I’m in the process of trying to build a Miyota 2035 powered amphibia, got all the parts just waiting for the case and dial from Russia. Done a similar quartz conversion on an old timex. Just hoping it goes smoothly
I have one of these with the date complication. It's seems to run about 10-15 seconds per day fast when worn. They're not bad watches, really, but they are also staggeringly cheap and they come in all kinds of interesting designs, so I don't begrudge anyone who wears one. All the same, the cost of servicing exceeds the value of the watch, so if they go wonky or get beat up you can throw them away and get another one. I've said before that they are like the costume jewelry of the watch world - cheap, functional, fun-to-wear, pleasing to look at but also not something to be concerned about if you damage or lose it.
I love my Vostok’s. I own 3 of them. 1 Komradirskie and 2 Amphians. For the money you can’t complain. They easy to customize, which is half the reason I like them so much.
I just bought a vintage vostok watch and I think they are a really interesting watch. I know they probably are not amazing timekeepers and are cheap, but they are a window into a very interesting country
Nice video thanks for making. I'm a huge fan of Vostok watches and have many old and new. Love to wear them and very satisfying to service (especially if its an old neglected one). I do find the older models are better timekeepers than new especially after a service. The QC can be a little lacking in the newer examples. I actually got one missing a yoke spring! another with a hair on the dial. The Seals don't stand the test of time and need to be replaced every few years. This may explain why you found rust in your 90's example. A common failure point in the older movements is the mainspring (Cal 2409 and 2414). these tend to break on the outside end against the barrel wall. The 70's movement 2209 are nice to work on should you ever decide to pickone up. Overall these are fun watches with an interesting history and a unique style. My Vostok watches get more wrist time than my Breitling. Thanks for the video and indeed your channel. You and other watch channels have encouraged me to start servicing my own watches and I have for the last few years enjoyed this great hobby.
Vostok Amphibia Scuba Dude Russian Watch - Lets find out how this Russian military watch performs out of the box from new. Spoiler alert - I had to poise the balance due to some serious positional error. Watch the video to see the result :)
This exact watch for sale: amzn.to/32cnS8z
Vostok Watches on Amazon: amzn.to/32cReDO
Timing Machine in this video: amzn.to/2otCaDi
On a 75£ is this service practical? What would a watch shop charge for such a service (ignoring the positional error of this watch)
Did you ever seen Vostok 2809? This watch from the 1950s is like a Chronometer after 70years +4sek a day
got this one last november. Nothing really special abut it, but at this price I think is pretty good. Mine goes ~+20ses/day just from raw observations on a day-to-day wear. The only thing that bother me to some extent is the achromatic crystal that already got some scratches but everything else is fine. This particular case-dial combination can pass a dress watch :))
chistopolcity.com/120/613-russian-military-vostok-komandirskie-tank-watch-211306.html
I own several amphibians, the one i have being using every day for the past 2 months, it’s today just 1 minute ahead. And I will not put it on time, just because I’m intrigued on how will perform in a longer time. For the price, I think it’s an epic performance. I also used one that went ahead 1 minute in a week. I do mode them, some more than others. Normally it’s only the bezel and insert. Some people like to compare it with Swiss made 20.000 dollar watches, and that’s just plane wrong. The price of this watches in Amazon is les than 90, and in EBay even less. Also I saw people pressure testing the amphibia and most failed above 50 bar. And some withstanding over 80 bar, that is over 800+ meters. The acrylic crystal will get scratched, there is no way around that.
@@OvidiuHretcanu It's easy to polish the crystal, even with toothpaste. New crystals are a couple bucks.
komandirskie.com/catalog/aksesuary/zapchasti_parts/steklo_koltso_dlya_chasov_amfibii/
The time you take on a $50 watch is impressive. The same amount of care is given as you if you were working on a $5,000 watch. You sir, are an artist.
Yes that is remarkeble.....in my country most watchmakers would charge easely 30 euros ( or more....depending where u go) for a regular service. Most of these watches can be bought under 60 euros on ebay...so you better think twice to go with them to a pro watchmaker.
It also shows the the actual movement is decent quality, but it is the final assembly that needs improvement. If Mark worked for Vostok these watches would be in competition with Omega and Rolex.
