The Best Watches Under 100 (£/$) - Vostok Amphibia - 090 - Divers Watch - 200m

[@UncleVoodoo]

There will always be a Vostok in my collection.

[@Watch-Crazy]

They are a superb device! I'm rather liking your Fifty-five Fathoms, what a stunning timepiece!

[@bovinejoni4243]

You’re right about these being great conversation starters. Even people who generally couldn’t care less about watches will notice and comment on the quirky dials, and I’ve found that the Soviet backstory and the fact that the watch is so unapologetically Russian tends actually hold their interest. There’s a mystique about them that, say, Seikos or even more luxury pieces simply don’t hold for non-watch geeks. I own the Zissou model that Bill Murray wore in The Life Aquatic, which adds yet another conversation dimension because everyone loves Bill Murray.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Hi Nick, I couldn't agree with you more! And great work in remember Billy Murray wearing one... I totally forgot about that.

[@bovinejoni4243]

Watch Crazy it was really the perfect watch for that movie. Jacques Cousteau was known for his custom dive watches, so it only makes sense for Wes Anderson’s homage to him to have the quirkiest possible variation of that trait. A whole crew outfitted with Vostoks and a custom made one for the captain. While it’s often called the AK-47 of watches, I’ve often thought Wes Anderson is actually a pretty good comp for the aesthetic of the dials.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Hmmmm very true, and what a nice touch

[@Watch-Crazy]

I just this minute looked online for The Life Aquatic and almost fell off my chair, I cannot believe it came out 14 years ago. Where has the time gone!?

[@maccabeus3843]

i love the sniper dials with albatros case and handwinding ! already bought 7 pieces of vostoks...

[@Watch-Crazy]

Cool 😎 they're certainly addictive and there's quite a lot to choose from, and customise. I never got into Vostok Europe watches always the original vintage style. Sounds like you're building quite the collection! 👍🏼

[@brianbuchert6382]

Very informative video my friend I subscribed to your channel you answered all my questions concerning this watch , I just ordered my watch and it will be here in a cpl weeks and I can’t wait I’m looking forward to seeing more of your videos!!

[@Watch-Crazy]

Brian, thank you for your kind words! You can't go wrong with one of these watches!! It's been a few months since my last video, I should do another video sometime soon, work permitting. And thank you for subscribing!

[@georgehiphopforever]

I received it today,one of the most beautiful watches in the world and heavy im really in love,i was a Seiko fan but now im more a Vostok fan,i own vintage Vostoks too and an amfibia reef. Love them all and im very happy for the money you cant go wrong.Thank you Vostok Company.Affordable-quality watches and amazing design.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Many congratulations George! That's awesome news and of course an awesome watch. Yeah lots to choose from! You really can't go wrong, they're Russia's answer to G Shock! Never owned a Reef, does yours have the stainless steel bracelet? If so what's it like?

[@georgehiphopforever]

@@Watch-Crazy thank you very much 090 case is a beauty just WOW.

[@Watch-Crazy]

No problem dude, thank you! It really is!!

[@samuelevinti]

yeah and looking at SEIKO prices nowadays one starts to question the whole thing...

[@Watch-Crazy]

Absolutely! Many repackaged/renamed watches that are twice to three times the price they were only 1 to 3 years ago, and in many instances with less water resistance. Vostok in comparison have added 0 to £20 on top in the same timeframe.

[@DavidUKesb]

I love Vostoks and all Soviet/Russian watches. I even have a 1st Generation Amphibia with swing lugs which were made between 1967-75.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Cool! Sounds like you have a great collection. And they are still by far one of the most affordable automatic dive watches you can pick up. While prices for Seiko, Orient... have all noticeably increased, Vostok has pretty much maintained there low prices.

[@samuelevinti]

@@Watch-Crazy I don't know why people always forget Citizen man! I've got a NY0040 (all steel black dial) and it's ISO certified and tough as a nail. 200€ new......

[@Watch-Crazy]

@@samuelevinti Very true and a good point! They make some excellent watches! I put it down to marketing or lack thereof, though it would certainly help my channel grow, though I don't want to review watches I'm told to or tied in to only giving positive reviews on watches I don't like the design of for free... I as many KZbinrs do get contacted by watch brands fairly regularly to review their watches, Citizen I'm assuming aren't doing this or often enough.

[@samuelevinti]

I understand your point, it might be that they have different policies in that regard, after all they are large enough to just sit and "watch"!

