Why Do Beat Up Vostoks Look Better Than Brand New Ones?

If you have ever looked at Vostok watches online, you might start to realise that the older ones look better, but this isn’t due to their design, it’s because they have been worn and they seem to have t his extra charm about them, even if they are a little beat up.

The little scratches and scuffs all over them actually make them seem more appealing. This may seem weird, as usually most things look better when they are brand new, but this isn’t the case for Vostok watches and I will go through some reasons why they seem to look better after some wear and tear.      

Beat Up Watches Have More Charm

If you look at watches in general, they are either going to be in pristine condition or a little beat up.

Which one you prefer is down to personal preference, but for some watches this type of damage really can make a difference …some just look far better after they have had some use and have been aged.

Vostoks certainly fall into this category, when they look a little beat up they just have this extra charm and character about them. Whoever has owned it, has wore it a lot and there will probably be a story attached to the watch, even if it is as simple as “this was the watch I wore every day” …it all adds to the beauty of the watch.

Watches are made to be worn, and a Vostok is very much a tool watch that is designed to see action, When you can see signs of this all over the watch, it just feels right. The wear and tear will  simply add character and charm to the watch.   

(Youcan read more about – Should You Worry About Scratches On A Watch?)

The Shine From The Case Will Fade

One of the biggest problems with a brand new Vostok is that they look too shiny, almost plastic at times. If you speak to anyone who hates Vostoks, they usually complain that the watch looks like a toy.

A lot of the cases are made from brass and then chrome coated, which can make them look very different to stainless steel and I totally understand why people say they look like plastic toys, they do reflect the light very differently than other watches.

However, the shine can fade with wear and it does look much better for this. Having the watch covered in some light scratching mixed with some daily dust and grime and maybe even a few smudged fingerprints might sound awful …but it looks awesome.

I know a lot of watch collectors love to keep their watches in pristine condition, but when it comes to Vostoks, they really look better with a bit of wear. The fading of the chrome shine really makes a world of difference and really stops the watch looking like a toy and more like a respected time piece.

Beat Up Vostoks Work Better With Different Straps

Vostoks bracelets and straps are usually pretty awful and most people will swap them out right away, but when you have a brand new watch, it doesn’t matter what strap you pick, it will never seem quite right.

A lot of this comes down to the chrome plating and its super shine. It just doesn’t match perfectly with anything.

However, once the watch gets a little wear and the case shine dulls and you will find that the watch will pair with straps really well. It doesn’t matter the colour or material of the strap, it will usually suit the watch. Vostoks can be really versatile when it comes to straps, but having that wear and tear does help with this.   

The strap doesn’t even need to be beat up, you can use a brand new strap and it will still work fine with the watch. 

The beat up case really makes a difference to the aesthetics, it’s just that simple.   

(You can read more about – What Watch Straps Work Well With A Vostok Watch?)

The Crystal Can End Up With A Nice Warmth

As you probably know, Vostok use a domed acrylic crystal and this looks cool …but there is one problem, which is that they are very soft and will scratch.

These crystals scratch so easily it’s unavoidable. Personally I hate this, but it’s all part of the Vostok experience. However, some scratching to the crystal can look good; it can actually add a sort of nice warmth and haze to things.

Really this only looks good when it is around the edges, and it can give this nice transition from the case to the dial.  You can go from a dull shine of the case into a sort of clouded and opaque edge of the crystal, which should hopefully clear up as you move into the centre to see the dial.

This effect is helped by the fact that the crystal is domed, some scratching on is this curved edge just looks interesting when you look at the watch and move it around.

I think it is important to say that scratching on the crystal walks a very delicate line between “a nice warmth” and “scratched to death”. It can very easily be too much and really if the visibility of the dial too poor, then it’s not a great look.

The good thing is that you can easily buff out the light scratching, which means you can keep the centre of the crystal looking pretty clear, and just have the clouded effect around the edge. 

The Dial Can Get A Patina

You can’t really beat up a dial …well you can, but it usually through damaging the watch such as getting water on the inside, which is never ideal.

However, if your Vostok is quite old, it can start to get a fantastic patina on the dial from just general sun exposure and aging.

If you look at any models for sale that are from the 90s or older you will see this. The dials will be sort of faded and cracked, but in a really aesthetically pleasing way.    

This is something I am hoping happens to my own watches over time and while it is something I probably won’t notice is happening, I hope that day I will look at photo from the time I bought it and realise it has changed a lot.

Sometimes Vostoks Can Be Too Beat Up

While I am a fan of a beat up Vostok …there is a limit to how much damage can look charming … and at some point this line is crossed and then they just look awful.

I spend a lot of time looking at second hand Vostoks online and some of the watches on offer are beyond beat up and are just pretty much smashed to death!

The most noticeable thing you will see is that the crystal will be completely clouded and you can’t even see the dial, and then if do get a glimpse of it, the dial is damaged. It could be water damage, or the lume is crumbling off from age… either way it doesn’t look great.

Then if you look at the cases of the watch, they are not just a little bit worn …they are totally worn out. You will often see that the outer layer of chrome is gone and the brass below is now starting to show.

I would strongly believe that a lot of these watches are so beat up that they do not run properly, if at all. Really these watches should only be bought if you are willing to restore them and know how to fix them up.

These can make great projects for tinkerers and the cool thing is that you will never get them to look brand new again … but you can get to that ideal state of looking used, but still functional, which is exactly what you want. 

How To Beat Up Your Vostok?

If you are looking down at your wrist now and all you see is a super shiny Vostok looking back you, you might ask how to beat your watch up to give it that aged looked.

The honest truth is that you just need to wear the watch. I am not going to sit here and tell you to purposely damage your watch. That would be stupid.

Put the watch on your wrist and go about your business. It takes time, but gradually your new watch will go from sparkling to dull …but full of character.  

Part of the magic of owning a watch is that you get to wear it and make it a apart of your life. In a couple of years you can look down and see all of that represented in all the little scratches that you have picked up along the way.

The cool thing is that this will be unique to you. How your watch ages will be different to mine. Your watch tells your story.

Buy An Old Watch

Another option is to buy a Vostok that is already used. It will not take you long to find a beat up Vostok online. You will be able to find them in pristine condition, all the way through to completely smashed.  What state you want to buy one in is down to you.

The only downside to this is that you are buying someone else’s story. All those marks and scuffs are from someone’s life with the watch. Although I don’t think you need to see that as a bad thing. You are going to be taking over the story of the watch, and you will be adding to it, so it’s fine if  the watch has received its charm from someone else. 

Conclusion

Hopefully now you can see that having a little damage to your Vostok can actually make it look better.

If you have been trying to keep it in perfect condition, maybe it’s time to stop being so precious with it and let life happen. A beat up Vostok tells your story with the watch will just look better for it.

 It’s defiantly worth it, the benefits outweigh keeping it in perfect condition.