Old Komandirskie owner here. Mine gained 5 seconds on the wrist in the day, and lost around 3 in the night, crown side up. I rode a scooter on pavement every day for 2 years straight, bumped into stuff hard, and played in a rock band and it still kept to this standard until recently when it started losing 2 minutes a day. Time for a service!
After all of your work it is now a Vostok certified chronometer!
+ 10 years warranty
I have one. I took it to a local watch maker who timed it for me. Never looked back, use while working , spinning, never misses a beat.
My first automatic watch was a Vostok Amphibia. I don't have anything to actually test it on but I seem to be getting about +5 to +7 per day, just worked out based on how often it seems to gain a minute. It's my cheapest watch and one of my favourites!
I use to purchase these watches for $20 ea from our Russian painters who just arrived at the warehouse back in the 90's (after the break up of the Soviet Union.)....I love these watches! I took the liberty of buying quite a few because they are really a work horse! Thanks for making such a great video!
Great video. Nice to see the inner workings of a Vostok. Also, nice to see no plastic cogs or wheels.
Unlike some more expensive brands like Seiko or Citizens.
Utilitarian but functional. A true testament to Russian engineering.
I own one of the 090 variety with the cushion case, and I gotta say, while it might not be a chronometer, it is a brutal little thing. It is as rugged as a mechanical watch can be, its a brutalist watch with ingenious designing. Honestly, I'm surprised Swiss and Japanese watchmakers haven't used the two piece caseback design, its a very intelligent design and I've never seen anything like it. I love my little Vostok and while its sub-$100, I feel like it might go to my kids someday! I love it!
I have had one of these, with date, for a couple of years, and I am very pleased with the watch in general, and the timekeeping is around minus 5 seconds per day, less if I remember to leave it with the crown facing down overnight. Setting the date is a clever trick from the factory. To advance the date, manually advance to past midnight until the date clicks over, then wind the hands back to 8 pm. Then advance to midnight and the date will click on one day. Repeat as necessary.
That was brilliant listening to the music and watching a skilful watch maker was so therapeutic 👏🏻👍
I have a couple of these Vostoks and like them very much. Thank you for showing me what's up inside them. Excellent presentation as always.
Me too, just ordered an SE model after enjoying my $69 one so much. Cheap, simple with no date, keep decent time for my needs, and different.
Thank you!!! Please do a few more soviet and Russian watches. They are extremely competitively priced and deserves a bit more publicity and attention!!!
Loved the video. I have 4 vostoks 3 amphibia and a komandirskie GMT. Very fortunate that all are running between 6 and 10 seconds a day fast. I think they are fantastic value for money and a great source of conversation.
My next one will be the K35 24hour white dial version.
Keep up the great content and I look forward to seeing the next video.
Interesting video - thank you! I would very much have liked to see the whole poising process: how you determined where the heavy spots were, and how you used that Bergeon tool to remove the excess material from the balance.
I'm wearing a Scuba Dude as I viewed this; quite interesting seeing the insides of my own watch !👌
Lovely tranquil music whilst watching a master watchsmith at work......Then BOOM in with the talking and I jump out my chair!
I did as well.
I really love Vostok watches. There might be some quality-control issues with them, but at the end they are just 60 dollar watches. For me I had much more quality problems with my Seikos. I had four Seikos: a Samurai, a Turtle, an SKX 009 and a Marine Master 300. The Samurai gave up after my first dive in a depth of 5 meters, because the seal behind the caseback was damaged. And My MM died after a swim in the sea, because the "master japanese watchmakers" forgot about the gasket in the crown. I love my Seikos really much but my Amphibians are unique in a really loveble Way, thats why I take them diving with me instead of my Seikos.
Does the Vostok bezel become more functional at depth from your experience? Mine turns so easily it is hard to believe it is useful diving.
I like the unique Vostok look, low cost for auto with no date to adjust.
I love Seikos but my Samurai has alignment issues and also has developed erratic time keeping after only 18 months. And my Alpinist keeps near chronometer accurate time, but half of the small lume pips are out of position. Makes it hard to want to commit to buying anything else from the brand.
There are more than a few fake Seikos, even current models. It's more likely you had these fakes than you got two divers with bad seals.
When you said “the watch seems to be made of a soft rubber” I wasn’t looking at the screen and I managed to ingest some of my cup of tea up my nose......
Another great instructional video, per usual. Nice job, mister. By the way, a friend of mine purchased a brand new Vostok Komandirskie model 350501.
