The BEST Russian Watchmakers (That Aren't Vostok)

[@MatteoFavi]

The greatest thing about Vostok Amphibias is that you can endlessly practice watchmaking on them, since eveybody can find a ton of spare and modding parts on multiple sites, and that's exactly what I'm doing with my ones!

[@Lobzik67]

HAve 4 of them.Shit quality this days.....

[@mrgiraffe9476]

@@Lobzik67Vostok AMPHIBIA is never bad quality.

[@Lobzik67]

@@mrgiraffe9476 Read my comment please.I bought 4 off them.I was born in USSR and had few when I was student,they worked great (problem was case of brass,not very durable).Last 4 I bought -3 just stopped.One works and stops as it pleased. Watchmakers doesn't want to work on this watch. Gave up.They are just in drawer as reminder of my young ages.Pathetic Russia,pathetic quality.

[@Blueeyes2584A]

Having worked on several Vostok movements produced both during Soviet times and post, the quality of post is considerably worse than Soviet ones. I've been working on them for about 20 years now and are actually how I got into watch repair and rebuild. The quality control of Soviet times were better than post, specifically in the quality of the balances. I've seen there are more high spots on them now then pre-92. I generally have to remove material from the balance wheel to get them to run at a decent rate. Functionality, yeah, they are still the same. I wouldn't go so far as to say they are shit, but definitely not what they once were. The 2209 is still one of the best movements they've produced.

[@BobGolob]

Vostok are fun. Change the bracelet and the bezel and it becomes some kind of Russian Seiko SKX, a tough and cheap daily beater.

[@geratkopfe]

Have Dress KX and a K-34. Fit and finish of the latter is better.

[@Wagner669]

Actually.... He pronounced Raketa, Petrodvorets and Poljot surprisingly OK Why people like Vostok watches 200m Diver's Automatic Under 200USD With a story Easy to mod Easy to fix if the modding part didn't go well

[@randomstranger6537]

Good variety of models. Movements you could use to beat a tyrannosaur to death. The Vostok love is real

[@powertower4072]

In my country, they are more expensive

[@lobdsk]

Lol probably knows Jewish things

[@paulandrews7622]

@random stranger......I own a couple of Amphibias and I agree with you 100% They just keep going with zero servicing or care !! Mine are also surprisingly accurate as well. Perhaps I've just been lucky ??

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

Got a Raketa from the 80s - love it - still going strong...

[@glassplanet5624]

I love Vostok’s soviet military style. I’ve got a couple of them; a newer one that I use for work and paintball and it’s beat to fuck, and a vintage one with a brass case. The newer one has scratches all over it and the steel plating has worn off on the edges to reveal the brass case underneath, and it looks great on an olive nato strap. I love that they’re extremely inexpensive and pretty tough, and look great when they’re weathered and patinated

[@SwissExplorer_Official]

You forgot STRELA watches, beautiful watches with history, russian officer watch

[@2nd_a_dad4791]

Doesn’t “Strela” mean “arrow?”

[@igorchistyakov8876]

@@2nd_a_dad4791 yes it does.

[@Lobzik67]

Never had this make.

[@stilianivanov3377]

Strela is Poljot....

[@nikolapredragovic1692]

Actually the first space watch is Pobeda, that was strapped to a dog, Poljot Sturmanskie is the first watch in space worn by a man

[@skodovkar]

Actually all watches are space watches.

[@johnjohn3274]

Fun fact, the ship Yuri Gagarin piloted was named “Vostok 1”

[@unknownuser-2137]

I think its just because vostok means east in russian

[@Conundrum191]

@@unknownuser-2137 The Vostok watch company got their name from Vostok 1 actually. Given how famous the launch was, they decided to name themselves after the Vostok rocket. That said, apparently there was an Amphibia that did go to space on Soyuz 17, so one did eventually go to space.

[@RogerTheBug]

Watching from Israel, love your channel. It is refreshing to see Jewish heritage in watch making לרגע חשבתי שאתה באמת הולך לספר להם על התוכנית...

[@LockheedMartinF22Raptor7]

That Konstantin Chaykin Decalogue is absolutely gorgeous.

[@iluvj00]

King mouse is the top of the line

[@LeoBond]

What's wrong with Vostok? They're great watches!

[@watchhoursbydrkiran]

Yea.. me too have a vostok.. nice watch

[@deanagoes2791]

Bad QC vostoks? No way....

[@imarod78]

He's anti Vostok because basically he's an idiot, he thinks they don't actually hand wind and that the wobbly crown isnt intentional, a "problem" that Vostok has been repeating for like 50 years now for some reason...I kinda hate this guy, hes such a blow hard, doesn't know shi*

[@thetimeteller]

Just caught this comment thread- Enjoy what you want! That’s what’s fun about collecting- everyone has different preferences:) @Iman I don’t hate you. Don’t even know ya! God bless you though!

