Are Vintage Vostok Watches Worth It?

Vostok’s are popular watches that haven’t really changed style since the 1960s and while the new models may look very similar, people like to collect the vintage models, but are they worth it?

I guess this really depends on what you want from your Vostok watch, but for many people, having a soviet watch, made during the time of the Soviet Union, in the country, is very sought after and very worth it.

I do think there is an extra magic to Vintage Vostoks that you don’t get from the new models, which I will discuss in more detail below. 

What Does “Vintage” Mean When We Look At Vostoks?

Before you even decide if a Vostok is worth it, you need to understand what vintage actually means and it seems the lines can get a little blurry around this.

I think we can all accept that vintage means “old” but it’s the how old that we all seem to struggle with.  Of course the older the better and I think for most Vostok collectors anything from the 90s is cut off point that makes something vintage. Once you are getting into the 2000s the watches from this time may be getting old, but they are still pretty modern.

This really has a lot to do with the collapse of the USSR and the formation of modern day Russia. While the Vostok factory may not have been affected too much by all this, it is still a dramatic shift in the history of the region and when we think of Vostoks …we do think of soviet era watches, so of course the end of this era is actually pretty significant for the watch brand that is known for dials depicting soviet military might. 

It kind of makes sense, soviet watches, made in soviet times are automatically more authentic than soviet watches made after the Soviet Union is gone. 

So maybe when it comes to vintage, it’s not about being old, but being more authentically soviet and being from that actual period of history. 

CCCP Dial

If you speak to a collector of vintage Vostoks they will all say the dial is very important and can really change the value of the watch.

As I have already mentioned, back in the early 90’s Russia was called the USSR and any watch made before the collapse of this would have Заказ МО СССР  (Made in the CCCP) proudly printed on the dial.

Of course any watch made after this will say сделано в россии (Made in Russia). Although I do believe this change was not automatic. I assume they still had some stock, so just used that until it was finished. Either way, a watch with this on the dial can be dated back to the early 90’s and is considered vintage.

You also may find a small handful of dials that actually say “Made in the USSR” in English which would have again been from the late 80s and early 90s and where actually on models that were exported to be sold outside of Russia, but they would usually be branded as “Wostok” watches

Having a dial with this written on is a pretty cool and to own this small part of history will of course cost you more, but I think it is worth it as it means you have a genuine soviet era watch.

Vintage Watches Have Patina Dial

The dial its self can also make getting a vintage Vostok worth it.

While some watches may be mint condition, a lot of them will have developed a patina over the years. Basically the dial gets damaged from sunlight and starts to look aged and it produces a very cool effect.

The paint may start to crack and fade and while this sounds awful, it actually creates a very aesthetically pleasing look that is impossible to recreate artificially.

I often look at my new Vostok dials and think they look wonderful, but there is just something very special about an aged dial that makes me like them even more. They just have so much more character and warmth and an extra uniqueness to them that can make buying them more worthwhile over newer versions.

The Case May Be Beat Up

When you buy a vintage Vostok, it will have probably been worn and it will show this. Often the cases are beat up and a little battered.

Of course you can buy watches in mint condition, but there is something very pleasing about a watch that has lived a life. All the little scuffs and chips show it has been used and enjoyed and I actually think a used Vostok case looks better than a brand new one.

When the watches are new they are too shiny due to the chrome plating and they just look too dazzling. Once they get a bit of wear, this shine fades and the watch has much more subdued feel about it that just works so much better.

I do feel this needs to be balanced. I have seen plenty of examples of vintages Vostoks where they are beyond beat up and are on the edge of being destroyed.

However, if you are into watch repairs, these are probably the best kind of vintage watches to buy. A lot of the damage is just cosmetic and with a little bit of love these can be easily restored to that perfect balance of looking worn, but also still functional.   

(You can read more about – Why Do Beat Up Vostoks Look Better Than Brand New Ones?) 

You Get To Say Your Watch Is Vintage

I think a large part of going out of your way to own a vintage Vostok is so that you can say it is actually vintage.

The reality is that you can pretty much buy the exact same watches brand new today, as you could back in the 1960s. The case shapes and dials are pretty much identical and so are the movements within the watch so if it was just about the watch, you would be better off buying a new watch.

However, it’s not just about the watch, it’s about the history and story around it, which is why vintage watches are worth it.

As I’ve already mentioned these are soviet era watches, and being able to have something actually from then just adds a whole other dimension to the watch.  

Watch collecting is all about the memories and stories that are built around the watch, which is exactly why vintage watches are so popular. They are our way of having a piece of history that we can enjoy and keep alive.

Modern Vostoks are still great, but they are more replicas of soviet watches, rather than actual soviet watches, a small difference, but it’s the difference between wanting to own a vintage watch or not.

Conclusion

Hopefully now you can see that there are plenty of strong reasons to actually want a genuine vintage Vostok watch and if you agree with these, then you will probably believe that they are worth it.

However, this is very personal and you may not agree and that is okay. If you don’t think it is worth having a vintage one you can still buy a new Vostok and it will have all the same looks, with the assurance that it is newly made.

(You can read more about – Where Can You Get Vintage Vostok Watches?)