Unfortunately he somehow forgot to secure the crown and went to spend a day by the sea. Some water entered the watch and the result was awful. Now I have serviced and oiled this watch but the problem is the dial which I've sanded and prepared. I will try some experiment with sunnyscopa film and a very complicated dial design inspired by your recent Seiko sportsmatic dial restoration. Believe me if I say that the dial is quite difficult to replicate via a vector drawing based program. Not to mention the painstaking work related with the russian alphabeth.
Let's keep fingers crossed.
Regards from Mallorca.
That, Sir, was truly mesmerizing. Seeing all the parts laid out makes you really appreciate how complicated and incredible a mechanical watch is.
Vostok is a true underdog. They are SO amazing bang for buck. No other company offers anything even close for $100. Heck, they don't even OFFER any watches at $100!!
I have an Amphibia. Bought it to scratch my mechanical watch itch, after making the grave error of selling a beautiful Seiko JDM when i was desperate for cash.
I'm shocked at just how great these Vostoks are.
I have three of these Amphibias. Out of the box the rate wasn’t that good but after some regulation they are all very accurate watches.
I have one of these to use for snorkling. Its totally perfect for that purpose and I like that it doesn't have needless complications.
I fancy a case-opener like yours (and also a decent press), but the proper swiss made ones are beyond my budget.
Would be good to see a video discussing cheaper alternatives - what things to look out for and what things you can and shouldn't scrimp on, when building a watch maintenence workshop.
You should make that video.
Joining the demand list
Thanks, nice video as always. The watch specced -20..+60 seconds/day so you had an "okay" piece and you've improved it this much! Kudos.
The Amphibia is a long-time favourite of mine, and seeing one resurrected and improved was great to see.
I love watching a master of their craft! So informational and relaxing. Watchmaking and antique restorations are always fascinating to see.
I always enjoy your reviews! With some TLC & a great amount of patience and skill you made this watch perform at its best. Two thumbs up 👍 👍
Having 5 vostok, this is the most enjoyable video i saw in your channel ( theothers are also really good ), my vostoks are not that bad as this one ( none of them are the cheapest ones i must say ), some of them run on 12 seconds a day and the wors one on 23 a day.
those are ones of my fauvorite watches, as there are very few watches that gives you as that much for the price you pay.
wear them on a daily basis and enjoy every single one of them.
Great video Mark
I now see why my past watch repairs failed. I needed more than a Walmart screwdriver and a pair of needle nose. Thanks for the great video. It's almost like watching a dance.
I am mesmerized by your work. It's my ultimate nerd out time, what you do is amazing. Thank you for posting.
same here! If I want to relax, I just tune in and see what's happening at the watch bench!
The best Vostok movement out there now! Serviced and regulated! I have three different models and all the timings are very good! I do enjoy these quirky watches!
Really love to see you working, very impressive. I have just added an Ampibian to my collection which already includes a Kommandirskie and two hand winders, love them.
Thank you for this review. I have two of these, one of them the exact model that you got, the scuba dude 120658. I also noticed the deviation between the positions. Since I don't have your skills, my approach was to measure the average error over a week of typical office and home use. I got a stable 30 seconds plus a day. I adjusted it back to zero and now it is on plus minus 2 seconds a day, very stable, I never had to open it since. I love this watch. It is very reliable, people throw it into washing machines, freeze it, boil it and run over with cars. Very trustworthy watch.
I have ordered this watch. I am getting the same movement. I have a long wait in front of me. I have been watching this video over and over as it is the best video showing how to service this movement anywhere. You are a true master at what you do. I chose this watch partly on account of this video and also because the watch is quite unique and interesting and has its own history. I really appreciate the fact that you have taken enough interest in it to buy it and show us how it is put together. A real gift.
As usual, great video. I own one and replaced that ridiculous bezel with a Pepsi version that is actually usable in everyday life..(I use the bezels on my watches frequently).
Mark, in my opinion the sealing mechanism that Vostok uses on the back is far superior to how most watch manufacturers go about it. The problem I find with my Omegas and other watches is that when the back is tightened or loosed this creates “shear” which distorts the rubber seal, weakening it. Why does Omega, Seiko and others stubbornly stick to an inferior design when they could easily use the Vostok method?
