I feel the need for a little education... I have always liked the Russian watches - for years at college, I had a "komandir korablya" (IIRC - silver dial with a surfaced submarine logo) Vostok Amfibiya, sadly I sold it to a friend and have on some level missed it ever since.
I see a lot of concern about "frankenwatches" which rather puts me off diving into the ocean of tasty-looking watches on the 'bay - can anyone point me to some research materials which might help me distinguish the real from the, er, less so?
I've seen a nice looking Polyot chrono (3133 movement I think) - worth a punt at £140 or should I be looking elsewhere?
I do not have any research material, as I just buy mine in Moscow in Arbat street, which is really the place to go for Russian watches :lol:
It is Poljot for us Westerners BTW
But if you are interestede in looking/buying, do check out Julian Kampmann at Poljot24.de
He has loads of Poljots, Vostoks etc and is a nice chap to boot. He speaks English.
Russian watches rock (after a little adjustment :P )
The ubiquitous Poljot 3133
Heres mine
russian watches are great.
I have a few with a poljot ruslan 3133 powered and my buran chrono with 7750 being my favourites.
all mine are modern post soviet efforts I don't have any older examples.
the prices vary greatly from one place to another.
well worth trying a few pieces and enjoy the searching. :thumbup:
What would be a reasonable price to pay for a Russian made watch, that would be reliable,say an automatic with date and possibly with a chrono?
Is there a particularly dependable brand that makes distinctively Russian watches that can be bought without concerns about their reliability?
best
Den
The Poljot store that is - not the tourist traps that also line the streetOriginally Posted by WatchScout
I had a late night, post drinks eBay session about 2 weeks ago and have got 3 on the way!!
Have to say, they look very good and would have chosen these if I'd have been sober.
Will post pics when they arrive.
Malc
For a Vostok amphibian, somewhere under £50 including postage from zenitar on eBay. I've bought from him in the past and service was great (2 week shipping from moscow and good communication).
I've heard good things fabout julian at poljot24.de but never used him (yet!).
I think the 3133 movement is manual wind rather than automatic. Is the quality any worse than a polyot automatic, and for people who use a manual I'd be interested to know if it gets annoying having to hand wind.
The 3133 is handwind. Not annoying to wind at all. In fact, I (and other fans) often regard it as a bit of a ritual. For my part, I wind the watch in the morning and as I mentioned the other day, it all goes down hill from there :lol:
Handwind watches might be a throw back, but they are also very charming IMO. I like them a lot - both my 3133 and the UNITAS equipped watches.
I did read on RLT that maktime had sent their staff home unpaid and had stopped manufacture of the 3133.
a few other points in the thread were that they had about 2 years stock already made and that somebody else or maybe even maktime themselves may continue to make the movement in the future.
is there any more news on this ?
The other well known russian movement i'm aware of is the molnija 3602 another manual wind. Also pretty reliable and also no longer manufactured.
a few links to get you started.
searches for vostok, volmax, strumanskie, buran and poljot will certainly get you started.
http://www.russianwatchguide.com/
http://russrussianwatches.blogspot.com/ ... hs_07.html
http://www.ussrtime.com/
I recently bought from poljot24.de. Julian was a pleasure to buy from and very speedy shipping.
Personally i would highly recommend the aviator 3133 - it's a classic!
Nice signature, Scout. Very... Laconic. :)
Apologies for my transliteration - I tend to do it phonetically but a quick google shows that this doesn't always work for the best! A lovely collection you have; clearly I need to continue the research. As it happens I bought my Amfibiya on the Arbat, along with a superb VVS Polkovnik's overcoat and a pair of binoculars. Happy memories, even if they are a good 16 years out of date. 8)
Thanks you all for the links and advice. It seems there really are some great pieces to be found out there. And I appear to be in something of an acquisitive phase...
Agreed.
The Aviator was my first Russian watch/Poljot and the one I like the best.
It has taken a lot of abuse and was put away after years and years of use. It had stopped working and a pusher was bent at a severe angle.
A competent watchmaker got it up and running again. It now sports a new chrystal, as the old one was scratched and chipped. The watch now runs better than ever.
I told the watchmaker to leave the case and bracelet alone - I like the marks on there, as I have had the watch from new and made all the d i n g s, dents and scratches myself.
