The Legendary Amphibia! Vostok Scuba Dude 710634 Automatic Dive Watch Review - Perth WAtch
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.พ. 2018
- Special thanks to Jody & the JUST ONE MORE WATCH channel for this collaboration! Review of this cult classic from the prolific Amphibia range!
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Perth WAtch - Sharing my passion for horology and watches. Enjoy the videos on watch reviews, general thoughts & discussions, side-by-side comparisons, horology topics, and more!
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Regarding the bezel, it should be remembered that when this watch was designed, friction bezels on diving watches were common place and the rule rather than the exception. This is certainly not an indictment on the quality of the watch.
The Rolex Submariner 6538, 5512, 5513 and the Milsub 5517 all used friction bezels which were consequently bi-directional. People make a huge issue of the fact that the bezel is not unidirectional yet overlook the fact that these watches were actually used as dive timers by both professional and recreational divers who had no other means of timing their dives and decompression stops etc for many many years. Far more than today where all the ubiquitous unidirectional bezeled divers are really obsolescent with the advent of dive computers etc.
I am not saying that the unidirectional bezel is not a substantial safety improvement, I am merely pointing out that a bi-directional bezeled watch is by no means not a true dive watch. These Amphibia are a throwback to those days just as the Rolex Submariners and a plethora of vintage diving watches with friction bezels are.
Yes that is very true! I guess the feeling of "what in the!?" arises from the fact that this watch is still made like this to this very day, whereas Rolex, Blancpain, and essentially all other brands which used to make dive watches 50+ years ago no longer make it like this, at least AFAIK.
Eloquently put, and an excellent point. As a desk diver, the bezel action doesn’t concern me, and apparently didn’t bother the divers of the era either. Lol
More vostoks are used for diving than rolexes. Perhaps the Rolex should be compared to a Vostok as the standard for a dive watch.
The clicks add a tactile touch and make setting the bezel feel more precise etc, but as far as safety goes bidirectional bezels work fine, they're not as nice and there is a reason no one makes them anymore, but they're in no way dangerous or unusable (like many people like to pretend, people who also have never dived more that a couple feet in a pool) under water it always stays in place and works fine to time with and always stays in place, on land it's a bit more annoying perhaps but at the end of the day it's still a dive watch, a very retro one, but a 200m dive watch designed for military use at great depths. It annoys me to no end that people think the Soviets would design a watch specifically, test it and mass produce it if it was actually dangerous and unusable. They didn't, many divers have used a watch with this design with decompression tables and been just fine. I've timed things freediving and never had any problems, other than it not feeling as satisfying and requiring a tad more attention to set.
A horological masterpiece of unique engineering and history.
Yes, it is amazing! And all yours for $80!! :)
I bought a Komanderski then followed it up with an amphibian and now they are breeding.
Haha hey that's what I tell my wife, that those new pieces on the shelf spontaneously and naturally appeared overnight! :)
I own several watches. My Vostok scuba is my favorite.
It's a pretty darn good watch I gotta say! :)
Vostok makes a dandy, fine watch for under $100. This particular model is among my first in a collection of over 20 Vostoks. I wear the black Scuba dude almost every day to work as my beater watch. And it has taken some severe punishment with no sign of throwing in the towel. Stubborn and tough like a Russian.
It really attracted me for sure, despite it shortcomings and rough edges... these are a special part of horology!
I wear mine most days.
If i am going out I wear a 45mm Seagull Ocean Star.
So like a real Russian, it just doesn’t give a #@$? Just ordered my first, let’s see how it holds up.
@@thedailybeater4553It's been a month.... So? Has it come yet? Waddya think? I am actually envious of your situation. You get to sit there & rationalize why it will be OK to order a couple more, just to round out your options. At 20+ vosdoks in my house, I am well beyond the rationalization/justification stage and have copped up to a having a problem. I recently picked up some old school from the 70's and 80's (Etsy & Ebay for like 30ish bucks per) which are still keeping great time and look amazing after 30 years.
@BeKinder, unfortunately no, my little Putin buddy hasn’t arrived yet, and I’m starting to get a little pushed off. Still, makes it all the better when it does arrive. I don’t think I’ll b3 getting twenty of them, although I also told myself I only need one Seiko...
People in the watch world love and give great respect to these cult type pieces of watch art. Maybe the best 80 some odd bucks you can spend for a time piece with it's history.
Yeah well said - I agree!
The watch does not feel cheap and nasty or poorly build, its just russian: strong, rugged and indestructible, it can run many many years without any service. This watch is not about details, its about the watch to survive the apocalipse. Indestructible. I have one on blueish-green dial and its just awesome, highly collectible.
Interesting - thanks for sharing that perspective!
It's a military watch, not perfection but rugged quality precision, a true diving gem.
Yep, well said :)
I don't have one, but it's an inevitability that I'll end up with one.
Thanks for that - do let us know how you find it! :)
Thx for your review. By the way, Just One More Watch is a great channel.
Vostoks are brilliant watches! And not only there are many variations, they can be modified in many ways too!
Just bought one for my son and I plan to get one for my own collection! Thx again
Thanks for that man... agreed, especially regarding my mate Jody doing a great job on his channel! :)
I love the toughness yet restraining feel that Vostok watches bring you. I'm certainly looking to get one. Thanks for the review.
Thank you for that - glad you enjoyed the video! :)
Superbly designed, economic and certainly not nasty!
Haha nicely put
Love my vostok. I picked up my custom Vostok from am diver. Fun and quirky watch. Great way to get introduced new enthusiasts to a manual wind movement.
Thanks for sharing that. Manual wind - cool! Which model do you have?