[@paulandrews7622]

@dean agoes.... Mine are good, the problem now is it seems that QC issues crop up a lot more, even on watches far more expensive than Vostoks ! But I get where you're coming from.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

I have about eight Vostoks and have just ordered a non functioning but good condition, very nice looking Chaika. I am a tinkerer and am pretty confident I'll get it going. Thumbs up. Subscribed.

[@jeffsherk7056]

I recently got a Vostok 650546, and the more I wear it, the more I like it. Odds are it will run for a long time, and for the price, I think it is a great value.

[@joshw122]

As a Jew originally from MA, I really appreciate you going into more detail on that Jewish watch. Thanks

[@admiralcraddock464]

Could you imagine wearing that in Saudi Arabia

[@meirharel4258]

I've come across a number of Hebrew dial Russian watches. Unfortunately, they don't look very nice.

[@BaddaBigBoom]

@@admiralcraddock464 ...or Texas

[@CharlesRievone]

The first wrist watch is space is the Pobeda 34-K, strapped to the leg of Chernushka (Blackie) the space dog, which flew to space (and back to Earth safely) around a month before Gagarin's flight.

[@daniellondon6310]

Hi Time Teller, Interesting episode. I have some comments: 1- Raketa (“Rocket”) is under new management. And it has a very interesting collection. All watches are automatic with sapphire crystal contrary to the original ones. They use three movements: 2624 for 24-hour watches, 2615 for 12- hour watches and 2615R for a counterclockwise 12-hour watch. What I like? They only make time tellers with no date complication. And in their relative short history they have iconic watches like the Big Zero, Copernic, Polar and the Avant-Garde that you presented. My main critique to Raketa? They are too expensive. And I am not familiar with the quality of the movement. So I do not know whether or not the premium price is justified. 2- You did not mention Pobeda (“Victory”), founded in 1946 by Joseph Stalin. Now they are integrated into Raketa and they produced the typical quartz work horse watch like Vostok. 3- Poljot (‘Flight”) is gone. Correct me if I am wrong, but you can only find these watches in the vintage market. 4- You did not mention Luch (“Beam”). It is not Russian. It is from Belarus. But it is in the same old style soviet watch tradition. And it is still on business. 5- I did not know Konstantin Chaykin. Thanks for bringing his name to my attention. His watches are too flamboyant for me. But I noticed the website is down. Are they out of business? Thanks again for this interesting episode.

[@pauldavies8041]

Love my Raketa "Copernicus". The Luch "Single Hand" and the Poljot "24 hour" both take a bit of time to get used to!

[@berdasau]

Luch isn't russian watch maker as far as I'm concerned, but Belarusian.

[@alanawolf1556]

The Copernicus is one fine looking watch!

[@alexg.1485]

I’ve got a poljot chrono from the 60ies and i love it :)

[@admiralcraddock464]

Yes i had one but lost it years ago .i'll get another one day

[@ComandanteManguera]

I'm the proud owner of a Vostok Amphibian, a Vostok Komandirsky, a Raketa Copernicus and a Sturmanskie Sputnik. Oh boy, I love all of them! 😍👍🏽

[@friskjidjidoglu7415]

I’m straight but are you available? Lol

[@ComandanteManguera]

@@friskjidjidoglu7415 jajajaja, I'm already taken bro! 🤣👍🏽

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

How good are sturnanskie?

[@ComandanteManguera]

@@CybertroninfiniteOfficial They are considered luxury watches, in the same league as Victorinox according to various rankings.

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

@@ComandanteManguera I ordered a Shturmanskie Yuri Gagarin straight from Ukraine. It's taking a hot minute to arrive, but do you think it'll be a good watch?

[@friskjidjidoglu7415]

A common misunderstanding (created unintentionally or not by P.I.) is that the German Poljot International is the same entity as the soviet heritage brand Poljot. In fact it’s right on the dial. Unfortunately the company Poljot and its movement manufacturer Maktime were unable to survive the fallout of the financial crisis

[@fubarghost13akawoz44]

I recently got a mechanical sekonda made in the ussr made some time in the 70’s it’s a bit of a dress type watch in a cushion case after a bit of research and a lot of help from Russian watch groups on Facebook I found out it was made by raketa keeps amazing time and I know it’s a bit taboo in modern watches but has a lovely clean crisp tic can’t knock the Russian’s they make the watches to last 👍🏻

[@NicoLeonard]

Great video! 👍

[@zac7530]

Great comment! 👍

[@alexc.3727]

@@zac7530 great comment reply! 👍

[@tegridyman]

holy sh@t its the god himself!

[@Alex-mu8yf]

@@alexc.3727 good comment reply on the comment reply

[@thetimeteller]

C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!!!!

[@mystic48209]

My one pride and joy is the Kirovskie Crab watch. Sure it is dainty looking at 33 mm dia but I love it.

[@DavidUKesb]

I used to have four of those, all different colours. Now sadly sold.

[@VicDzenFPV]

You forgot “Slava” also and Belarusian Luch with their funny one-handers

[@karanjain5663]

Slava is completely underrated but solid value for money. The 2414 caliber is one of the few handwound movements with date complication still available. It's "glory"ous. ;)

[@weasel9062]

I have a Luch submariner that is pretty nice considering I paid $70 for it from a pawn shop. Japanese quartz but... still has sapphire, stainless and 200 meters WR.