You're video quality has greatly improved! Keep up the great work.
I've had an amphibia in 420 case for two years now. From factory it was doing +16 seconds per day. After I opened it and regulated by moving the lever towards the minus sign (you need to move it in VERY small increments) now its around 5 seconds fast (or even less, its hard to measure without a timegrapher). It's a great watch, with plenty of modding options. I changed the bezel to stainless steel plain one (ordered from Meranom, they call it "Clean bezel") to get an all steel look.
Thank you for being on RUclips. You're the best.
Poetry in motion! Impressed you were able to make that large of an improvement. Nice work!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻
1st time viewer and subscriber.🙂
Thank you for your effort and time, showing' us insides of those Vostok watches. I have Vostok Amphibia with 2416B movement for almost two years, purchased it new from the shop. Only one minor issue that it had 1.5 year later - oil clogged in one of two reversing wheels. No other maintenance has been done since then and watch keeps great time of - 10sec per day after some efforts for regulating it.
Crazy that oils from fingerprints at 7:30 etch themselves so deeply in the metal of the watch movement
I have 4 Vostoks, and I really like them. My latest is a Neptune Amphibia with GMT complication.......extremely good value.
Missile Man I am literally wearing the Vostok Neptune Amphibia GMT right now.. just got it for two weeks now, and I wear it everyday as my daily beater.. I hope it will run normally like this for a very very looooooong time! I really like this watch! 🙂
One of the best watch videos I've seen- you're an amazing craftsman! I think Vostok is one of the best 'bang for buck' watches around. I've got two and another on the way and they see almost as much wrist time as my Seikos. My Vostoks have been regulated and I don't notice them losing or gaining a significant amount of time.
Awesome video mate!
I have one scuba dude and I love it, it's just a fun watch to wear.
Wow.
I really want to get into watch repair now.
This was amazing! This makes me want to fix up something worth wearing!
I have watched this video 4 times and get something out of it every time I watch it. This video is going to be the tutorial I use to take apart my 2415 bostoc movement when the time comes.
I can't over stress how good this video is as a guide for servicing this movement. I was able to clarify a few area's by watching other video's but 95% of what I know about this movement comes from this video. I have the movement now but I am waiting for another to come in and I need a couple more tools. My plan is to start by servicing a 6497 movement a few times. Then I will try the 2415 movement. I am pretty excited about this project.
How did it go?
I also want to get into this hobby, opening up watches and servicing them
It`s always amazing to see this kind of turn around on something, a watch or anything else.
Just amazing. Thank you for your efforts in making this video!
I was thinking of building a Vostok watch out of spare parts, but your video has frightened the life out of me!!! Hasn't put me off though thanks for such a detailed video I am sure it will come handy for my project.
I've got a Neptune on the way. Looks like I'm getting it serviced before even a single second of wrist time. Great work, as always
Best watch chanel ive found! Thanks for going through the movements & luriation. Ive always had a facination with watches being mchanicaly curious, partticularly with the engineering of such seemingly artistic expression and the skill employed by your video is simply inspireing! Id love to apperentice with a watchsmith. I see you offer lessons & i think thats a great oppertunity & plan to look into what you offer. Again, its been mesmerizing & im going to wach your video many times because i learned so much from your gratious and skillful offering. Im interested in mchanical movement watches that are in the dive catigory that are priced for the common man. Id like to learn to matain & modify a military grade\ deppendable all teraine/ weather watch & from seeing you work ive realized i should educate myself much more before choosing a watch i can rely on as well as maintain properlly.
Its been a delight to watch you work, thanks so verry much.
All these fancy and custom tools are starting to make me think you've been doing this kind of thing with watches for a while now ;)
Nice job. I like to see the improvements your skill makes.
Man, it just blows my mind woth how precise you are at oiling parts that small. It just fascinates me that people are able to work with components as small as this. And my friends all think im nuts because i like watching all these videos. Lol.
I have one "420059" to be exact and yes Vostok's are mostly based on luck for what you get. It can perform +-4 out of the box, or ridiculous time losses just like yours. It can go down to 500m of depth or just 1 meters. If they can fix their QC issues they will be perfect for their price. Vostok's are cheap durable workhorses and they have unique designs that comes from 60's and 70's and I love them.
