How to Remove your Vostok Crown

How to easily remove the crown from a Vostok watch.

[@BASSPOD100]

Thank you so much. You have just enabled me to fix my watch whilst sat in the back of a truck in the middle of a field. The minute hand had come loose but I didn’t know how to remove the crown. I took it apart gave the hands a little pressure in the middle and now the minute hand is relocated and not flopping around. Thank you very much. 👍👍👍🙂

[@jabels4479]

I bought this exact watch off ebay along with a $60 watch repair kit off Amazon. I did manage to disassemble the watch almost entirely but the stem was an enigma until I saw this video. I'm a noob and this is my first repair. Winding up the watch, I see movement for a couple seconds before it peters out. My guess is that it is dirty. Anyway, I'm gonna take a look at a few more videos before proceeding. Happy to say that I haven't lost any parts but 3 screws got mixed up together and ill have to figure that out soon enough. This is pretty fun!

[@teamhandsome1974]

Thanks for this. It just helped me clean the face on an old artillery watch for a friend.

[@kevins4229]

Thank you! I am about to restore a vintage vostok and wanted to make sure I was aware how to remove the crown stem.

[@Megabatman989]

Thank you so much for this. The seconds hand popped off mine. Took it apart and reseated it but ran into a snag at the end and couldn’t get the stem to seat properly. I felt it catching the keyless works but it kept popping out. I was depressing the plunger as I tried inserting it but didn’t think to press down onto the case threads as I spun the crown. That did the trick and it’s ticking away again. At least for now, I think something is wrong with the post the seconds hand sits on and it might pop off again.

[@Brunnen_Gee]

Thanks for this. I recently got a Vostok, and the past couple days the second hand was catching on the minute hand, so I decided it was finally time to break open a watch and have at it myself. Your vid played a part, I may not have found out how to pull the crown otherwise.

[@HeartofTexasArmory]

Glad I could help!

[@martinchivers7341]

I enjoy your vids on Vostok, both presentation style and tips. Thanks!

[@HeartofTexasArmory]

Much appreciated!

[@andresostep]

Thank you so very much, I was kind of desperate trying to put the crown back into it's place and thanks to your video finally could. Thank you again.

[@HeartofTexasArmory]

You got it!

[@bigriceburner]

Appreciate the lesson. Very clear to understand for us new guys. I've been thinking about getting a new crown. My watch is new, its the 090 case..vand the crown is really plain, and sticks out like a sore thumb. I know thas for glove usage., but still. New subscriber anyway, thanks.

[@carlthehipsterprepper4506]

Wow. This is the type of watch I bought in the mid 1990s. (I got it for cheap somewhere overseas because it was Soviet or so I though. (I guess it really was Soviet.) I never thought I would ever figure out what is was. Thank you for the video.

[@terrancewright4999]

Mine came all the way out as I was trying to set the time ! Vostok Komandirskie Tank Commander, offset stem at 2. Got it back in, running fine but it's little more difficult to get to the set position. I don't do any inside work on watches, but I still hoped it did not need service. I do like my watch guy and I did buy it from him originally.

[@josedealba5090]

Fantastic video! I have one that was passed down to me. It runs half of the time. No one in town can fix it. In in AZ. bummer.

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

I wanted to see a video about the removal of a crown from a Vostok watch. Sadly in this case the writing was not on the tin. This video shows how to remove the crown and stem, I knew that already. So how do you remove the crown from the stem ?

[@patroillet]

Hi, thank you for the video. But for me, the question is also: So how do you remove the crown from the stem?

[@dickierichards]

I really appreciate your vostok videos. Really love my Vostok. I watched your other video on Vostok hacks. I own a new Amphibian. I have tried to back hack the watch. I have only been able to do it twice and can't figure out how to consistently do it. Perhaps you can do a video exclusively about backhacking the Vostok. I'm afraid of applying too much pressure, as I don't want to break it.

[@HeartofTexasArmory]

I'll move that to the top of my video list. Thanks!

[@minnesotahawk4090]

I am 0 for 2 in the crown replacement i can't even get the original crown stem to re- engage with the spring detent.

[@thescythian321]

I have an older Amphibia- manual, no date, which i bought 2nd hand. Same looking case as yours. Its been a good, reliable watch but of late something seems to have gone awry with the Crown. You screw it out to wind it and it feels extra loose. You go to wind it and the setting has gone to time adjust and its hard to find the wind setting. Its like its only barely engaging the winder when you do get the watch to wind. The watch seems to run normally once you get the usual 16 or so good winds in. Is the Crown stem worn out or something else not right? If its the Stem, where can i get a replacement?

[@ashleyb66]

nicely done vid.