[@big_soulja]

Hell yeah, just found my grandad's 80s hand-wound daydate слава and it's only +20 s/d

[@karanjain5663]

@@big_soulja yup they're built like tanks and just keep running!! With a service, your deviation rate will probably get even lower. Great find!

[@corscorpii2425]

Great video as always! One interesting fact about the Decalogue - the Hebrew letters on the dial actually go counter-clockwise, e.g. א that represents 1 is where 11 would usually be - probably a reference to Hebrew being written right-to-left. And according to the Chaykin website the watch actually moves "counter-clockwise"!

[@ForkLiftMan03]

I've got a Vostok amphibia 710 and I absolutely love it, also got a Poljot Alarm watch

[@johnchampion6926]

Personally I have a Sekonda De Luxe from the early 80s with gold case (most likely gold plated) & a black dial. Wears beautifully on the wrist. Sekonda watches before becoming a fashion watch brand were made in the Raketa Factory pre-Soviet Union collapse.

[@jimmyschiel3863]

I love all Russian watches and I agree with you Восток is a great entry level watch. I sell a lot of them as people want an inexpensive everyday watch, customized to their personality.

[@NJ-wb1cz]

Afaik there are just two Russian factories - Vostok and much smaller Raketa. The rest assemble watches while ordering some amount of parts somewhere else at best, or maybe even outright order the entire watch in China, so aren't really Russian

[@jimmyschiel3863]

@@NJ-wb1cz I believe you are right, Polet (spelling) I think gets stuff from Восток. The cases are the same down to the locking ring and case back.

[@NJ-wb1cz]

@@jimmyschiel3863 I think Polet mainly focuses on appearance, designing watch faces and cases kinda like fashion brands do, and mechanisms come from wherever. Maybe they order some at Vostok but Polet has waay more models. What's great about Vostok is that all of it is made on one factory, it's not just some mishmash of outsourced unknown building blocks from all over the world assembled and customized somewhere like a smartphone, but a watch really made from ground up in one place with the design and mechanics and production all being one, the same way this factory worked in the Soviet times before globalization was a thing. And their affordable price and the mass-produced-but-hand-made production are an inherent part of the same Soviet vibe. Given that mechanical watches are about vibes and not any practicality, I think it makes them the only Russian brand worth the attention because others could exist anywhere and are fairly interchangeable with Chinese, Mexican, Indian or whatever other brands

[@jimmyschiel3863]

@@NJ-wb1cz couldn't agree more. I have 28 Востокs in my collection and want a couple more. I have found that if you regulate them properly they keep excellent time even without hacking. I wear a radio room black dial every day modified with a 12 hour bezel for GMT at a glance. I'm a HAM operator so it's just kinda my thing. Love them hope the war ends soon I want to buy some more.

[@jorgeandmariabenavides1026]

I just bought my first Vostok watch and I was really impressed and the craftsmanship on it and the feel of it blew my expectations away for only being 100 dollars. I wanted to buy something military and unfortunately all the military watches sold here in the us luminox is battery operated... I fell in love with Vostok and I’m going to buy another one because I like the way they look. I just recently found raketa and I did some reading on them in their website and the Russian movement is not the Swiss movement it’s completely different and Swiss watchmakers acknowledge the difference, and the heart of the watch in raketa is created with a secret Russian alloy that no one knows what it is. And raketas watches are all hand made by people that work the machinery and not just massed produced.. my cousins husband is Armenian and he grew up in Russia Armenia, I think us as close minded Americans think by use exiling Russia hurt them but in reality it helped them grow.. and a fun fact during the Great Depression American watch makers went bankrupt and the Russians where key providers for watches... I think Vostok and raketa are the better out of the two Raketa being the top and Vostok being number 2

[@Axel-gh6vj]

when you buy a new raketa, there's the photo of the person that made your specific watch, it's kinda cool

[@aidinmcinerney6512]

I have a Vostok Kommandirskie GMT in the Amphibia case that I bought new, and a vintage 119 case Amphibia from the 80s. Both run very accurately and reliably, about -2 for the new one and +1/-4 for the vintage. Both very affordable, tough, and unlike anything else out there

[@waynedonovan6754]

I have vintage CCCP era (1991, or earlier) Boctok (re Vostok) and it's a lovely Bambino style black dial mechanical dress watch, about 36mm. So there are other options within the Vostok/ Boctok range.

[@dougdax]

I own a Vostok and a Raketa. Both great watches, the Vostok runs ate +/- 2 seconds a day. The Raketa makes a lovely sound. My watch box is full, but I'm thinking of selling some , to get more russian watches.