I love my Vostok 110 with a plain blue dial. What a lovely watch.
Thank you for the video, I enjoyed it
Thanks for that Iradia - glad you enjoyed the video! Cheers, Ivan.
Got my first Vostok Amphibia Komanderski (think that's the correct spelling) & I LOVE it. It's my favourite watch and I own several Swiss watches (couple of Omega, couple of Rolex, a Brietling, a Panerai & a few others)
Awesome, thanks for sharing that! It's a fascinating piece this Vostok, the quality obviously is not top notch but somehow the design and story behind it won me over. What about the Komandirski do you like the most?
Just unboxed mine a few moments ago. Same exact model. I'm enamored with it already!
Awesome, what a coincidence! :)
I own 6 Vostoks. and love them all they have a rough and ready charm unlike any other watch out there. Easy to upgrade and mod. and can function at around +4 seconds a day with patients and a timer graph which I have.. I have a Kommandirskie K-34 GMT.On the way . I will post a review on my channel on arrival. The K-34 is the next level in spec and function..Nice review... Keep them coming.. Very enjoyable..
Thank you very much for sharing that! I have easy access to close to a dozen Invicta watches but this may now have to change to Vostok!
A addiction indeed be careful... Lol..
Yeah guys, after I got my first one, I just want to wear it all the time. It just seems to be an honest watch for decent price. Hard to find these days..
Siam Watch Addict i have about 10 now. Just git a 650539 which is a gmt too, but cheaper. Works like gmt 1. The 24 hour hand is slave to hour hand but works like original. $66.00 . Will get k34 sometime too.
I'm probably not the first to say this: haven't worn a watch for years, discovered Vostok, ordered an Amphibia from Russia, got impatient waiting, bought a Komandirski locally in the interim, GOT the Komandirski, ordered another Amphibia locally ...now I have a collection of six watches (minus the original Amphibia now stuck in UK customs).
...спасибо россия!
Thumbs up.
Haha very nice - they say you can’t just stop at one :)
Haha excellent work 👍🏻
with all it's faults I love it still. That 710 ministry cushion case and dome chrystal is a beautiful vintage look on a newly made watch.
It's a bit of an acquired taste it seems, it definitely grew on me in the time I had it :)
cool watch with some interesting history.. thinking about getting one for my collection, excellent review as always!
Thanks man - glad you enjoyed the review :)
Hello Bro. My personal top Brand is and will remain the faithful and reliable Seiko,but, I once purchased a Vostok purely for curiosity. After testing the watch and understanding how it works I ended up with 6 more in my collection of diver watches. Very reliable tool watches.
Very nice story - thanks for sharing that experience!
My Vostok is my favorite watch. Easily.
That's awesome man! :)
Just received my 710657 black face with the red scuba dude and was skeptical at first but I love this watch! I heard bad things about the ss bracelet so I ordered mine with the NATO strap and it is quite comfortable to wear I will be buying more in different colors and models!!
That's awesome man, glad you are loving it! :)
That particular model is gorgeous i might be using that on formal occasions.
Interesting!
This is a good review. I think I'm up to 4, and I just love them. The only problem Iv'e had is one of the lume dots fell off. Mine keep time very well.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! Sorry to hear that one of your dots fell off, that’s frustrating :(
one of my favourite watch .
Awesome!!
Late to the party. This is amazing watch, 660 feet water proof, 15 to 30 years before a service. And I had the all. Rolex, Omega, Tag, cartier, Seiko etc. I now use my Boctok watch everyday. It keeps time up to 10 seconds a week. It's unbelievable. To get the lume to work all night, put the watch over a light for one full minute. Rolex in ireland. 👍👍👏👏☘❤
Thanks for that - awesome to hear you're getting a great experience out of this one! :)
Boston watch!?
You mean Vostok (Восток)?
@@user-wp3yk3ip7o Sorry, dam phone lol lol
@@rolex0071
👍😂
I sold my Tag Heuer Carrera couple of months ago that cost me 2500€ eight years ago and ordered one Vostok Amphibian Classic, arrives tomorrow!
Cheers!
@@user-wp3yk3ip7o hahahahaha I sold my boctok and got the invicta pro diver in all steel. Fantastic watch but lume sucks.
Vostok should be enjoyed for what they are.... which is functional works of art.
That's a nice way to view it :)
This model was my first Russian watch. I sold it to someone who immediately fell in love with it.
Since then I have gravitated to vintage pieces.
I will list them.
Kirovskie watch made in 1939 at the 1st Moscow watch factory.
Volna Precision watch from the 1950s.
Several Raketa and Sekonda watches with the wonderful Raketa 2609ha movement.
One Sekonda de luxe 23 jewels 2209 movement. Ultra slim.
Poljot alarm watch.
Vostok Komandurskie Zakaz handwinding and hacking commemorative watch. 40 years of peace 1945 1985.
Engraved caseback 1945 1985.
I love this one as I was born in August 1945.
I might buy a new Vostok sometime. The 710 cushion 'Ministry' case is my favourite.
Maybe get it modded with a Seiko Pepsi bezel.
A very nice range of vintage pieces there Neil - thanks for sharing :)
How tight must the crown be before submerging watch in water.? Got mine for Christmas Love it and I even like the strap that it comes with. Brushed as well as polished.
Just a quick twist with fingers will do, you don’t have to go nuts feeling like you have to make it super tight. The seals and gaskets do the work here.
I very much appreciate the rotor, so smooth and silent, very solid movement actually. About the date “quick” set, lots of period watches had this, Swiss made included. I never set the date on mine for this reason and wish it wasn’t there! There is at least a model without a date, looks very much like this one.