Your work on the watch and for the video is great
Very interesting. I came here as I am thinking of buying a Scuba Dude 710634 and this has definitely made up my mind - it is a lot of watch for the very modest price. As ever, a superb account of the dismantling and rebuild of the movement.
Subscribing now. Meticulous and scientific. Truly a pleasure to watch. Thank you for the awesome video.
I really like the Vostoks. I have several and they are workhorses. Very easy to work on and a good value for the price. Im going to have to try your regulation tips. 👍
I've got 4 of these wonderful quirky watches, 3 of them had very good accurate performance from factory 👍
Thank you for making this excellent video !
I’m going to buy one like this soon.
I’m amazed at how intricate this is for so little money.
The video which was interesting.
My watches are generally solar quartz and practical but this is interesting so I want one.
I’m having my Cartier Santos cleaned and then it goes on the block.
I found this this video fascinating because you knew the watch was going to keep better time after you cleaned it but had no idea how much. I thought the fellow’s explanation of the difference between government issue and the retail market really interesting.
I love your videos, you don't know how much I would like to have a watchmaker like you in my country to service my watches, great job you do, I admire you very much.
Greetings
As it was my first automatic I bought myself, It will always have a sweet place in my hearth.
It seems so simple when I watch how relaxed you deal with inaccuracy and stuff. I mean, if I would buy such watch, I'd probably just say "what a crap ... never again". But you made a chronometer out of it -impressive!
I just bought one of these 2 months ago to replace an old one that got lost. It's the exact same watch and band except for a blue dial. So far I think it's better than the old one, I'm gaining about 3 minutes a week which to me is perfectly acceptable for an automatic in this crazy low price range. Also, considering that I typically rotate between 8-10 watches every couple months I doubt I'll even notice it as the spring only lasts 2 days. I'm liking your silver dial one so much I may get one. At this price why not?
Oh, and great video, your attention to detail and memory where everything goes is stunning. Subscribed.
Excellent video.....I have 5 Vostoks (3 of them are Amphibias). I am an avid fan. With Vostok's price, reliability, history, and 10 year service interval, they are an exceptional value, imo.
Great video.I have the same watch.It runs about 45 seconds fast per day since I bought it new about 2-3 years ago.
This video with the one about SKX007 is one of the best ever keep it up Sir. I really love your channel!!!
what a chilled out video
Yer had one of them, was pretty good considering the price. Fantastic work...very enjoyable 👍
I think it’s pretty great that you can improve these watches. Fascinating to see.
While not the exact movement, this got me running again, thank you.
Great content. I own 3, first one had some issues. Other 2 are fantastic. I’ll be reviewing on my channel. Thank you for your videos!!! Very good !!
Thank-you very relaxing to watch .Richard.
I have 2 amphibia, 1 komandirskie hand winding and another one automatic gmt. They all have decent accuracy, only the komandirskie gmt auto seems to have corrosion issues in the crown, so I need to oil it to avoid it getting stuck and screwing roughly. Amazing video, thanks for sharing.
Great video! I got 2 Vostoks from Mernom about a year ago and while I haven't put them on a timegrapher, they seem to run to acceptable accuracy. I like the watches, they're qwerky and seem to be good value for money. Can't wait to see your re-build on the vintage watch.
Randy Allen do they ever stop when nearing date change at midnight? for example, between 8pm to 12am
I have bought at least 25 amphibians over the years - and have sold many to friends and coworkers. Also a few have been given away as gifts. No problems with any of them - if you can regulate the watch, you have a very reliable timekeeper/diver for very little money. The movements are very sturdy little machines! I still love my amphibians (i only have 2 modded ones right now - maybe I should get a SE model...)
I am considering a Vostock Amphibian, although have not purchased one yet. I just love the history, function and simple aesthetics of this watch. While not an investment as some watches are, and they clearly have their issues, they're just too cool to pass up. Sort of like old Timexes in the US.
I own about 10 or more of these watches and I wish I had the same skill to do a full service on them all. As it is I’ve done some modding, only going as far as changing the date wheels from white to black with a black dial and changing the hands to blued(a personal preference), and
Some of them work really well, but some can be troublesome when I put them on the timegrapher machine. Nevertheless I love these watches. You nearly got this to COSC standards, superb as always.