[@davidinghram2494]

I have a Vostok Amphibia, and a Commander. They were bought off of Ebay after being slightly modified, but still as new. The Amphibia sniper dial was the first one, and it has slowly settled in to keeping pretty good time now, it`s about 4 seconds a day slow. The Commander was a runaway train at first and needed to be slowed down a couple of times before it settled in. It presently gains about 4 seconds a day. It would be easy to give up on these watches without giving them a few months of wrist time, but if you are patient with them from new, they will end up making you a fine watch that will probably last for a very long time.

[@stevenwilliams4916]

I own a Vostok Amfibia..... Not an Amphibia which is the standard Vostok watch, but the newer range from Vostok that was supposed to be for the export market. The dial has Made in Russia in English as opposed to the normal Cyrillic script. There is some controversy as to if these Amfibias are actually made in Russia or are sourced from China. But....all I can say is that I love my Amfibia Scuba, and even though the price is a little more than an Amphibia..... They are great value for money

[@JohnRWilsonIII]

I own two Poljots, one 23 jewel (silver case and black face w/gold hands) and one 29 jewel (gold case and silver face w/gold hands). I absolutely love them! They are extremely classy for a great price.

[@Wilburnator]

I have two Vostoks, one a very cheap Amphibia, and the other is quite nice, a Komandirskie Dual Time. I also have a Strela chronograph and a Poljot "Civil" chronograph. Both are reissues from Germany, the Strela has a Seagull ST19 movement and the Poljot has a Poljot 3133 movement. Both are quite beautiful and well made for what they cost.

[@kodoaok626]

Hey john, a question: Which is better amphibia or komandirskie for daily wear and about their power reserve ?

[@matthewclina4162]

I’ve had a Raketa Polar Bear, 24 hour, hand-wound watch for a few years. Doesn’t get a lot of wrist time, but it was a cheap (~$80) addition to the row of Vostoks in my case. I usually pull it out for the first snowstorm every winter.

[@kamil4149]

My first mechanical watch was a Poljot I got after my grandfather

[@igorchistyakov8876]

Your attempts to pronounce the names correctly were fun and well appreciated. Also you landed "raketa" pretty clean, ngl! And thank you for providing not only great watch-content (as usual) but some information on Jewish culture as well. From Russia with love!

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Привет from Uk :-) I have been learning kiril letters and love getting pronumciation of these watch names correctly.

[@kurtnunn6116]

I do like my amphibia, despite sketchy accuracy and recently needing to repair/re-glue a detached lume pip. It’s fit and feel make it very hard to keep in my watch box and off my wrist for too long.

[@migueljohnson432]

Thanks much for another very interesting video. I own a Poljot de Luxe in black and Gold, must say a keeper all times, very dressy and a handsome understatement as well. Cheers stay healthy.

[@TheQuail64]

I have a Luch that is very similar to the Poljot De Lux that you showed. A simple yet beautiful watch, The Cyrillic script is always a conversation starter.

[@randomhandle]

I love my Vostok Amphibia. It's a few steps up from their baseline $70 watches. It's a looker and, plus, I just love the history of the development of the Amphibia and its remarkable engineering. Is there a more waterproof watch on the market? Certainly not for under $200. Plus, no service needed for 10 years. I also own a Pobeda. It's an older watch from the Glasnost era with art on the dial celebrating that new attitude of openness. It reminds me so much of my youth as the iron curtain started to lift.

[@AngelSonevski]

Casio Duro has the same water rating, 200m right? For half the price of even the Amphibia most of the time

[@randomhandle]

@@AngelSonevski True. The Vostok Amphibia, however, is automatic, has more models to choose from, has a more interesting history, and is a more reliable deep diver as proven by testing that is actually watchable on KZbin. That last fact is the one I gave in reference to the $200 price marker. I own two Duros and two Amphibias, however. I don't discriminate. 😆

[@AngelSonevski]

@@randomhandle I only recently got into watches and am looking to get my first automatic but I'm really put off by the inaccuracy of less expensive automatics, more than 30 seconds deviation by day would drive me crazy, although I hear it's easy to modify the vostoks yourself with that - + lever they have to try and get them more accurate

[@randomhandle]

@@AngelSonevski Modding Vostoks is super easy, yes! I have never tried, however, to tune the beat of my Vostoks. I am sure that there are plenty of videos on how to tune them. I have (too) many watches and switch them up day after day, so if one of my automatics was off by a minute or two a day, I doubt I would ever notice it. 😆

[@bigzayev]

Я был подписан на этот канал 2 года только ради этого видео. Наконец-то стоящий контент. Спасибо, товарищ!

[@lukaszkonsek7940]

Ja z kolei liczyłem że zobaczę coś o jedynym ruskim producencie którego produkt posiadam: slava. Można było je kupić w Polsce za czasów słusznie minionych. Także czuję lekki zawód.

[@RoyalIsmayilov]

😅👍🏻

[@ПавелИванов-в3ю]

по факту

[@teleneuron]

@@lukaszkonsek7940 Molnija!

[@bigzayev]

@@lukaszkonsek7940 Tak, towarzyszu. Slava to świetna marka. Ja sam mam w kolekcji kilka Slava.