Thanks for that... I wasn't aware that many watches of the time had date setting like this, learnt something new! Can definitely empathise with not wanting a date given the way it works!
With my Cronel the day is set the same way. The date advances when the time advances to midnight and also when the time goes from 2am back to 1am. So, it can require advancing date a month to get both right.
I’m thinking that the people these were designed for were not collectors and likely wore the same watch every day. Contrast that to most of us that have a watch for every day of the week, it was probably a lot less annoying.
Good video here. I have three of these and the only issue Iv'e had is a few of the lume dots falling off.
Thanks for that - apparently if they are good outta the factory they can last for a generation! :)
Excellent review
Thanks for that - much appreciated! :)
ive had my amphibia for a week,it doesn't have any tanks or divers on the face but its a black dial with green numbers and lume,with gold markers at 1 5 7 9 and 11,keeps great time,i changed the metal bracelet for a thick mock crock cushioned leather strap with white stitching,it looks fantastic.the date change function was an interesting pain,lol,and yes the crown detatchment had me panicking for a minute but now we are best friends,bought from scuba dude for £49,i love it,truely,"from Russia with Love",dont hesitate to try one out,what a price,almost bomb proof!!!!
Haha that’s awesome man, thanks for sharing your experiences, glad to hear you’re loving it, it’s a great piece! :)
I have 4 Vostoks. My daily driver is the Neptune GMT model with a Vostok rubber strap. With Vostok's history, reliability, value, and 10 year service interval, it is my favorite brand......
That's a cool Vostok - I like the look of that! :)
Basic watch. No frills. Handwinding and backwind hacking available. Comfortable bracelet. Quicker date setting can be done. 19800 is slower to make it last longer. 31 jewels same as Rolex!. Stainless Steel case. Chrome plated bezel. Chrome plated brass crown. Bi directional ideal for car parking and egg timing. Some of the new ones have stainless steel crowns and bezels.
Love the succinct point form of this review. Very concise. Helpful. To the point :)
Thank you! Vostok - is the best! Respect from Russia! Many interesting technical solutions are used in this watch (if you are interested, see my reviews in Russian). Sometimes the quality is not the best. But it mostly refers to the build quality. For example, before using in water, it is sometimes necessary to check that the back cover is fully screwed on. At this price (70$), there is no other fully manufactured watch with its glorious history and original designs on the world market!
Thanks for the comment - Vostok make some great watches
The first time I purchased one and unscrewed the crown I thought it was broken cos it wobbled...lol....have about 8 of em now...mostly vintage
Thanks for that Ashley. Yeah I think the wobbling can be alarming to anyone who is not accustomed to it, or have at least heard of it. How long ago was your first Vostok?
Perth WAtch The first one was only about 2 years ago...Green dialed scuba dude in a #420 shaped case. So many designs to choose from.
Oh wow, you're a bit of a quick collector then! I am just learning about the case number designations... it's quite a world of its own these Amphibia!
@@PerthWAtch My favourite case is the 710 'Turtle' .
Same here Ashley---thought it was broken..takes time to get used to it....Then love it.
Way back when still working in Dubai I am a fan of this watch. Not only it's beautiful anf unique design adding that it's price can be affordable to those low income like me. to mention also it's toughness compare to other branded names. but sadly I didn't find it when I can still afford it. As of now staying here for good. Seiko citizen Casio Invicta as it's normal we can see here even abroad.
Thanks for sharing from your experience there - perhaps you can order online now if you still desire this watch?
Great video. These watches are functional yet unrefined, but beautiful to look at. No doubt just a working class, best-you-can do style of engineering but it undoubtedly works. It's a Russian philosophy basically (see the AK-47 rifle, an inexpensive mass produced classic tool in world history). And as you stated it's all about the history and the unique design. I think that's why they tend to have a cult following. Very objective review. I own the 420863 scuba dude (green/blue/aqua face with arabic 1 through 12). I fell in love with this piece watching your video lol. I'm in the cult I'm all about some Russian timepieces!
Keep up the good work! From a fan in North Carolina.
Stay up sir,
Benjamin
Thank you very much for that, I appreciate the positive feedback and support, and am glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Cheers from downunder, Ivan.
Thank you very much for that, I appreciate the positive feedback and support, and am glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Good point too about analogy with the classic AK-47. Cheers from downunder, Ivan.
I'm on my 3rd Vostok, with a second Amphibia in the mail. I got a $50 Komandirskie 431744 about 3 months ago, and went on to get a vintage antimagnetic Amphibia 320235 and now a new automatic Amphibia 420651 Radio Room.
Haha wow awesome man - hey do you know how anti-magnetic that Amphibia is? Did they give a rating?
@@PerthWAtch I don't know the rating, but it has a plate between the caseback and movement for it. It's from the 80's, so I'm not sure how effective it is.
4:10 That date change just basically yeeted on the entire Swiss Watch industry.
Yeeted? I'm not sure I understand...
You know, I've wanted one for a while now, everytime I talk myself out of it I see a review and I'm pulled back in again. Russian Rolex, love the history and the uniqueness of the design....very cool watch. Talked myself into buying one again. How do you feel about the cushion case? I'm drawn to it, but might be to big for me compared to their more traditional case.
Thanks for that Derek. I really like this cushion case design actually, but there's any number of their other case designs which I also think look pretty good... it's like they got something for everyone! All the best with your pending purchase! Regards, Ivan.
I remember the old joke about Soviet manufacturing: 'We make the largest semiconductors and the fastest watches in the world!"
BUT, I will buy a Vostok Ampibia Scuba Dude pretty soon myself.
The trick is evidently adjusting the watch so it keeps good time.