Mark, always love watching you work on watches. This Russian diver isn't on my list. I have a large collection of divers - and all of them go diving. I especially enjoyed your brief discussion of adjusting the poise of the balance to even out positional variation. I hope you can work that in to a video of it's own - or perhaps another level of your courses. I can't wait for the next course (Calendar, Chronograph, and automatic mechanisms) to become available - as I really enjoy your courses!
Vostok Amphibia, a must have in every collection :)
I have heard that it is the luck of the draw when this watch model is purchased. So I ordered one. I would like to try disassembling one of these movements. You have the best video I have seen yet for disassembling and assembling one of these watch movements. I really appreciate it.
Amazing work!
I had one of the paratrooper versions when I was younger. I'm not a true watch aficionado, but it worked well. The crystal was plastic, the biggest bummer, but the thing was an awesome conversation starter. This was during the USSR days, so they weren't that common in the US, and it was like a magnet to anyone from the Soviet bloc. Sadly it was lost to a vehicle break-in. I guess I should get another one. Maybe it could be my first attempt at disassembly.
Fantastic work! It's exciting even without any mod. Well done! I also have 120 case.
I have one, and it was gaining about +40 s a day, after adustment now is about +7 to +11 s/day. Definitely not perfect watches but I like them more than affordable homage, and I'm pretty sure that they will serve much longer.
mine was -70 got it down to around +3sec a day. hit and miss and loads of variables
What adjustment did you do?
thanks for posting...love seeing the difference in the quality of parts in the movements of all the watches you do and be it tanks or watches the Russians are good at making things that last.
Your work is mesmerizing!
Отличная работа!
Почитал несколько комментариев ниже, вижу некоторые люди думают, что это недорогой товар и соответственно качество плюс/минус так себе. Они ошибаются. Это просто подарок из доброй России, радуйтесь, что вы можете себе позволить такой товар по такой цене.
Hi. I was waiting for a russian for some time. I already did a 2416b and it went quite well. The most difficult part was to assemble that spring under the barrel bridge - it was slipping and didn't want to stay still. But all went ok at the end. Thank you.
I was told that the Vostok watch from the factory is set up for great activity and shaking, bumps and temperature changes, in order to show the exact value at the same time! But in the usual calm state, they will show large deviations in the readings. What is not typical for other watch brands is the opposite! Therefore, the East is called sentry AK-47.
You almost brought the Vostok to a Swiss chronometre time keeping! Wow!
I have an amphibia that I regulated and in the pendant up position it was about -1 to 0 seconds a day. Now I’m in the process of trying to build a Miyota 2035 powered amphibia, got all the parts just waiting for the case and dial from Russia. Done a similar quartz conversion on an old timex. Just hoping it goes smoothly
I have one of these with the date complication. It's seems to run about 10-15 seconds per day fast when worn. They're not bad watches, really, but they are also staggeringly cheap and they come in all kinds of interesting designs, so I don't begrudge anyone who wears one. All the same, the cost of servicing exceeds the value of the watch, so if they go wonky or get beat up you can throw them away and get another one. I've said before that they are like the costume jewelry of the watch world - cheap, functional, fun-to-wear, pleasing to look at but also not something to be concerned about if you damage or lose it.
I love my Vostok’s. I own 3 of them. 1 Komradirskie and 2 Amphians. For the money you can’t complain. They easy to customize, which is half the reason I like them so much.
Some more details on how you got the timing better would have been great. I enjoy watching these strip downs.
I just bought a vintage vostok watch and I think they are a really interesting watch. I know they probably are not amazing timekeepers and are cheap, but they are a window into a very interesting country
Nice video thanks for making. I'm a huge fan of Vostok watches and have many old and new. Love to wear them and very satisfying to service (especially if its an old neglected one). I do find the older models are better timekeepers than new especially after a service. The QC can be a little lacking in the newer examples. I actually got one missing a yoke spring! another with a hair on the dial. The Seals don't stand the test of time and need to be replaced every few years. This may explain why you found rust in your 90's example. A common failure point in the older movements is the mainspring (Cal 2409 and 2414). these tend to break on the outside end against the barrel wall. The 70's movement 2209 are nice to work on should you ever decide to pickone up. Overall these are fun watches with an interesting history and a unique style. My Vostok watches get more wrist time than my Breitling.
Thanks for the video and indeed your channel. You and other watch channels have encouraged me to start servicing my own watches and I have for the last few years enjoyed this great hobby.