[@TiMEworn]

That Raketa is awesome!! Love the video, my first mechanical watch was a Poljot Aviator II, they used older Swiss machinery and you can still see the resemblance in the movement compared to a Valjoux counterpart.

[@denisthemenace8032]

I have a 24 hr no date Vostok that stays within 2 seconds a day. Awesome watch that has found a permanent home in my collection.

[@moorwatch9654]

I have a vintage Raketa with gold hands and a guilloche, it has the 2603 movement with shock protection, I also have a pobeda from the 2nd Moscow Watch Factory with a 2602 movement without shock protection…sadly it no longer works but they’re lovely watches

[@violinmke]

I have a Volna. They had bought a factory and moved it to Russia and if you get the right movement they are chronometer quality.

[@paulskalla6845]

I originally looked at Vostok because they were so affordable; later because the parts are cheap, tough, and fairly available. I was gifted one years ago, and it became my gateway to watch tinkering. Through it I learned a 2409 movement would drop right into a repop US BuShip watch with a dead quartz movement. The old Vostok is waiting for me to have some time to clean it and replace the ratchet winder wheel (just got it the other day)

[@233kosta]

I've got a 1964 or '65 Poljot that used to belong to my great grandfather. The old girl has clearly seen better days, but she still looks good. Just need a dressy strap now.

[@richardkoorevaar]

Very nice episode again, thank you! I own a couple of Russian / Soviet watches and they are quite interesting. But why didn't you mention Slava? Maybe next time? Greetings from The Netherlands and stay safe

[@illyth63]

I have a sub-collection of Soviet and Russian watches. Mostly vintage, but some modern Vostoks and re-issues as well. I have a Raketa Kopernik (ca. 1980s), a genuine Sturmanskie Gagarin (ca. 1953), a Poljot mechanical alarm watch (ca. 70s?), a Sputnik watch (date uncertain, maybe 60s?), and one of the modern reissued Strela chronographs modeled on the one worn by Alexei Leonov, probably the first watch to taste the vacuum of space.

[@randomstranger6537]

There is a little shop from Ukraine that mates up cases and serviced movements. Not truly Russian but Aleksey does good work at great prices

[@randomstranger6537]

@Sigkim Etsy and his own website. I hope I am ok to say it here; trulesorub. I just ordered my fourth watch from him so he's doing something right. Just be aware that his US address seems to be only marketing. Everything comes from Ukraine and take a couple of weeks.

[@moldveien1515]

As a history nerd i had the get a gagrin from sturmanskie i paid about 350 euro for mine and i am quite happy with it, definatly a nice vintage looking piece

[@meshke980]

My first watch was Raketa, manual wind, green dial, leather strap. Loved it

[@fjdubya5726]

Ive been into Russian watches since the mid 90's when I found a Komandirskie with a Putin wristband....in a little carousel display in a little MEXICAN grocery store! I immediately fell in love with it. Since then Ive owned two more Vostoks, a Raketa 24hr arctic watch, and another vintage 1970 mechanical Raketa pocket watch on a chain which keeps better time than any of the other Russian watches Ive owned. Very nice engraving of the classic scene of the "Strength" tarot card, a man holding a lion's mouth open. The accuracy is very impressive for a watch nearly two years older than I am! I'm watching this video tonight because I'm interested in getting another Russian wristwatch to actually wear. I was thinking of going Poljot this time unless another decent Raketa comes along at a good price. I really like the Raketas but the supply of new or "like new" specimens on Ebay seems to have either dried up or prices skyrocketed (

[@jakekaywell5972]

This episode was pretty solid, and you did pronounce most of the Russian words and phrases correctly, so nice job on this one! I think you'd be interested to learn about Pobeda watches though. They were founded under the orders of Stalin in 1945 and worked with the French company LIP to make watches in several places in Russia. The ZIM 2602 15-jewel movement, which was shared with Pobeda, has it's roots in the LIP R-26 which was originally made in 1908. It's amazing that you could have bought a watch with such an antiquated movement as recently as 2004 as well!

[@theleafsprungjeeper]

Thank you for uploading your video. I purchased my Vostok Komandirskie 431941 "Airforce Commander" in January and finally received it in April. I wanted an inexpensive mechanical watch and, after going through reviews, chose the Vostok. As expected, this watch has a relatively rough finish. what I like about it is that the mechanical movement has basically the 60's design, non crystal "glass" that is apparently tougher than crystal. And I wanted to see if the "no service required for ten years" claim is true. I don't have a time grapher but I can say that I lose about a minute in 3 to 4 days. I mostly use it as a pocket watch or leave it on a table because of the nature of work that I do. The strap buckle seems too big for the 18mm leather strap, the buckle tongue is too flimsy (I had to make my own using a cotter pin). but I still love the fact that this watch represents decent quality and at a decent price. I also checked out the self winding "Automatic Lavarado" which is slow by at least 2 minutes a day. The finish outside of the watch face is decent in my opinion but the watch face lettering looks a bit crude. Also the "skeleton" parts seem to have been painted the brass colour. I also have a vintage (somewhat running; the date is frozen) Favre Leuba Sea Chief which has "Twin Power". which belonged to my grandfather, as well as an old pocket watch ("Kienzle")that belonged to my great grandfather.This pocket watch still runs perfectly but needs servicing (and I don't know if it has EVER been serviced) The history behind mechanical watches fascinates me and that is why I have started collecting what I can afford. A reliable mechanical watch that is affordable to the working class, looks decent, and hardly requires servicing is basically what appeals to me.