If you get lucky, you won't even have to adjust it.
The bezel thing likely works better as you are underwater and the pressure "squeeze" pushes the watch face against it so friction keeps it in place.
Either way, it's just for fun; divers today use computers.
Haha good points - yeah others have pointed out that the bezel tends to tighten up under pressure. Cheers!
My Komandierskie GMT keeps great time...very accurate
You need to adjust yourself to the watch so the watch can regulate you.
I'm intrigued of purchasing one, just so unsure... I love accuracy and dependability. Im actually tempted to pop a quartz into the vostok case. I simply like the no need for servicing aspect and accuracy of quartz. I think I'm simply impressed with amphibia's waterproof technology.
Haha now that would probably be unique, a Vostok Amphibia modified with a quartz movement!!
A question: I was on Meranom's website last night and saw all the components they have to mod the watches. Is one better off using the option they offer to install the customized components before shipping, have the parts sent separately and install it your self or get the parts and have a jeweler do it to ensure tight deals for the water resistance. Fyi I bought a watch repair kit but haven't really used it yet. Also I saw one reviewer say that it is a good idea to select the model you want then order it from ebay (from a reputable dealer with multiple sales and 90%+ rating) for faster delivery. Your thoughts?
Hi Karl, I personally haven't opened the modding "can of worms" myself, so I am not in the best position to answer this. In your position I would inquire of Meranom whether they test the watch to ensure water resistance is preserved after making the mods. If not you may want to take it to a jeweler if that's critical for you. If it's not critical then I guess you can give it a crack yourself and probably learn a few skills on the way.
The question about eBay is a totally different issue - in my 20 years of using eBay I personally have high confidence in the efficiency of service and the ironclad buyer protection. If prices are the same, I would generally opt to go via eBay.
@@PerthWAtch thank you ... very much appreciated.
Just ordered the exact same watch from Meranom. I was umming and arghing between this and the 710059 but liked the numerals on this one better and also wasn’t sure if the dial on the other one is blue or green blue. I’m not a fan of green so much. Fingers crossed it gets here in one piece eventually!
Thanks for sharing - all the best! :)
Mine is on the way)) but, while I do like the case and dial, I absolutely hate the bracelet and the bezel design, so I already have a beautifully machined and polished third party bezel with a planet ocean insert, and a nice nato. I also found a ton of other mods that are pretty easy to implement, so my Vostok might look quite different by the end of this year lol. It's an addiction)
Sounds like some good choices you have made there - I'm sure the result will be very nice :)
Thanks for the review...I have considered getting one of these out of pure curiosity. Have you ever handled the Steinhart Bronze ocean One? I just ordered it. I've been obsessed with bronze divers since I saw a review on the Oris Carl Brashear
Cancel the steinhart, they're just fake rolexes to be honest. Get something original like a Makara Sea Turtle instead. And you'll have some spare $$$ to get an Amphibia as well.
You're going to LOVE your Steinhart. They are great watches. Copy of a Rolex? Rolex makes a bronze watch?
CHRIS AUGE Wanted to order my First bronze piece & fell in love with the bronze Steinhart Marine Officer with the bezel ALL in bronze but at a steep $1,300 did not want to pay so much yet until I see if I truly enjoy this watch material ... Instead ordered the ALL brass bezel Armida A-1 (currently on sale for $296 until March 4th). Jim
I haven't handled an ostensibly bronze watch myself (Not sure if that awesome Tevise is actually bronze)... do let me know how you find it!
Perth WAtch thanks for the info...I'll let you know!
I feel like I have fallen into an alternate world, for years I have collected many shiny things and have a fair few Sekonda's then somehow I got dragged into getting my first Amphibia and its been rock solid. £17 for something that keeps very good time from the bad old days of the Soviet too, have spraunced out for several more and I have made an agreement with me worried daughters that I will restrict myself to one a month hereafter. This all came about finding a very old Sekonda Safari which had a knackered movement, replacing the very cheap Miyota movement was a whole new world for me and so I bought another and fixed that, then I bought a box of broken watches and fixed them too then one day on my ebay feed came up this £17 early eighties Amphibia with its original 80's bracelet and bang... I haven't taken it off since it got here. I am struggling with some 80's quartz Seiko's I would like to repair but replacement movements are heinously expensive so they are in a tub marked for repair.
Haha that's awesome, thanks for sharing that story! I love hearing about other's horology experiences - one of the best things about running this channel! :)
Best watch i have owned per buck spent ever....amazing watches for whay you pay.
Indeed!
First 3 digits are the case, second 3 are the dial.. can be had for about $65-80 from multiple sites in Russia.
Thanks for that Dan, helpful to know :)
hey dann which sites and do they ship internationally?
@@Nofishnoclue you could have a look at www.poljot24.de . Just a little bit more expensive but very good and fast service and delivery. In my case from Germany to the Netherlands. My Vostok Diver cost €119.
My understanding about the bezel is that as the water pressure increases and it becomes more hard to turn.
Interesting, and makes sense... but then it's still able to turn clockwise, which goes against usual dive bezel sensibilities no?
Perth WAtch true
I can confirm that at depth the bezel tightens up at depth.
I'm late to the party. I am a watch and clock man Since 1985. Excellent video, HOWEVER, The Lume will need to be put over a light as with most other watches for 1 min max before going to bed. As for the other bits you pointed out we must remember that these watches where hand made and where made like a tank to last years. Eamon in Ireland.