One of my first manual watches and one that still gets worn a LOT.
Here's one of the nicest looking modern Russians IMO - it's a Sturmanskie 31681 which is a 3133 with a 24hr sub-dial:
The Okean is pretty iconic - original late 1970s military issue on the left; re-issue on the right:
Volmax Aviator with 24 hour dial:
And Vostok Amphibias are great (all the below are vintage except the one on the bottom right; also the one on the top right is a Vostok Komandirskie rather than an Amphibia):
The best sellers of modern Russian watches that I have experience of are:
Irene Maier http://www.vostok-watches.com/
Julian Kampmann http://www.poljot24.de/
Russia2all http://www.russia2all.com/
Zenitar on eBay
Good luck - show us what you end up with.
Oh God. I knew this would happen - I've been looking at those sites and I'm feeling that terrible Itch. You know, the Itch that has you typing your PayPal details before you realise it... :D There are some lovely things out there, even if I restrict myself to Cyrillic dials only (don't know why, a Russian watch marked in English looks odd, somehow. Pretentious? Probably! ;) ).
Here's mine -
Bought from Julian, who comes highly recommended.
Very nice. What's the model? Have you a link?Here's mine -
Bought from Julian, who comes highly recommended.
Here you go -
http://www.poljot24.de/en/pd1091818803.htm?categoryId=1
Thanks. Its a classy looking watch.
I love Russian watches. There's something that little bit different about them.
regards,
Nick
Yeah, I bought a very nice second Aviator in Moscow after my original Poljot Aviator gave up the spirit (for good, I thought).
But after having the first Aviator repaired, I sold the second one. One of the motivating factors was the English writing on the case back. Strange to have "Aviator" in Cyrillic on the dial and then not to follow through, but to have the same word repeated in English on the case back. Russian logic for you.
The newer Poljot was of course made years after the fall of the USSR.
Needless to say, my old Aviator has all Russian markings.
£140 for a 3133 is about right
I remember when these were @£100 on ebay.... now £250 plus depending on condition
Konyechno. :) I think the Cyrillic is an integral part of the design, somehow - purely a subjective thing but there seems to me to be something quintessentially "Russian" about the overall aesthetic of many of these watches, and markings in the right language help. Some of the case-backs I've seen in the course of my web-based rummaging are fabulous, too - even my old Amfibiya was relatively ornate and textured given the toolish quality of the watch as a whole, but some of the "Kozmonavt" ones are staggering.
That said, Xantiagib's Strela is fab looking; though £250 might be a bit rich for a first dip of the toe... Thanks for the pm, too - much appreciated. :)
As I live not far away from Russia and in homeland of Vostok Europe, I can say that a lot of new Russian watches are with the same old movements and stolen designs. It is like putting ford engine in to replica Ferrari body case. It is the same with all Russian stuff.
The only I would go for is Strela model. These are not changed since then. But still like Ulysse Nardin or Breitling old chronos. And not sure about the origin of Strela. (But as it is written MADE IN USSR, that means it was made for foreign market, and that means stolen design, as usually in USSR)
Once had the Lada Samara model. This was original and made with help of pininfarina designs :)
This thing is beautiful as that strela is made in Russia :)
My thoughts.
I have the Sturmankskie 31681 mentioned above by Argon.
It's a really lovely watch and smacks of quality. Currently on a Poljot bracelet so it looks just like the pics already posted but here it is again on a rubber.
Smirs and RUgift still stock them if your interested.
Its not a chrono, but it is big (44mm) and quite trendy in style.
Vostok K43
Vostok K43-1 by earlsy1, on Flickr
Vostok K43-2 by earlsy1, on Flickr
A tribute to an original that was based on a pocket watch and issued to Russian military officers.
Think Vostok do some quite nice ones.
http://www.vostokwatches.eu
Cheers
here mine, it's been for a holiday but is back home now. :)
ktmog6uk
marchingontogether!
Here are a few I've bought from Russia2all or Smirs and had good luck with:
This one is a 1978 Poljot Strela I bought off eBay:
very nice and very similar to my poljot ruslan.Here's mine -
Bought from Julian, who comes highly recommended.
is this a modern watch or old stock ? i'm guessing new.