[@CKT1138]

I have two Raketas, a "rolex case" 2628.H and a 2609.HA with art deco style arabics, and they're great. Surprisingly tough for mechanicals, and handsome enough to actually get me compliments from strangers. Best part, they're cheap and small!

[@slice1208]

Vostok is a fun watch with interesting engineering , history , a good price , and it goes nice with my AK . Is my AR better ? In every way yes . Do I have better watches then my Vostok ? In every way yes , but like my AK it's still fun .

[@tholtan]

I have a pair of pre-1991 Vostoks. They’re cool and very simple. They’re good first mechanicals, and they’re a good first watch to mod or try to repair.

[@rockforlife969]

Why I love Vostok? a couple of years ago my father gave me his Oris Propilot GMT for his birthday. After sometime wearing it, it stopped every couple of hours. Service costs were way above my budget, since I have not much room to make ends meet. In the meantime I wear a €40 Vostok Komandierski, which is guaranteed to work without servicing for at least 10 years. It may take me some time to save up enough to service the Oris, and even then it might not be a smart move to spend that amount on my watch.

[@ultraluxeest1991]

Great video! Loved the little Jewish time keeping lesson. I love Vostok, I own two Komandirskie's. One of them is from the USSR era of Vostok, I'm wearing it now infact, black dial, very easy to read numerals with lumed dots around the edge of the dial, the Soviet star at the 12 o'clock with a tank underneath it. It has lumed sword hands and a red needle seconds hand and a date window at the 3 o'clock. And the second ome is a more modern Komandirskie with 31 jewels, a red face, with the commander rank insignia and star at the 9 o'clock. Decent lume with an upside down triangle at the 12 o'clock and markers all the way around and date window at the 3 o'clock. Only numbered at the 10,2,4 & 8band the rest are round markers. I like them because they're cheap and robust and something a little different.

[@jasmachugh4222]

I have a few Russian watches, myself. I own 2 Vostoks, a Luch, a Poljot, and a Raketa. I don't remember the models off hand as they are vintage, but they are all in working condition!

[@Segafishy]

I just enjoy relics from the USSR because they are built stupid strong as usually you got one and if you broke it it could be years to replace it and they usually have ingenious quirks by nature of the limitations so a Vostok fits my tastes perfectly and joins my Zorki, Lubitel and Zenit Cameras (did have others but streamlining) and eventually some day something like a Lada or Moskvitch when space allows. And if you want to know my Vostok, its an Amphibia of course which eventually will get some mods.

[@rannza4421]

I own the Poljot you mentioned, in gold with a black dial. I love the design of the watch, but my favourite detail is a case inscription marking it as a gift to the original owner on their 60th birthday from their brother.

[@MagicalBroetchen]

I got a Poljot De Luxe a few weeks ago and I really love it! Pretty affordable too. Be aware of "frankenwatches" when you search for them.

[@hugoflores5806]

The automatic or hand winding version? Edit: spelling

[@MagicalBroetchen]

The hand winding one. Has a power reserve of about 31 hours, which is pretty respectable for a piece from the 70s.

[@z.y.l5989]

I'm a Jew myself and from Israel. Nice to see Jews overseas who are not ashamed of their Judaism and do not hide it, especially on a platform you can not know who was exposed to it. You are not a child and probably older than me, but it makes me proud and I want you to know that .In a less embarrassing tone. You have great videos 'אש עליך תמשיך ככה'

[@Nick-lm5lz]

My grandfather had one. Gold plated in blue dial. Found it the other day. Took it to a shop for restoration.

[@InitialG1]

I own a Raketa Kopernik, a Poljot Columbus Alarm, Another Poljot alarm and 2 Vostok Komandirski's The Kopernik always put's a smile on my face.

[@DominikFerencik]

I have two Pobeda watches from 1950's that I bought for 30€. One was running fast and I got it serviced for additional 20€, the second one runs perfect. They were my first mechanical and if you are just getting into watches - go Russian. Russian vintage watches are reliable, they are easily serviced by every watchmaker because they literally consists of few wheels and screws and they will hook you up, guaranteed. I absolutely adore them even though they are really beaten, because they work without complaining too much.