Thank you, very good sir, most excellent! ;)
You can hack the seconds hand, just press the crown when pulled out kinda up and forwards, with a little twist backwards ( for the minute hand) - it takes a little practice to find that "spot", but it's doable and it's similar to the ''Seiko trick' if you're familiar with non-hacking Seiko's - although it's far easier to do it on the Seiko. Anyway, I do it on all 3 of my Vostok Amphibias, now waiting for a Komandirskie to arrive which is manual wind only, see if the same trick works there too.
PS. Yep, it works on the manual wind Komandirskie as well
Yep some people call it “back wind hacking”... but I find it only works when the power reserve is relatively low. Once the watch is more wound up you can’t do this.
@@PerthWAtch I think I've done it when the watches were well wound up, too. Just press a little harder - no worries, it's a Vostok, it won't break :)
Great watch for modding. I replaced the bezel with a ceramic black/blue gmt bezel and it's awesome now. The movement never failed me as well.
Thanks for sharing that - GMT bezel? That's purely for the aesthetics then? Interesting to hear!
It was! instagram.com/p/Bdw2tqwASUB/?taken-by=therealelwin
Very nice, and nice bracelet too! The case design on yours is different, looks very interesting shape, I like it!
Early rolex dive watches had friction fit bezels too. Saw write up on rolex fan site.
Interesting - I wasn't aware of that, thanks for sharing!
Perth WAtch yeah, the guy listed his extensive dive credentials & listed the various watch models of Rolex & no other fans were arguing. No Rolex expert, but he was saying the ISO spec came out later. Seems it is a case of us becoming convinced that a spec that took many years to get to final current standards was like the 10 commands & came down from mountain all complete. It took time, and people used what worked, as is common & standards finalize things later.
Thanks for the update on that... good point about the developing of standards, the specs definite did not come down from Mt Sinai fully realised :)
I would be quick to add also that most brands do not bother getting ISO certified... that includes Rolex, who have a proven track record of performance that many think trumps any ISO label.
Perth WAtch true. He was just pointing out that blasting a watch for having friction bezel & for not having some other feature which we take as Devine truth were not there at the start didn't make sense. Rolex watches used other methods. And standardization evolves over time & can be marketing influenced too. He also mentioned acrylic crystals on early rolexes. I didn't know that either till then.
Yep, have to agree with those points. Functionally one could argue that acrylic has definite advantages... some of which are why the moon watches had to have acrylic and not sapphire or mineral glass.
These are funny watches. Super durable but they have an Achille's heel. The crown. I've had 2 Vostoks where 1 the crown pulled out with very little force and the other which was manual wind the crown twisted off after a year. However the one that was an auto was accidentally ran over by a truck and survived with only some scratches... lol
Wow, ran over by a truck and survived! That's amazing... I am curious as to the situation where a watch is ran over by a truck apart from intentionally - should I be asking?
I thought the crown if pulled out in a certain way can be reinserted?
The 24 series movements have a press in plunger to lock in the stem .They are tricky and temperamental. you have to be patient when re insetting the crown..
This is the 710 ministry case. My favourite, second favourite is the 420
Cool! :)
It would be awesome if the scuba dude logo was also lumed ... not practical but would look awesome and be something different. Lum in general is something I wish meranom would improve (anything would be nice - bezel, crown, full dial etc.).
You know I think that is an awesome idea... if they don’t do one, that’s something that can be proposed to Meranom and other mod makers!
I'm told that when underwater the pressure on the 'glass' locks the bezel in place.
It makes it tighter due to lateral expansion.
I have never seen anyone who wears this watch. I stumbled onto these watches on youtube and bought one. I was taken back when I received my 120 case Amphibia watch with rubber strap. You get more than you expect when you first feel it and put in on. I chose a no-date model. No hacking makes the date model a bad choice if you have other watches you would like to wear it would get real old real fast setting the date every time you want to use this watch. Rubber strap is good quality. Super nice watch. I have already ordered a second model. They are affordable and interesting enough for collecting a few of these watches. I am late to comment on this video but these watches are still just as desirable as they were back when this video was made. These watches are pretty made for modding and tinkering with also. The parts interchange and there are websites and forum sections dedicated to this activity. In reality, the watches really don't need to be modded. They look great.
Thanks - glad are enjoying it!
Not sure what hacking has to do with setting the date though... what do you mean by that?
Without a quick date set hack its a pain in the butte to set the date every time you decide to wear the watch. Buy a no date version and this issue doesn't exist.
Ah ok... I get what you mean but that’s nothing to do with hacking.
Hacking is the feature whereby the seconds stops running when you pull the crown out to adjust the time.
This Russian watch is really one of the best watch bargains around. Talk about bang for the the buck! The watch is very accurate and robust. I have not heard of anyone paying more than $70.00 for the Amphibian, which makes it one of the best Automatics out there for the money. That is just my owner's opinion. I really like mine in black and silver...
Thanks for that - very nicely said! I don't own myself but after my time with this one I am tempted! :)
Perth - One other thing..there is an amazing assortment and collection of these watches on EBAY, all at great prices. Different colors and bezels. Did I mention that this watch has 31 Jewel movement? It does! You just can't go wrong, mate!
Thanks again... yeah I did think it rather astounding it has 31 jewels in the movement too! :)
I just ordered this strikingly rugged watch and from the pics and reviews I can’t WAIT to get it on my wrist, I did however order it with a nato strap as opposed to the ss bracelet, but after reading some comments and watching someone manipulate the crown I am SEVERELY nervous about setting time and date with the wobbly crown! I am so nervous that I’m going to pull the crown out of the movement! Is this fear justifiable!?
That’s awesome Brian, I’m sure you will enjoy the astounding value this watch gives. The wobbly crown is a design and you won’t be at risk of pulling it out any more so than other watches... it’s a shock protection mechanism, and yes it feels weird at first but you get used to using it.