[@Watch-Crazy]

@@samuelevinti Quite possibly, they are shooting themselves in the foot if they are there's an unprecedented amount of competition in the marketplace and growing. "Looooooool 🤣"

[@skistrycharski6999]

Have 6 of them love em in my collection tho I don’t dive anymore (72 yro.), to me Dive watches are a beast for everyday worn like Beater watches.They are a tank !!!

[@Watch-Crazy]

Thank you for sharing! The only diving I do in this day and age is to the car ⛈️. They are extremely underrated watches, the G Shock of the Russian world!

[@neilpiper9889]

I have a Kirovskie watch made in 1939 at the 1st Moscow watch factory. I love it. I have a 1945 1985 commemorative Komandurskie with the hackable movement. Also I have Volna Precision watch from the 1950s. I have a couple of Amphibias which are Meh compared to my pre 1989 ones. My everyday wearers are a Chinese Seagull Ocean Star diver, and a 1980s Raketa 2609ha hand winder. Nice video for an interesting watch. I am selling my Amphibia watches.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Now you're making me jealous. Sounds like you have some pretty awesome and historical timepieces their!!

[@FitOutPost]

Very educational video. Thanks for sharing.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Why thank you! :)

[@neilpiper9889]

Just remember to tightly screw down the crown after winding/setting. I forgot to do that and the watch got water in the watch. I just took the back off and let it dry out. Still running perfectly. I wind mine with crown facing down so gravity helps it not to catch on the threads.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Hi Neil, that is certainly a very sound piece of advice! I hope the watch has many more years of use left in it!!

[@glenh4971]

They have gone up in price. Meranom now sells them for 75 to 80 dollars. They are still a good value. I love mine!!

[@Watch-Crazy]

They have gone up but certainly not by much. As you say they're extremely good value for money, especially when you think a replacement strap for MY G-SHOCK GWG-1000 Costs more!

[@RadioStreetsunited]

Meranom is a little overpriced. You can really find them cheaper

[@PORRRIDGE_GUN]

Meranom to the UK has gone down. £51 last year, now £48. Postage is still £3.50. Arrives within 20 days currently.

[@waltconrad1]

Divers use dive computers now , I would hazard a guess % 99.9 of dive watches never go underwater .

[@Watch-Crazy]

Lol very true and the more expensive the watch like a Rolex the less likely it's probably seen any water.

[@heavyd9154]

divers use a computer and a watch backup

[@brianbuchert6382]

I was a search and rescue diver for the sheriffs office for almost 10 years and never wore a watch or computer ! Very dangerous diving in black water our down time was monitored by the tender at the other end of the rope but it’s nice to know this watch will go under water even if it never does!

[@wildbill9919]

l just ordered 4 Vostoks from Meranom. One of them is the 090659M with blue dial and matte finish.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Awesome! The 090659M looks slick with the replacement pepsi style bezel... Which others did you go for?

[@wildbill9919]

@@Watch-Crazy Amphibian Special Edition 710659 Pepsi bezel, Amphibian 110651 Radio Room, and Komandirskie 350669.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Ah superb! That's a really interesting mix. I've never owned a Komandirskie K-35 though I certainly have been looking at them, I'm torn between the white dial 350618 and the green 350501 versions... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@Barnaby_bo]

Does that dial have the wave effect like the same dial on the 150 case does? Couldn't see it on the video. Thanks

[@Watch-Crazy]

Hmmm that would be pretty cool if it did, it sadly only has a plain gloss dial, do they now do a white wave effect dial? If so I'm obviously missing put. I know they have that awesome blue version...

[@haywoodf]

How did you find the movement accuracy out of the box? Did you have to or end up regulating the movement? If so what was you approach in doing so? Thanks for the informative and entertaining vid.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Hello and thank you for your kind comments! That's an excellent question. The early watches with the more robust 2415 and 2415A movements I found lost or gained between 5 to 10 minutes every few days, however, the newer 2416 and 2416A which is also used in the more expensive Vostok Europe watches and is referenced as the 2432 only seems to lose or gain a minute maybe at most a week. they are pretty accurate I have to say! Here is an interesting video on those two "different" movements: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYKog4mumK6seNk and here is a video on how to regulate one just in case: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHnReqp6gdJ_mac

[@haywoodf]

Thanks for the URL refs. I’ve have only the 2416 and 2416A movements. I agree with you that overall they are reasonably accurate. My experience over a few years after regulation is it isn’t especially difficult to get the movement accurate and stable in one position. However, the level of chronometric position variance seems to be very different from movement to movement. That in itself, once known, allows for suitable parking of the watch off wrist to compensate accordingly. In some cases this has resulted in months of use without the need for time adjustment.

