We all know about the unique and quirky designs that Vostoks offer. We also know they are very affordable watches, but what is going on behind those funky dials. Are the movements inside actually any good?
Well yes, when you factor in cost, they are really good movements. Of course they are not perfect, but they of a decent standard.
What Are The Watch Movements In A Vostok?
The movements in a Vostok Watch are made in house by Vostok and are pretty much the same watch movements that have been made since the 1960s.
They are all mechanical movements and they offer both manual wind and automatic functions. As standard they come with the hours, minute and seconds but you can also get variations that have the date display. There are also versions that have more complications such as day/night display or GMT functions.
The movements are well made and are designed and made to be robust and long lasting. They usually have a power reserve of about 31-38hrs depending on the model.
(You can read more about – How Do You Operate A Vostok?)
How Accurate Are Vostok Watch Movements?
This is where people really start to argue about Vostok.
The factory will ship out watches with an expected tolerance of -20 to +60 seconds a day. This is a pretty broad window and gives them a lot of wiggle room for poorly running watches. I find my watches do run fast, sometimes getting pretty close to that +60 a day figure, but still within this range.
This is generally what most people find. Their watch generally sits somewhere within this expected range.
(You can read more information about – How To Improve The Accuracy Of A Vostok Watch)
Comparing Vostok Watch Movements To Other Brands
How exactly do the Vostok movements compare to other commonly known brands, I will go through some examples below.
Rolex Watch Movements Compared To A Vostok
When you compare a Vostoks accuracy with a Rolex, it’s dreadful. A Rolex runs at -/+ 2 seconds a day.
However, the cheapest Rolex is just shy of £5k. A Vostok is like under £50. You can’t really compare a watch that is x100 more expensive and then be surprised that it’s more accurate.
This is literately like trying to compare the amount of time it takes a Renault Clio to go form 0-60mph compared to a Ferrari and being outraged that the Clio is not as good.
The NH35 Watch Movement Compared To A Vostok
An NH35 is a pretty cheap movement and a better comparison. If you are trying to only buy the movement, Vostoks are around the same price.
NH35s are expected to work within -20 to +40 seconds a day under normal conditions. When we compare that to Vostoks -20 to +60 seconds a day it really isn’t that much different.
People will find NH35 usually performs much better than this, which leads them to still argue that it’s a better movement, which leads me on to the next point of increasing accuracy.
How To Increase The Accuracy Of A Vostok Watch Movment
You can easily increase the accuracy and regulate the watch yourself. You only need to undo the back and move the setting level over the balance wheel. Moving this ever so slightly will increase or decrease the speed of the watch and you can really hone it in and even get it down to -/+2 seconds if you really want.
Most watches will allow you to do this, including Vostoks, so if you are not happy with how it is running you can always try and adjust it.
(You can find out more information on – How To Improve The Accuracy Of A Vostok Watch)
All Mechanical Watch Movements Are Inaccurate
We also need to remember that all forms of mechanical watches are pretty inaccurate. Yes, Rolexes are more accurate, but they still get blown out of the water by a cheap quartz watch.
If you are wearing any sort of mechanical watch you need to be aware that it is not going to be perfect, but is there anyone who really needs that extreme level of accuracy? A watch running a few seconds fast a day is not going to make you late for anything.
You can easily wear a Vostok daily and go about your business just fine. You are going to have to re-set it every now and again, but it’s always going to drift from the real time, just like any other mechanical watch.
If you need precision down to the millisecond, buy an atomic watch or just look at your phone.
Servicing A Vostok Watch Movement
The suggested service interval is 10 years. All the movements beat at frequency of 19800 per hour. This is pretty slow compared to a lot of over watches; however this is what keeps them lasting so long.
This slow beat rate means it will take longer for the components to wear out, so it can go longer than other watches before needing a service.
They are also designed in a way that can make them robust. Some models have 31 jewels, giving them a little more shock resistance than other mechanical watches.
Their famous wobbly crown also helps make them a little more robust than the average mechanical watch. The crown is not fully attached to the movement, so if it takes a forceful knock, it will not be able to transfer that force down into the movement itself and therefore it will not get damaged.
(You can read more about – How To Get A Vostok Watch Repaired or Serviced)
Replacing A Vostok Watch Movement
If you cannot find someone to service your Vostok you can easily replace the movement. Vostoks are a little different than your standard Swiss or Japanese watch, so many watch makers will not feel comfortable servicing them.
When you get them apart, they are not really that much different, but if someone doesn’t want to work on one, then that is fine.
You might also find that if they are willing to work on it, it may be costly to do so. Taking apart a movement and cleaning it is a long and slow process which is why it can be expensive.
You can easily buy a replacement Vostok movements and just swap them over. They very cheap and any watch maker shouldn’t have a problem with swapping them for you. You could even do it yourself with a few basic tools.
Whether you decide to service a movement or just run it into the ground and replace it will come down to you, but both options are open for you.
There Can Be Problems With A Vostok
While I think in general the movements are great they can still have problems. I would say most people have a positive experience, but you can always find people who have reported their watch arriving dead or just randomly stop working for no real reason.
I think these types of problems are not just specific to Vostok and no matter what watch you buy there is always this risk.
(You can read more about – Are Vostok Watches Worth The Money?)
Lack of Quality Control
The main complaints seem to be based around quality control. Everyone is fairly happy that the design is fine. They have been used for many years, so clearly have a track record of being reliable, but in recent years the quality of how they are assembled seems to have slipped in some people’s eyes.
People who take a lot of watches apart say that that they are not oiled well enough or that there can be bit of dirt in the movement, which just generally a sign of lack of quality control.
Personally I’ve not taken apart a Vostok and the ones I own run fine, but I believe for whatever reason, people will have genuinely faced these issues. It’s always going to be the case when there are so many made, as well as the fact they are extremely cheap.
You always have to expect a few poorer quality ones will sneak through the net. While this is not ideal, it is the reality.
(You can read more about – Do People Collect Vostok Watches?)
Conclusion
When you consider the low price, along with the fact that it is a robust, uniquely designed, in house mechanical movement with a great history, I can only say that these are indeed great movements.
They may not have the same finesse as the luxury brands, but they are not luxury movements, they are good solid hardworking and humble movements.
Vostoks over all are a lot of fun and their movements helps with this, if you haven’t already got one, you really should add one to your collection.
(You can read more about – Why Do People Love Vostok Watches?)
Ian is the main writer at Horology Dream and is a lover all things watch related.
He has been a watch collector for over a decade and brings his knowledge and experience to this site to help you on your own watch collecting journey.
You can connect with him on Social media and talk anything watches or read more about him on his Author Page.