Perth WAtch thank u for the reassurance and I love ur videos!!
It's not that big a deal, after fiddling with it and spending a few minutes figuring it out, you will never think about it again. If you understand the mechanism, it totally makes sense.
jon louis thanks for the reassurance I’m happy to report I’ve got the watch and have adapted to the crown and the watch is 👍
Again the great unique Amphibia case back. Just I knock off of Bulova Accutron from 1960. Identical case back and ring.
Interesting view you have there... seems more likely Bulova knocked off the Amphibia if they really have such a case back ;)
@@PerthWAtch The Bulova Accutron came out in 1960 before the Russian watch.
The Amphibia also came out in 1960 AFAIK, and much of technologies were developed earlier... in any case, it's the engineering solution that I find astounding. They did not have the access to equipment that Bulova had, and as I recall Bulova wasn't trying to solve the problems that Vostok were faced with.
I've seen a few reviews now where much is made of the back retention system. Funny thing is, I have a couple of Sekondas from the mid 80's. One, an automatic, the other an alarm. BOTH have exactly the same system but neither are remotely waterproof!
Sounds like they use the ring to allow nice alignment of the case back but little else.
The watch especially the bezel tighten under water pressure as little pressure as one half meter.
Oh even at half meter? That's cool, I didn't know that! :)
good review
Thank you! Are you a retailer? Let know if you would like to collaborate - I find these watches fascinating!
Good day!
Yes, you will find my contacts in the description below my videos... - write to email
with respect, Nikita
Thanks for that - will aim to check out!
You've went a bit far from reality, when you'd noted that Soviets could not match Swiss watchmakers in complexity and technical level. In early 1970 they ad actually purchased the whole Swiss production line for Valjeux 7750 and Lemania 5100 movements with licenses which allowed them to use the design for their own R&D Institute. Valjeux 7750 was beefed up in jewels (traditional Soviet approach to a watch design which requires as less service as possible) and it became the Poljot MakTime 3133. Lemania's production line was partially disassembled and sent to Chistopol State Watch Plant and was used in early production of Vostok Komandirskie and Amphibia. At least by 1970 Soviet mechanical watchmaking was on the same if not higher level as Swiss companies.
Thank you very much for taking the time & effort to share that - there are several new things in there for me and it is much appreciated! I think I have read about the purchase of some of these equipment before... I am no expert in this, and my research was simply focussed on the development of the Amphibia, which I understand in late 1960's they did struggle to emulate many Swiss style design elements hence had to come up with a novel solution for water resistance. This is from a number of online articles, foremost of which is from Hodinkee (everything I've seen from them seems accurate & reliable): www.hodinkee.com/articles/vostok-amphibia - see third paragraph where they quote one of the designers Novikov.
Cheers, Ivan.
Thank you for the link, I've easily found a paragraph you've referred to. The problem with Novikov's statement is it was taken out of context. The article you've noted refers to another article in Russian which they've translated, as I understood, partially using Google Translate. In the Russian original Novikov rather says that they could not use Swiss or Soviet Swiss-based production lines and equipment, which were intended for a production a relatively low number of a high-end specialty watches for the mass-produced army product with its specifics. It was a watch ordered by Soviet Ministry of Defense for the Red Army which at those times (1969-75) was consisted of more than 3,5 million people. Watches MUST be cheap in production and not require a lot of service. This explains Vostoks' design solutions as number of jewels and stainless steel casings.
By the way, some Rolex design elements - most notable would be a a twin-spring mount of a balance axle - were used in Vostok movements (2414; 2428) thanks to Hans Wilsdorf, who himself was a big friend of Vladimir Ulianov-Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and was a founding father of Swiss Communist Party. After Soviets launched a man into space he got so exited he actually offered Soviets his help in designing a proper watch for future Soviet space explorers. With the help of his heir trust, Soviets could get their hands on most modern watchmaking equipment in late 1960s. Those were crazy times when Rolex was literally a financial sponsor to Cuban revolution and Fidel Castro himself.
That is simply fascinating to read, thanks again for the effort in putting down these amazing historical accounts, and for clarifying the background to Novikov's statements. Ah so the Hodinkee writers kinda got that wrong - it's difficult to one-up on them I find! And Wilsdorf was a communist supporter!? Well there you go, I keep learning new things everyday! :)
higher level than Swiss... in the 70s, when the Royal Oak appeared... yeah, I call bullshit
freediving topics are welcome. Cool.
Interesting...
Hello,
As I´m going to be on vacation in Russia in a few weeks and want to buy an Amphibian there to have a memory and primarily to avoid custom taxes, I´d like to know from the russian part of the community in which local stores I can find Amphibians for good prices.
If you can´t name any, even just which kind of store I should look out for would help me a lot.
It would also be really nice, if you could tell how many rubles amphibians usually are (on the vostok page they are about 3800)
Thank you in advance.
Sry for such belated comment. My Rolex Submariner of 1974 does hv the same date adjustment. Does this now mean Vostock 2018 is on par with Rolex 1974? Belated greetings fm yr viewer Achim in Singapore+
Yes must be on par :)
@@PerthWAtch Nod, a bold statement. There's some truth into this, as when I see the 1974 Rolex clasp with pressed metal, its not far fm the early Seiko's... Cheers.
18 to 19 usd haha.....the price has shot up since youtube reviews, scuba dude costs over 70usd shipped and kommanderski cost near 40usd shipped
Thanks for that insight... but probably not due my reviews :)
Any comments about the accuracy of the movement?