[@hugoflores5806]

Only check and be careful about frankenwatches

[@DominikFerencik]

@@hugoflores5806 Thats a very good point if you are buying online. I'm aware of the issue and I recommend buying from sellers in your country. Usually, these are younger people who inherited watches and want to get rid of them after owner (usually father or grandfather) dies. They just want to make few €, so there is really no place for fraud with parts being exchanged (compared to buying on ebay.) I purchased them on original straps and dirty, you immediately know that seller is not even trying to increase the value :) However, you are also right with check - always request video of watch being operated - wound and ticking. It saves you from nasty surprises

[@hugoflores5806]

@@DominikFerencik That's the case with most watches. But some, like the all the sturmanskies, are ofthe made of other watches because of their history

[@ИгорьКуликов-н9щ]

I own a Raketa Big Zero myself, it's a very good watch. Also would like to mention slava watch factory and molnia watch factory. They produce watches on modified soviet calibers.

[@michaelkeaton32]

That avantgarde. Wow. Fantastic looking watch. I'm not a huge Vostok fan, so I'm really happy you made this video.

[@alexc.3727]

Oh yeah, I left a comment about Raketa watches like three weeks ago and has been waiting for this video for quite a bit, and here we go :) thanks Jory, and cheers from Russia PS: there's a Belorussian watch manufacturer called Luch (Луч), they're also kind of interesting, especially one of their flagships - One-Hander. And their, I'd say, almost Swatch-y "Vyshivanka" folk-inspired designs are also fun

[@michaelssoftbinbows3237]

I have the Poljot Deluxe in 'sekonda' form (in the 60s -80s Sekinda sold a few USSR made watches in the UK. Also have 3 vostoks, but my favourite is a Chaika mechanical alarm watch. I think its the same watch also sold as a Poljot Signal. By far and away the most affordable mechanical alarm watch I've seen!

[@alvinacosta3326]

As a seventh day adventist we also have our sabbath friday night till saturday night but i never realized it was the end of the day! I just learned that now wow 👏

[@spg5658]

STURMANSKI is an awesome brand and I highly recommend Vostok Europe, which is a great brand made in Lithuania! 👍🇱🇹

[@x3mperformace]

Poljot, is actually pron. Paljot But close. :-) And the de Luxe is 7,5 mm. Yep, but the crystal is about 3,2 mm ontop of the case.

[@mystic48209]

The first watch in space was strapped onto a dog, her name was Chernushka ie Blackie. It was a Pobeda 36-K that belonged to DR. GENIN. Small seconds. The watch worn by the first man in Space (Yuri Gagarin) was a 17 jewel Sportivnie. Center seconds. 43M. This variant is waterproof and shock proof. It's earlier sister watch was a Pobeda 15 jewels Center seconds but not shock proof not water proof. 41M. The Sportivnie 43M and the Pobeda movements were very similar and both were made for the Sturmanskie brand fir military use. Today's Sturmanskie Gagarin watches use a different movenent the 17 jewel Poljot 2609. The look nothing like the old Pobeda nor Sportivnie movements.

[@sandybakers690]

recently got a Raketa 0254. Love it and highly recommend the brand

[@shivar925]

My top 3 Russian watches: 3.Raketa 2.Konstantin Chaykin 1.Vostok

[@greggusan]

I really dug the little interlude about the traditional jewish time increments. I've lived in several countries, and find it very interesting how time has been measured in various societies throughout history. That we have we have 60 second minutes, 60 minute hours, 24 hour days and months the length they are, now used universally around the world, is a pretty interesting story.

[@GordonTurnerpark]

I had a Poljot chronograph many years ago. My son threw it from the top of the stairs onto the tile floor. Local jeweler wouldn’t work on it. It’s still around here somewhere. I really did love the watch. A shame.

[@davidcooper8621]

Apart from Vostoks I own vintage Raketa and Poljot. The Raketa Perpetual Calendar is my wife's favourite watch and generally they are reliable and a good size, particularly Slava

[@Blueeyes2584A]

I do own several Vostoks, vintage NVCh-30 and some current Amphibias. Fun watches to mess around with but definitely not as good as the fans make them out to be. Very robust, yes, but that's about it. I have two Poljot 3133 chronos, which are very nice and the 3133 is based off the Valjoux 7734. So it's very nice chronograph movement. I also have a vintage Kirova Chrono back when Poljot was still the Kirova First State Watch Factory with a Valjoux 61, well Soviet Valjoux 61 made under license. Russian watches definitely have a rich history and one to be very proud of. I do enjoy collecting then and give them a decent amount of wrist time. Definitely add one or two to a collection.

[@astrologando1858]

The part about the Jewish time units was really really interesting. Even though I'm not Jewish, I love your culture and learning about it. Shalom!

[@DavidUKesb]

I have the Sekonda branded version of that Poljot de Luxe with a date window. Made in the USSR. £20 from a UK flea market. Beautiful watch.

[@olagor0086]

I have Pobeda watch after my grandfather. It is model that was first watch in space ever. U should look at this fantastic brand with amazing history.

[@rouju]

Vostok, Poljot/Novet is always on my radar. Cheap fun and actually reliable ha ha. Poljot / Novet chronograph is actually really good

[@markbyrum4743]

I have a Vostock Amphibian "Scuba Dude." I mean, who 2ouldn't want to wear (occasionally as a "work in the yard beater" watch) something called Scuba Dude?! I out a replacement smooth ring in place of the odd rotating bezel so it looks a little different. But it's an okay $70 mechanical watch. Good vid. Keep at it!

