Vostok Komandirskie Watch Review

Today we are looking at the Russian powerhouse, the Vostok Komandirskie. This watch is straight out of soviet Russia and to really highlight this I have opted for the somewhat controversial KGB dial.

This dial is probably not to everyone’s taste, but there are plenty of others to choose from and it shouldn’t take away from the rest of the watch, which I am absolutely in love with.    

Model – Vostok Komandirskie 921457

I have the Komandirskie 921457. With Vostoks the first three numbers (921) is the case reference and the last three numbers (457) is the dial reference.

If you are on Meranon you can search for just either of these to find similar models with different dials, or find the dial you like in a different case model.

The dial I chose is not going to be to every ones taste, but I will talk more about that later.

The komandirskies often look the same as the dive watches that are available, but this is actually more of a field watch. There are subtle differences between these and the dive watches, but the main difference is that these only have 20m of water resistance.

I have the silver looking version but you can get a gold colour case. I don’t really like the look of these, they can look even more plasticy and cheap and I just don’t really like the bezel shapes that these gold versions have.

Brand

Vostok are a Russian watch maker that are most famous for making watches for the Russian military back in the 1960s.

The watches you can buy today are pretty much the exact same as the ones made then. This means you get some interesting soviet designs on the dials, but more importantly you some pretty unique Russian engineering and designs. All the watches are made in house and are extremely cheap to buy.

They can be pretty quirky compared to other watches and this has lead to collectors either loving or loathing them.

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

Movement

The movement is automatic and it is made in house by Vostok. It is the 2416 model which has 31 jewels and will last around 31 hours when fully wound.

It has an accuracy of -20 to +60 seconds a day. This is pretty broad, but you can regulate it yourself if you are confident. Mine does run fast, but I would say it is still within the goal posts that have been set by the factory.

The movement does not hack, but it does hand wind. It also has a date complication that cannot be quick set. (You can move the time back and forth between 8pm and 1am to change the date, but it’s still slow and annoying).

If you have never handled a Vostok you may not be aware of the unusual crown. It is purposely wobbly and not fully connected to the movement. This is so that if it takes an impact, the shock will not go down the stem and damage the movement. It seems strange, but it’s a pretty genius bit of engineering.

Impressively the Vostok movement has a recommended service interval of 10 years. These really are built to last!

(You can read more information about – How To Improve The Accuracy Of A Vostok Watch)

Dial

The dial is a dull black, almost grey at times. When you get in close and look at it in good light you will see it has an interesting texture and calling it “dull” is a bit of an insult. I love this dial.

As you see, I went for the ridiculous option of getting the KGB logo on the dial. One side is their coat of arms and the other side has KGB in red Russian letters, the red soviet star and CCCP also in red. Could you get anything more soviet?

I know this dial choice is not for everyone, but if I was going to get some crazy soviet watch, I really wanted to get the maximum level of soviet madness possible and I think this watch ticks that box.    

There are applied sliver indices at the hour marks and a white minute track running around the outer edge of the dial. The hands are straight and pointed at the end. If you look carefully between the Komandirskie and the Amphibian you will see the hour hand is different. This is the easiest way to tell them apart.

 The second hand is a straight, thin red hand and there is a date window at the 3 o’clock position. It’s in white, so it contrasts the black dial, but I don’t think this is bad thing. 

At the 6 o’clock is сделано в россии – made in Russia. I love this part. For me this is epic and I am so glad that is there. This is so Russian and its is so proud!

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

Bezel

Vostok bezels are one of the reasons people don’t like them. The bezel is just popped on and can freely move in any direction. It is moved by friction so there are no satisfying clicks and it can actually move by itself at times.

This basically means it’s useless and you can’t really use it to time anything as it can move to easily. My watch isn’t water resistant enough to be a dive watch as well as the fact I don’t dive, so really it’s something I don’t worry about. It’s merely for show.

However, even it is just for show, it isn’t the best. It has that almost plastic look to it. I believe it is actually made from brass and is chrome plated which is why it has this look. I don’t mind it, but it can make the watch look sort of cheap at times.

The bezel also has red and black dots around it, which do work with the dial that is also red and black, so that is cool and probably the only reason I haven’t swapped it out for a different bezel.

Crystal

The crystal is domed acrylic. The dome gives it a very retro feel and gives it some cool distortion from certain angles. This is also part of the reason the watch sits at 15mm thick.

The only downside with the crystal is that its acrylic, meaning it will scratch like crazy. I don’t even think I had my watch a full 24hrs before scratching it.

Luckily most scratches can be buffed out using poly watch or toothpaste, but it’s still quite annoying. You just have to accept it is going to pick up a lot of scratches and new crystals are really cheap if you totally wreck it.

Case

The case is 39mm in diameter, 46mm lug to lug and is a little fat at 15mm thick. It sits on the wrist beautifully and is very comfortable. The case of the komandirskie is brass and plated with chrome, unlike the dive watches that are stainless steel. This is probably partly why it only has a water resistance of 20m. being chrome, the case has a polished look and it will pick up little scratches and dints, but for me that is okay.

The case back is very ornate. It has the words Self-winding and Waterpoof in Russian and then has some sort of Russian crest. I am not exactly sure what it is, but it is really beautiful and I like that it’s there.

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

Lume

There are small lume dots above the hour markers and the hour and minute hand also have lume. The lume is okay. It’s not amazing, but it’s not the worst. It probably does run out a little faster than I would like, but overall it’s okay. 

Strap

Vostok straps have a bad reputation. This watch came with the basic leather strap. It is kind of hard with that cheap plasticy feel at first, but after a few days it actually became quite comfortable and conformed to my wrist pretty well. It’s not the best, but it does its job. It is also a thin strap at only 18mm thick.

(You can read more information about – Are Vostok Straps Bad?)

I actually changed my strap for a Nato. I got a black one with a red strip to complement the dial.  The one I ordered was actually made from like an elastic material. I wasn’t expecting this, but it is actually really comfortable. I think it might actually be my most comfortable strap.

(You can read more about – How To Adjust A Vostok Bracelet)

Price

I bought this watch from Russia and had to pay in Russian Ruples, but it worked out to be about £34. That price is just crazy. I got an original and uniquely designed automatic watch with an in-house movement and decades of history.

The value for money is just unmatched. (You can read more about – How are Vostok Watches So Cheap)

Over all Opinion

I love Vostok and this may be my first, but it was not my last. Maybe my dial choice was a little questionable with this one, but if you are going to get a watch from the USSR, what better way to really show that off than having the KGB written all over.

I understand not everyone is as strange as me, but there are plenty of other dials to choose from and I would highly recommend a Vostok to anyone.

(You can read more about – Vostok Komandirskie vs Amphibia – What Are The Differences?)