Sorry man, if I didn’t mention it means I probably neglected to measure it
I have the exact same watch which I bought from moscowtimeseller and it is my daily wearer. Back wind hacking is easy whether the power reserve is up or down. See video's on TH-cam. Utilitarian glitter is what I like.
I keep mine unmodded an on it's original bracelet as I am poor and enjoy things kept simple. I am 72 and can see the time all through the night. Good night vision is in my family's genes.
Thanks for that, good to hear of your experience. And I learnt a new term - "back wind hacking"! I do it myself - is this a commonly used term?
Neil - I am an older model myself (1949) and like you I got one of these watches too. I opted for a straight black dial with white arabic numerals around the face, and white hands. (Good lume too!) I use it daily since I got it about a month ago, and I seem to wear it more often than my other watches. There is just something about this Russian watch that is very attractive and keeps me putting it on, again and again. Accuracy is excellent. A fine watch for a hell of a bargain price..
+Perth WAtch I don't know if that description is in common parlance.
Maybe I coined it. Lots of my vintage watches can be back wound hacked. My Hmt needs it's power reserve down to do it. My Komandurskie and Amphibias can be done at any power reserve.
Ah very good, thanks for clarifying :)
I own two and am wearing one as I watched this review lol. I think your review was rather well, the reason you got thumbs downs is there is a massive Vostok fan club and if ya don't get your facts spot on, ya get a thumbs down lol. I'm giving ya the thumbs up and gonna subscribe based on this review and the Seiko one :-)
Some things to understand about Vostok the point is to give you a nearly $1000 tool at less than a hundred bucks. Vostok expects you to throw away the crap box and crap strap/bracelet right away, both were cost saving deals. Next they don't regulate them well, cause once again you can do this yourself rather simply, I've regulated 3 to +/-6 sec per day. So now they have saved ya from them paying some guy to spend 2-3 days properly regulating it! That's why this watch cost less than a hundred. What you are actually getting is a crazy, Swiss level quality 200 meter dive watch for less than a hundred. Once ya regulate it yourself and throw it on your favorite nato or bracelet, omg you now have a sub $100 watch that you'd pay the Japanese $200 for or the Swiss $400. Also when this watch was invented in the 60's you'd have to spent nearly $1000 today's equivalent to get so much. To answer your other question yes scuba dude is a fan nickname for all amphibia with a scuba diver on the dial. So in a nut shell these are a steal, buy it, pop the back off and regulate it to perfect time keeping and throw it on your preferred strap and ya have a hell of a lotta bang for your buck!
Further more these have been tested to not crush until 700 meters, they've been frozen in blocks o' ice, run over by tanks, thrown off buildings and been attached to submarine parascopes and still been working perfectly
Awesome - thank you very much for taking the time to share that info... all very much appreciated and certainly some new insights there for me. I was aware of the toughness and all, and yes it's fantastic value for what it gives. I get the sense the internal quality speaks for it self, but I do have to say that the external finishing is not great - I'm sure Vostok fans generally consider that of secondary importance, which in many senses it is. Cheers, Ivan.
Perth WAtch , like I said ya gotta not look at it from the perspective of today's consumer products, but as a purpose built tool, and in that case there is no way, no how, that you can get a watch that'll run cosc accurate to over 660 feet anywhere else from any company for under a hundred bucks! ;-)
Yes you can - INVICTA!
Hardy ha :D
Perth WAtch , well there ya have it. I learned something new! LoL, few years ago I don't think their divers were sub hundred at the time.
Perth WAtch , but ya still can't show me a another sub hundred dollar, 200m dive watch, automatic, with an in house movement :-p
I have a similar Amphibia (200m) and also a Komanderskie (100m). I could regulate the Amphibia to close to 0spd and the Kom has been +/- 6spd. My pressure tester maxes out at 60m, but both watches easily passed after opening/regulation/closing. The main drawback to these watches is that they are thick and ride high on the wrist when on a Nato strap, but thinner nylon helps. The dome plastic crystal is easily scratched. Even when new and as tight as possible, the bezel still turns too easily if it's caught on something. As far as tough accurate mechanical time pieces Vostok is definitely great value for the money.
Thanks for sharing that. I have been fascinated by the history behind these watches, and how tough they do seem to be. Good thing about the crystal is that it can be polished when you desire, plus also cheap to replace I hear.
710 model with scuba dude dial is out of stock on meranom.com T-T. It's look great with an am bezel though
Darn, it's always hard to get the one you want!
@@PerthWAtch I don't have any intention to buying it any soon though, but still 😂😂
I want to buy one from ebay. Some sellers say Russian Federation. Some say US Seller. Big price difference. Is one a fraud? Are they all same case size and lug width?
Good question - I would advise do some research on the seller and always try to use PayPal in case you need to activate buyer protection. I don't hesitate to use eBay if seller is reputable and states it's genuine.
Perth WAtch I will heed your advice. Thank you
The main thing I like about my Amphibia, is that I just wear it and not worry about hurting it, no matter what i'm doing. It is accurate, and never fails me. Best watch value on the planet I believe.
Thanks for that Jim - indeed some of the reasons why these have such a cult following. The value proposition it offers is undeniable!
Is the bezel now upgraded to stainless steel, it is what it says on meranom.com
Possibly... not 100% sure myself but I don't see why it can't be :)
Yes it's now upgraded to stainless steel and the crown too
A popular mod is to replace the bezel with a Seiko one. In my opinion this *tries* (emphasis) to pathetically get a Subbie homage effect. Which betrays a failure to appreciate what this rugged man's watch is all about....hint: it's not about following the herd. On the other hand, replacing the crown with a stainless one, and adding a shark mesh wrist band are respectful, minimalist mods which enhance the watch.