[@haywoodf]

Also, here is an interesting piece on Amphibia WR to destruction testing ... way past 200m H2O head/pressure forums.watchuseek.com/f10/how-low-can-you-go-pressure-testing-amphibia-destruction-4488053.html

[@Watch-Crazy]

That's awesome!

[@Watch-Crazy]

No problem at all likewise!! There are so many factors to take in consideration, if you run wearing the watch it can jolt the movement and make it stop every few milliseconds, the change in temperature between 5ºC to 35ºC on the lubrications and different metals can have an effect, but the thing more likely than any is the journey from the manufacturer to the supplier and then from Russia to its destination overseas... 🙈 Unfortunately they are very few automatic and or manual-wind, even quartz movements that have great accuracy, even the Grand Seiko loses 1 to 10 seconds per day on average and those movements are insanely accurate. That's pretty cool its compensated itself.

[@ddewaard3265]

In that opening shot with all the watches on the table, what is that watch in the middle of the shot with the brown strap? the one with the concealed lugs. it has a bit of the black strap from the one to the left of it on top of its strap... thank you

[@Watch-Crazy]

Hello, that is a very good question! :) It is a fabulous vintage Citizen automatic chronograph, using the 8110A movement. I actually did a video about this and other models which you can find here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWG1n2iiqb-lntk&t Alternatively there is an excellent blog article referencing pretty much all of the different Vintage Citizens, you can find that article here: sweep-hand.org/citizens-vintage-chronographs/

[@ddewaard3265]

Hello, I just watched your video and i read the article, and what a beautiful line of timepieces! Do they have a specific name, or is it just the movement name or serial number that you can find them on? I'll be keeping an eye out for these, thanks!

[@Watch-Crazy]

They most certainly are!! They do have names, but I'm unsure of them all I'm sorry to say, the ones with the push buttons at the top are known as the Bullhead, the ones like mine are known as the flyback, another similar to the Omega Speedmaster is known as the Speedy, or its actual name Railmaster. The best places to look out for these are eBay and the likes of chrono24.

[@Watch-Crazy]

Also if you like different and vintage style watches then may I suggest taking a look at the micro watch brand video I have just this minute uploaded, there are a few very interesting affordable brands and watches you may quite like: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2PUqnigos-nrMk

[@ilcattivomaestro]

Nice model. I have got a 710634 (black scuba dude) and a 420374 (blue Steve zissou) I show them in my channel but in italian so...

[@Watch-Crazy]

I just watched your video, what a beautiful pen!!! The 710634 is a fantastic timepiece, I like the fact that they have not changed the case to a stainless steel one like others ... the chrome finish really sets this watch off and works so well with the bezel. The 420374 is also an extremely cool classic watch. The first of these that I possessed was a manual wind, I think in the mid to late 80s. Something few people know is that the Vostok 420 models were sold in Harrods department store in the early 90s for around 180 euros.

[@ilcattivomaestro]

Nic Cohen I bore my few followers with many videos about my love for watches especially Amphibia. I surely could have more followers if I were not so boring with this passion of mine...poor people. Now I am waiting for an amphibia 110406. I bought from a eBay seller from Volgograd and it has been shipped yesterday. Now I have to keep tracking it and wait for its arrival which is a sweet bitter waiting, like waiting for a woman maybe ah ah ah

[@Watch-Crazy]

Ah don't worry I'm sure I bore the socks off my few viewers too!! There is no harm in expressing a passion as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Funny enough I'm actually wearing my 110903 today on a brown leather pilot/aviator strap. Yet another great watch, I'm sure it will arrive!

[@brianbuchert6382]

Il Cattivo Maestro nice I just ordered my first Vostok it’s I THINK is the 090632 it’s a black nato band black face with red scuba dude can’t wait to get it!!

[@danijeljenko184]

Vostok watches radioactive? Are you serious?

[@Watch-Crazy]

I'm afraid so, up until even the late 1970s the Swiss watch industry were using Radium for luminescence, it's not really harmful unless you ingest any of the dust particles from the markers and hands... That said people unknowingly ingest a fair amount of radium frequently, any trees that have deep roots will absorb such things as radium so Brazil nuts for example have high levels of radium-226 and radium-228, which replace calcium particles in the bones and remain there. It's inevitably on a very low scale, overall Brazil nuts are extremely good for you too...