I'm also a fan of some of the moscow classic watches.
i'll try and get some pictures up tonight.
After browsing Julian's stock I've now got hooked into one of his Strela's I hadn't seen before.
30 minutes and a few emails later and I am now expecting a new watch next week :D
Julian was a pleasure to deal with on the transaction, so if the watch that arrives lives up to his pre-sales service I'll be a very happy man :)
The world of Russian watches can be a minefield when looking for 'franken' watches. It probably doesn't help that some of the companies themselves were probably amongst the worst offenders - Vostok used to throw any available bits together in the nineties and sell it. There are also brands such as 'Pilot' which have very dubious origins. Vostok Europe seem to have lost their way in my eyes since they started using Japanese movements - a sound financial decision on their part probably but for me they've lost that 'Russian-ness' which I like.
Watch out for very new looking "3AKA3 MO CCCP" (Soviet M.O.D) watches - these command higher prices and as such frankens can be common.
I love them though! Here's some of my collection:
here are a few pics apologies for poor quality some were so bad they didn't even get this far
My issued Russians, don't understand why so underrated :?
Yes, a modern reissue.very nice and very similar to my poljot ruslan.Here's mine -
Bought from Julian, who comes highly recommended.
is this a modern watch or old stock ? i'm guessing new.
Here are mine
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
A few favourites from my Russian collection.......
Poljot President....
Sturmanskie....
Buran Moonphase....
Vostok 1943....
Vostok Amphibia....
Vintage Raketa....
Here's mine, just arrived today after a light night visit to ebay. Used to say after a few drinks, dont put the oven or cooker on, should be now dont put the computer on!!
Poljot Chrono Sports
Shturmanski Military
Vostock Amphibian
Malc
Thats very nice. I'm now thinking I should also get another russian. What dia is it ?Here's mine, just arrived today after a light night visit to ebay. Used to say after a few drinks, dont put the oven or cooker on, should be now dont put the computer on!!
Poljot Chrono Sports
Malc
Nice peaces you got there :)Here are a few I've bought from Russia2all or Smirs and had good luck with:
This one is a 1978 Poljot Strela I bought off eBay:
Oh well, if we're doing a Russian watch thread, my few
And one I just sold
I really like the case design and recessed bezel on the Vostok.
I bought a watch similar to the second one in Moscow. I like the Vostok better, I must admit.
Its a relatively sensible 40mm. Been wearing most of the day and its very comfortable.Thats very nice. I'm now thinking I should also get another russian. What dia is it ?Here's mine, just arrived today after a light night visit to ebay. Used to say after a few drinks, dont put the oven or cooker on, should be now dont put the computer on!!
Poljot Chrono Sports
Malc
Malc
May I ask, who is Julian?
I am very interested in a Strela!
John
Julian Kampmann. His site is http://www.poljot24.de/
I've spent a good few hours drooling at the chronographs on that site. Never dealt with him personally but have only heard great things about him.
Vostok Europe never were Russian, they are Lithuanian, and due to non reliable Vostok movements they went to same price but lot better Japan movements. Thats all. It is not Russian watches, just brand seems to look like they are :)
They are better than Russian :wink:
Well, I've done it. My first Russian watch since my late lamented Amfibiya landed this morning. Pics will follow, but for now, it's a Poljot 3133 chronograph, no. 475 of an edition of 999 to commemorate 5 years of the International Space Station. It has a fixed tachymeter bezel, a blue face, good strong lume (which surprised me) and a lovely bead-blasted steel case. It's clear that quality improved after the early post-Soviet years, and the watch head feels very well put together, with some nice quality touches (the crown is lovely, devoid of the sharpish edges I remember from my Vostok and signed, to boot!). This is my first mechanical chronograph, and the positive action of the pushers - and precision of the flyback mechanism etc. - is impressive.
That said, the leather strap on which the watch was supplied is pretty nasty: quality-wise, it's entirely consistent with the tinny folded-link bracelet my Amfibiya had... I've kept it since it has a nice signed buckle, and I know there are purists out there - but for now it's on a NATO till I figure out what to do.
All in all, I am impressed. As I understand it, Poljot ceased to trade in its old form in 2005 or thereabouts; on the evidence of this watch, the 1MChZ was making some really decent stuff before the company tanked. 8)
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