Thanks for sharing those thoughts - I get what you mean! :)
I have 9 & will get more.
Haha awesome! Just amphibia models or others also?
Perth WAtch some komandirski. Just got the Gmt one. Awesome. Works like the gmt 1. The 650539.
Good stuff! :)
First 3 digs are case design
Yeah I'm starting to learn about these - it's its own little world, these Vostok designations!
FYI, the other 3 are the face.
PS, love that Red Army charm...
Thanks for that :)
Dont what it is but the watch is practically crap but i love it so much i wear mine all the time. like the SKX which has a crap bracelet and the movement istn good and the crystal is not sapphire but theres something about it i love.
It's the historical context of its development and the innovation to come up with the design that find very fascinating... the result being a piece where form is very much dictated by function, yet manages to be aesthetically good, at least for me :)
I bought one of these after watching Jody"s Video too. Also I did the mods he did as well. but I bought a Scuba Dude case back for it .Simply a beautiful watch for the price. I will Never buy a Seiko again.
Thanks for sharing that - great to hear of your positive experience! :)
DroneMatesFPV I gave up on seiko losing quality, they're rubbish now
Does not hack but does have hand winding.
OK!
can anyone recommend me a vostok amphibia model? i don’t own one yet
Yep, buy this one - check out the links I provided :)
@@PerthWAtch thank you ordering it as we speak! :-)
And i never leave bracelets on, no matter whole makes them. For me, mesh or nato, or rubber in exercise watches is only way.
Yeah, a common approach, favourite of many to change the bracelet out it would seem.
It truly is a shame that these watchs ship with such terrible bracelet and clasps (considering the watch itself is absolutely beautiful and feels almost bullet proff when you're holding it) i just recieved my first Vostok last month and after replacing the cheap bracelet with a beautiful rubber band i absolutely love it)
Thanks for sharing your experience - indeed many people feel that the bracelet is just there to hold the watch until you swap it out for what you really want :)
Cool, I will be ordering my collusion er, I mean Russian watch soon!
Very cool indeed - do let us know how you find it! :)
Vostok Scooby Doo xD
Touché :)
i buy 6 vostok in 2 years. got this dude for 55 dollars:P
Is that 6 Vostoks *every* 2 years? :)
nah. now it "only" six. first vostok in 2016. Thanks to WUS and Instagram :P.
first, komandirskie tank,
then, scuba dude like yours,
blue scuba dude,
paratroopers,
WUS Project,
1967 version,
and radioroom on the way from meranom
and, so far, this is not
disappointing 35-55 US$ watch.
Haha awesome, thanks for sharing that :)
Also lots of new models coming out all the time.
these watches were developed for devirsant in the USSR, it was impossible to buy such ones as premium ones, this is pure mechanics
Thanks for sharing that... not sure I truly understand but I appreciate the effort nonetheless :)
Have Orient day date, that has same hack for the day of week as vostok has for date. It does date quick change, but not day.
Interesting to hear - thanks for sharing that!
I know Vostok has a very enthusiastic fan base, but I find it hard to convince myself that I'd want one myself. The main problem I 'see' with them is a general lack of aesthetics as far as the dials, bezels, and handsets. To me, the Vostok watches many variations have one thing in common - they all look like old Coke bottle caps. (No offense to Coke!)
People like to 'mod' their Vostoks -- that part I can easily understand.
A second issue is that they don't seem to be very consistent as far as time keeping. They
have an accuracy rating that's worse than any other mechanical watch that I know of (I think it's +-60 sec/day). Occasionally someone reports they got one that keeps good time, rather more often, not.
Also, while you can manually wind them, the Vostok movement does not support hacking, and those that have a 'date' feature don't seem to support 'quick-set' features, or even the trick of changing time back and forth past midnight to advance the date. So, worst case, to set the date you may have to manually revolve the minute hand up all the way around the dial 60 times! Thank God for February and curses to leap years.
Thanks for taking the time to share all that! Interesting to hear your view on aesthetics - personally I do find a certain attraction to some of their designs, including this model... it's not the prettiest by any means but it grew on me!
With regards to accuracy, you're absolutely right... and the people who support Vostok say you can very easily regulate it to +/- 2-3 secs per day. It seems modifying and customising is the way to go - someone even suggested here that the bracelet is mean to be thrown away!
Regards to date - I think you mean revolve the minute hand 24 times around rather than 60 right? Also not sure what you mean by not having the trick of adjusting the time back and forth past midnight - isn't this what this watch has?
In any case, thanks again for the thoughts and effort! Cheers, Ivan.
I may be mistaken, I thought I had seen a review where someone mentioned you had to revolve through all of 24 hours to advance the date. But if you have tried it and it works to just move back and forth between about 2 and 10, that's much easier and glad to know it's possible.
Not just me - I've seen this demonstrated on quite a few videos, and in fact learnt from those :)
I re-watched your review and you actually demonstrate the date setting technique - sorry, I missed that the first time -- , the date can be advance by going back and forth across 12 o'clock. Sorry to have put out misinformation on that!
No worries at all, thanks for the update!
original foam is missing !!!!
That would explain why the box felt so empty !!!!
Are you Originally from Singapura?!
Nope. Why?
@@PerthWAtch I just thought I detected an underlying tone-maybe Malaysia too possibly?! x M
Malaysia is correct
Cool..but crappy
I'll probably have to try one myself
Cheap and nasty... yet blew my expectations away :)
Get the blue (teal blue) dial scuba dude with this case. Same bezel, no Arabic’s on the dial, applied indices. The steel bracelet is truly awful. Get a Nato strap. Look at the official online supplier - Meranom.com
Thanks for the suggestion Sven, good ideas there!