[@David79rebel]

Ok thanks... How can I do to change the gasket?

[@monkeymanstones1]

I did exactly this on my Amphibia 42 last night following your instructions and placed a Stainless CROWN FOR 71, 42, 96 cases and upon insertion I turned the crown counterclockwise upon insertion to ensure all moved smoothly and properly and I didn't turn clockwise nor release the spring holder until the crown lifted slightly while pressed against the threads of the case hole for it and then dropped (making dead clear my threads were completely aligned). I then turned the crown clockwise until it threaded fully down to the case when I released the stem holding spring. I then quickly pressed and instantly released the stem spring twice more to ensure it had sat properly and fully. I then unscrewed the crown, backed it out just a tiny fraction and turned it clockwise to see if the mainspring wound and it did. I then pulled the crown a little further out to try and change the time but at no position did the time change... and the entire crown and stem pulled completely out of the watch. I did the same twice more but with the exact same result. Am I doing something wrong, or is it my new crown has a likely defect causing the problem? Because this is in no way normal to be able to hand wind the spring but not change the time...

[@monkeymanstones1]

Vostok told me to use a tool to move the stem from the back to have it seat fully. They say it's slipping out because it hasn't been seated properly and to use tweezers or delicate tiny pliers to move the stem into place from the back rather than from the crown. I would have loved to have tried this but because I was changing the hands out for the guild hands available for it and that has been over a month of the spring never running empty, I've been unable to try it. Every time I put the hand removal forks under the hands and put any pressure on the hands they start moving again... The automatic weight was removed from the start so lord only knows what it takes to have the mainspring go completely empty...

[@ImSrry4BeingWhite]

Guys apparently vostok komandirskies have 2 different size crown gaskets. The larger ones found in the older komandirskies are impossible to find! Please help this is my 3rd order from eBay and all 3 have been not compatible!!

[@mrb2518]

I have Vostok Arktika, I really like it. The other day I decided to wear it, I have @ 25 different watches. Anyway, I had to adjust the date and time. While trying to adjust the date, the crown know unscrewed from the rest of the crown in the watch. What do I do to fix this, please help. Thanks for your input.

[@vimy385]

Aha. Thank you.

[@yabbadabbajr]

Man, I love your vids -- and with my dad gone, I need tutorials like this! (dad was a master watchmaker, but to my knowledge never repaired the unique little animals that are the Vostok, which I love.) I do have one question re: the crown. One of my Vostoks (a newer Komandirskie 020741, 2416B movement) just had the crown itself pop off when I was winding it (only the crown, not any part of the stem). I can screw the crown back onto the stem, but while winding the watch remains possible, it's now a pain in the a** to get the job done, since the crown keeps popping back off. Thoughts on repairing the crown, Heart of TA?

[@HeartofTexasArmory]

Thank for the comment. Make sure you push the little spring loaded plunger on the movement when installing the crown. If it still doesn't stay in place, it could be that the little plunger is not popping back up to allow the crown to stay in place. maybe try a tiny (and I do mean a tiny amount!) of light oil on the plunger to see it that lets it pop back up. Good luck!

[@andresostep]

@@HeartofTexasArmory just that was happening to me.

[@PaulGPhotography]

Hi there, I have a Vostok Amphibia watch on its way to me from Russia. Just wanting to know is it necessary to put a bit of silicone on the thread that the crown attaches to. I've seen on another you tube vid that corrosion can take place in this area something to do with salt water and the 2 different metals. The crown being brass and the case stainless steel. Would any harm be done. Cheers

[@HeartofTexasArmory]

That is definitely a good idea. Silicone grease will help prevent any corrosion from forming. Make sure it's 100% silicone

[@subriotech2007]

I too have the same watch. In my case, the crown seemed extremely loose and there was a lot of travel after unscrewing, but after looking at the crown from your watch it seems that mine is the same. Is it normal for it to be so loose? P.S- I commented on your regulation video, can you make one to regulate this watch? I have the same one!

[@driesoliver7972]

Most, if not all vostoks have loose crowns, this is deliberate to help protect the movement from shock

[@dickierichards]

Let me add that my amphibian doesn't have a date. I'm thinking that perhaps the dateless amphibian is harder to backhack.

[@chrisr7463]

the little button (spring plunger) that you press to free the crown seems to be stuck in the down position. So I can’t get the crown back n the proper position so I can change the time/date - any idea on how I might fix that? thanks!

[@michaelhorn8962]

I have the same problem. Were you able to fix yours?

[@smartcar8]

@@michaelhorn8962 Unfortunately no...

[@justmytw0cents]

Same issue

[@poa1074]

Subject is nice, but talk is slow. you can make more short movie.