More expensive Russian watches

[Dpflaum]

I've owned Seikos, Orients, Seagulls, and a handful of higher end/boutique watches. None of them captured my interest quite like my Vostok Amphibia.

Do any of you have experience with the Russian watches in the ~$200 range? I've been curious about them for a long time but I'm not sure how the quality will compare to other watches in that range. While the lower tier watches are an incredible deal, I'm just not sure about tossing down more money...

 

[Thebigspendur]

There are basically three tiers in Russian Watches. The lowest like the Vostoks that sell for less than a hundred bucks are mostly brass, plated cases with movements so crude it's a miracle they run but run they do to varying degrees. Then there are the ones that go from around $200 up to almost $600 or so and they are more substantial watches with what are basically old swiss mvmts which the Russians bought the rights to when the Swiss retooled back in the 1970s and these are decent mvmts though personally I think overall these are well behind other watches from other countries. Then there are the upper tier like the Poljots that go for over around $500 or so and up and these use top grade Swiss Mvmts. Of course in between there are other companies and some use Japanese Mvmts and various quartz mvmts. I have a Vostok Caspian sea and it kind of a clunky watch and keeps decent time but overall a Swiss Hamilton or a Seiko is overall higher quality.

Basically, the Russians have never been known for making truly quality watches.

 

[commanderkeen]

When I think of Russian products, the word 'interesting' pops to mind first and 'quality' a fair bit later.

This is true for everything from cars to watches to airplanes. The only quality products from Russia I can think of are the various vodkas they produce.

 

[WoodfordReserve-Neat]

When I think of Russian products, the word 'interesting' pops to mind first and 'quality' a fair bit later.

The only quality products from Russia I can think of are the various vodkas they produce.

My Vodka comes from Texas.
I enjoy a Tito's and Perrier Lime on the rocks on occasions (fairly low calorie drink)

 

[DGS]

Anyone have experience with Denissov? I really like their Barracuda model. But it's almost $1k. Here's a link:

http://www.russia2all.com/denissov-russian-watches/barracuda_russian_poljot_watch/

 

[Godan]

When I think of Russian products, the word 'interesting' pops to mind first and 'quality' a fair bit later.

This is true for everything from cars to watches to airplanes. The only quality products from Russia I can think of are the various vodkas they produce.

And the AK47. I can tell you from direct experience that it works just fine.

 

[Legion]

And the AK47. I can tell you from direct experience that it works just fine.

+1

I have a vintage Amphibian and it is good or bad, depending on how you look at it.

The bad, it is a divers watch which is in no way waterproof. Not at all. Wore it in the shower once and the crystal fogged up so badly I couldn't see the hands.

The good, it is so unsealed that it dried quickly and kept ticking. After being drowned more than once the thing just keeps going. AK47. Not nice, or refined, but it works.

 

[Thebigspendur]

Anyone have experience with Denissov? I really like their Barracuda model. But it's almost $1k. Here's a link:

http://www.russia2all.com/denissov-russian-watches/barracuda_russian_poljot_watch/

Don't do it.

That price for a watch with a Russian Mvmt is ridiculous. For that much there are so many better choices out there. You can go entry models with Sinn, great Hamiltons, Check out Lum-tec, Christopher Ward, Seiko and so much more. At that price point you should be getting a standard Swiss Mvmt.

 

[BRRV]

And the AK47. I can tell you from direct experience that it works just fine.

Yep *nod* so long as you discount the fact that it borrows (steals) in no insignificant way from at least one german designed and built assault weapon from WW2.

Russian engineering: lets not discuss their nuclear submarine prowess, OK? Or the fact that it took the collapse of the Soviet Union for them to finally master the metal alloys needed to build world-class jet engines.

And anyone who really compares vodkas in blindfold tests usually picks... vodkas from another country. Or, at least they did when I ran the test.

 

[Natohog]

This has been a great read, thanks for the input from all sides. I will cross Vostok off my list. Oh by the way from all my social experiments; from family, friends and anyone I can find, Smirnoff vodka always wins the blind taste test. I'm not biased I'm just sayin'!

 

[SharpEdge]

Truth from all the above posts. I just sold my Sturmanskie chrono with the 3133 movement. The guts of a Russian watch are solid and durable, but the fit and finish is, well, Russian. Tough, but QC seems to have been out of the office.

The cheap Vostoks are great beater watches, and will take a heck of a lot of abuse. Not much accuracy, and barely any power reserve, at least with mine. However, for about the same price, you can have an infinitely better-made Seiko or Orient. Just my $.02.

 

[malocchio]

When I think of Russian products, the word 'interesting' pops to mind first and 'quality' a fair bit later.

This is true for everything from cars to watches to airplanes. The only quality products from Russia I can think of are the various vodkas they produce.

vodka and great shave creams !!

 

[Zarba]

My Vodka comes from Texas.
I enjoy a Tito's and Perrier Lime on the rocks on occasions (fairly low calorie drink)

+1 on Tito's

I have a Poljot Sturmanskie chrono and it has a very nive movement; thought eh quality of the SS case could be better.

 

[scottish steve]

Is everyone forgetting how much shock everyone in the West was in, the first time the Russians allowed us to see a Mig fighter-jet?
That being said, the Russians don't really have a watchmaking industry. I'd track down a vintage model you like and put a decent non-russian mvt in it. I checked out some of the names listed above and as soon as I saw that 90% of them had Swiss mvts in them, I stopped looking. I was even told off by a mod in the Russian forum of watchuseek, for asking just what Russian meant! From what i can remember he said something like, it didn't matter that the watches didn't have Russian mvts and weren't made or designed in Russia, because they looked cool. Nuff said I think

 

[commanderkeen]

Is everyone forgetting how much shock everyone in the West was in, the first time the Russians allowed us to see a Mig fighter-jet?
That being said, the Russians don't really have a watchmaking industry. I'd track down a vintage model you like and put a decent non-russian mvt in it. I checked out some of the names listed above and as soon as I saw that 90% of them had Swiss mvts in them, I stopped looking. I was even told off by a mod in the Russian forum of watchuseek, for asking just what Russian meant! From what i can remember he said something like, it didn't matter that the watches didn't have Russian mvts and weren't made or designed in Russia, because they looked cool. Nuff said I think

Like my Russian car?

Poor form on that mod's part.

Like expressed earlier, I would buy a russian watch because it is interesting, not because of anything else.

PS: The Russian AK is fine, but it is not all that accurate especially the ones built from scraps right before the breakdown of the Soviet Union. I like the '62-'88 Finnish RK-62, same reliability with greater accuracy (although I do enjoy the wooden stocked versions).

 

[koso]

For anyone interested here is a link (in Watchuseek) to a well-written article on the design of the Vostok Amphibia dive watch.

While I would agree that high-dollar Russian watches are practically an oxymoron, the Amphibias are, in my opinion, right there with Orient and Seiko for value in an automatic watch around 100 USD.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f54/vostok-amphibia-analysis-design-methodology-491757.html

Edit to add: note that Vostok Europe (makers of the Caspian Sea-Monster) is not a Russian, rather a Lithuanian, company. They source movements from Vostok and licensed the name. Their recent offerings have Seiko movements.

 

[Austin]

I have never been a fan of Russian watches. They are hit and miss. I would rather buy a Japanese movement watch such as Orient or Seiko.

 

[scottish steve]

It is disappointing and sad that such a significant culture doesn't have something so basic as its own watch.