Why Do People Love Vostok Watches?

When you start getting interested in watches and start finding out about all the different brands it’s only a matter of time before you hear about Vostok.

There is an almost a cult like following for this Russian brand. It is either seen as the best thing ever and gets a lot of respect and praise from a wide range of watch collectors, or people just do not understand what all the fuss is about.

Personally I love Vostok and think there are far more positives in owning one than not, which I will go through in this article.

Who Are Vostok?

Vostok are a Russian watch company that formed in 1942 but they did not start making watches until after the war and did not start using the name “Vostok” until the 1960s and it is believed they named themselves after the Russian space program, which had the same name.

In the mid 60s the Russian government asked them to start making watches for the military and this is when there two most famous lines of watches where formed. The Komandirskie and Amphibia, a field watch and a dive watch.

Vostok is not the same as Vostok – Europe which is a more modern watch company from Lithuania (Although Vostok did supply them with movements for their first few years). Their designs and styles are totally different.

(You can read more about – Do People Collect Vostok Watches?)

Things To Love About Vostok Watches

Vostoks stand out from other watches in a number of different ways, which I will go through now and is exactly why they are loved by so many, there really is nothing else like them.

Vostoks are Unique

Unless you are into watches, you probably haven’t even heard of Vostok, let alone seen one.

They are not the type of watch you can easily find in the wild so if you own one you will be unique from everyone around you (which isn’t hard these days when everyone is wearing smartwatches)

They also just have a very unique look and feel about them that makes them stand out from the rest of the other watches in the market. When do you see one, there is no mistaking it.

This makes its very intriguing to collectors who want something a little different in their collection. It can be a great conversational piece. 

The Crazy Design

Vostoks also are very unique due to their innovative design, which is linked to their history. The Russian government wanted them to come up with their own watch that was functional and original; they didn’t want a copy of the popular Swiss watches at the time that the where being used by the rest of the world.

The watches design has pretty much remained unchanged since this time (mid 19060s) which gives the watches you buy today a very vintage feel. It is very different to any other sort of watch, and collects really appreciate how it is different

Interesting Case Backs

The challenge of having to make their own design resulted in the Vostoks having a different case back to most watches. Most watches have a case that is screwed down onto a rubber gasket to make it waterproof.  When removing the case back this rubber can often break from the twisting motion.

Vostoks have a rubber gasket and a case back that sits on top of it. However, there is then an outer ring that covers the case back, it is this ring that is twisted and tightens the case back straight down. This means there is never any twisting motion directly applied to the rubber gasket so it will never suffer damage when you remove the back.

This is pretty unique, but also very significant as it can reduce damage to the watch, but more importantly, reduce repair costs for the military all while still working very efficiently to keep the case back waterproof.

The Domed Crystal

The design of the crystal is also very unique, the designers used a domed acryilc plastic that collectors today think is cool looking, however, it actually servers a very important purpose. As the watch goes deeper under water the pressure on the crystal causes the domed plastic to flatten and spread out.

As it is a form of plastic it can handle this pressure and the good things is that when it does change this flatter shape, it actually makes the seal around the edge tighter, making it more waterproof.  

Basically the design works with physics to make it more effective at being waterproof the deeper it goes. This allowed Vostok to get their watches capable of reaching depths of 200m without any problem. 

The Wobbly Crown

The crown is also very unique. When you unscrew it, it’s actually kind of wobbly, like it’s broken. Many people actually panic and think they have broken it when they first use it, but this is the way it is meant to be.

It is designed so that it is not properly attached to the watch, so if anything hits it (or you drop it) the shock cannot travel down the crown and into the watch itself. So it is a very clever safely feature that should allow the watch to last longer, or at least allow for more robust use.

Once you start playing with the crown you will find it very easy to just move it slightly so that it does connect with the watch and you are able to wind it as normal.

(You can read more about – Are Vostok Movements Good?)

Crazy Dials

Most watches will have a couple of dial options, usually a black, white and maybe a blue or green. Not vostok, they some of the most unique dials you will ever see.

A lot of them are quite military related and have some very soviet looking military art work on them. This can put a lot of people off, but if you ignore the tanks and submarines there are still a lot of other very cool and unique dials.

A very popular dial contains the “Scuba Dude” diver that can come in a number of different styles and colours.

They Are Great For Modding

Vostoks are absolutely ideal for modding. Pretty much all the parts are interchangeable between models. They are also not that complex, so pretty much any one can start to make changes to their watch with very limited skills and tools. If you are looking to get into modding, vostok is a great option.

There are also a lot of aftermarket parts available too which. This means there is an almost endless amount of designs you can make. You can very easily make something very unique and exactly how you want it.

Personally I think there is enough uniqueness and variation in the factory issued designs to keep you happy for years, but I do like that the option is there is wanted to tweak anything. 

Vostoks may not be made from the highest quality materials, but this does not mean they are bad. They are absolute robust work horses. They just keep marching forward and are almost unstoppable at times. They have an advised 10 years service interval which is crazy compared to other watches that usually come nowhere near this.

(You can read more about – How Tough Are Vostok Watches?)

The movements are built in house and beat at 19800 BPH which is slower than most watches, which means it takes longer to wear out. They also have a number of anti shock mechanises, such as the wobbly crown which just make them very robust and absolutely perfect for the military roles they where originally designed for.

(You can read more about – How To Get A Vostok Watch Repaired or Serviced)

Vostoks Are Great Price

When you read the specs of a Vostok you would assume they are probably quite expensive …a 200m water resistance watch with in-house automatic mechanical movement.

However, they are actually very cheap. Almost shockingly cheap and it doesn’t make sense, until you dig a little deeper.

(You can read more about – How Are Vostok Watches So Cheap?)

The Vostok design and manufacturing process has pretty much been unchanged since the 1960s. The watches are also made from low cost materials. They may be an in-house movement, made in Russia, but even this level of labour is still quite cheap in this part of the world.

Vostok also do pretty much zero marketing these days so when you factor all  this in, a lot of costs are saved, which can thankfully be passed on to the customers. 

(You can read more about – Where Is The Best Place To Buy Vostok Watches?)

Vostoks Have A Lot Of Soviet History/Heritage

This is kind of hard to explain, but some people (myself included) just really like soviet stuff. I know a lot of bad things happened and they where the “bad guys” for many years, but there is still something very interesting about it all. The way of life, the architecture, the art work, communism and the UUSR, the cold war, the iron curtain, the long cold Russian winters, It’s just quite interesting and owning a Vostok brings a little piece of that world to you.

There is just something very special about looking at a Vostok and reading the сделано в россии (made in Russia) at the 6 o’clock position. The unique case design and shape is also a pleasure, then you get to the dial and you get to look at some very Soviet looking military art work, usually accompanied by the red star. If you are in any way interested in this type of history then Vostoks are really going to call your name.

Vostoks Bring An Over All Excitement

Buying a Vostok is not really like buying any other watch. You can of course get them from EBay and other places like this, but usually the cheapest way is to order them directly from the factory website and have them sent from Chistopol in Russia and then waiting about a month for it to show up.

It is slow and often tormenting, but it is still very exciting especially when it does finally show up and you get to look at it for the first time.

(You can read more about – Are Vostok Watches Worth The Money?)

Conclusion

Vostoks are pretty quirky and very unique you will either instantly love them or just hate them. They really are that way.

If you are like me and do like them, you will also probably find you end up with quite a few very quickly. They are just so cheap and enjoyable you can’t say no. You might need to change the strap or mod it in some way, but this isn’t a big deal and you will quickly find yourself in love with the vostok.

However, some people hate them, You can find out why – Here