[@andyahandyah]

Honestly, at this point, I am just looking for unique watches outside of the Japanese/Swiss/American market. I like Vostok watches and am looking to pick up a few sometime soon; I also really like other Russian/ex-Soviet makes as they are really cool and kind of funky without the traditional button-down Western appeal. Right now, I am just trying to expand my horizons! 😃

[@mystic48209]

Vostoks are fun and affordable. I am currently looking Volmax Sturmanskie line. Also Molnija which still makes inhouse movements.

[@rangersmith4652]

That Poljot dress watch is really gorgeous. I've been thinking about picking up a Vostok or two. Perhaps not.

[@Lunalysis]

I have a Rekata, a Strela, Pljot and of course a Vostock Amphibia scuba dude. Right now I'm wearing a Vostock Amfibia Reef Diver. You should check those out and review one. It might change your opinion about Vostock.

[@jimmccaig7946]

Snap skx on wrist on a black nato. Love it. Stay safe, great episode 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@3hutp]

I think these watches are just adorable. They are cheap, elegant and reliable. They are not flashy nor do they sell their fascinating stories like Swiss watch brands. But they are modest and give you what you paid for and more. They are easy to maintain and honestly, their performance is absolutely good for the everyday watch user. I have two of these watches with the 2609 and 2609 HA movements, respectively. They cost less than 50 dollars each. The one has 45 hours power reserve, the other about 48 and they are within the 30sec range in a day. I think it's pretty decent. Plus they have some timeless elegance about them with their slick and thin case and small diameter. Some of them are as good to be worn with a suit as any high-end Swiss watch.

[@jakekaywell5972]

Not "flashy", sure, but Soviet watches do tell a fascinating story all their own. A story of a fledgling industrial power rising to the global stage on the ashes of an old system which failed its people. Everything had to be learned from scratch and in mere years instead of decades or even centuries. Much more appealing to me than the Swiss on that front and well-earned regarding horology.

[@thebutcher1412]

Hey jory! I am a huge fan of the channel and just recently found out about this Chanel. I have an idea for a new video, I want to start buying some vintage watches to expand my collection. Can you maybe make a guide to how you purchase vintage watches and where you have purchased them from ? I’m having a hard time finding a good place to shop or guide to help me out. Thanks !

[@alanwright3172]

Just out of interest the Konstantin Chaykin "Joker Selfie" represents himself with a loupe and was a unique piece for the Christie,s "The only watch charity auction".(sold for just over $70,000)😁 I have one of the new generation Amfibia (F not ph) Reef GMT from Vostok and it is a good quality GMT for @ $180!

[@ДаданДаданский]

In fact the coolest russian watch for today is Slava Sadko. Inhouse movt, 500m wr, crazy case and pepsi-coloured bezel... I love them. And yeah, i`ve got an oldschool soviet Poljot - for their price it`s also top!

[@Pkstp1]

I have Russian-made Vostok Amphibia but also Soviet-era Raketa perpetual calendar with red dial and brass/golden case & details and even older gold-plated Poljot (slim coctail-type watch, model so far unknown), both of them mechanical watches with beautiful details and accurate timekeeping. I don't even know how old the Raketa is, i've had it for 15 years and never had issues and haven't even brought it to be serviced. Russian/soviet watches definately have their own charm and history, even if the aren't as famous brands as Rolex, Seiko etc

[@carlosb1]

Before buying my first Vostok I looked at all of these brands that you mentioned. Bear in mind I'm not a hardcore watch guy I'm just a normal dude who likes a nice simple watch that does the job, is strudy AND looks good. Here are my reasons for going with Vostok: 1. Desgin. All these brands have nice looking watches, but unless I'm going to be around watch experts and enthusiasts or I am one myself their is no reason for me to buy them. 2. Price. These brands are expensive. For example, the least expensive Raketa military watch I found on their site is the Polar 025 which is 1,079 USD. Apart from the back case being see through and the glass made out of saphire and unless im going to be in the Polar artic to use its features I see no reason why to spend this money. A vostok can catch the eye just as good. 3.Diveristy. Before I bought my first Vostok I could not find what I wanted in all these other brands. Vostoks had it all: Red, white, black, blue displays. pepsi scheme, 24 hours watches, GMT, Russian coat of arms on display, Russian flag on dislay, gold plated watches etc. ..... And of course we all know how easy they can be moded. 4. I like the more top of the lines watcches from vostok, they are simple and elegant. If you want a dress watch vostok also sells beautiful dress watches for less price. Check out their Retro and Prestige liines. I also recommend chicking out another brand which is Slava they are at the same price range as Vostok and are very nice. Will I ever buy one of these other brands, sure maybe, they are nice and Russian. But for me the normal guy who is not into watches and can get a nice good looking watch that can catch the attention for a much lesser price It would be too much.