Amphibia 420SE

[Velorum]

I narrowly missed this SE being sold by AndyR on SC last week but following a quick detour via Vampire's watch box it has now joined my collection.

A 420 case - my favourite.



A nicer quality bracelet that usual but still not my cup of tea - so I removed this straight away in order to fit one of my favourite straps, an old and well worn Eulit Panama.



The hands fitted to my previous SE always jarred with me - too angular and clunky



These are much nicer. I love the gold and bronze accents on the dial too.



I'm very pleased with it.

I foolishly didn't buy one of the brightly coloured sandwich dial ones that Meranom had in stock a couple of years ago so am now keeping an eye out for one of them.......

[Seamaster73]

I rather like those paddle hands on the right watch. They're too much for a 420, but look great on the 1967.

Eulit Perlons are such a good match for these.

[Papa Hotel]

I had a 710 special edition with the paddle hands, I think they worked better on that than the 420, particularly with the more dressy dial on that particular 420.

[barryw]

Got to agree the paddle hands grate me on my 420se, love your new addition though!
What's the bracelet quality like?

[Velorum]

Got to agree the paddle hands grate me on my 420se, love your new addition though!
What's the bracelet quality like?

The bracelet is much better - no way near as bad as regards sharp scratchy edges and overly shiny and fussy links. Unfortunately I have given up on bracelets so wont even be trying this one. Happy to send it to one of your guys FOC if you want to give it a try.

[barryw]

The bracelet is much better - no way near as bad as regards sharp scratchy edges and overly shiny and fussy links. Unfortunately I have given up on bracelets so wont even be trying this one. Happy to send it to one of your guys FOC if you want to give it a try.

Yeah I know what you mean I can't get away with bracelets now I've discovered perlon!
Please keep me in mind if you ever decide to move the watch on 👍

[howie77]

That does look well indeed, good choice to use the Komandirskie hands. A bit more subtle than the chunky arrows of the Amphibia.

I was quite interested in whether they had offered a Komandirskie with the new(er) date-less 2415 movement, never really looked into it further though.

[Mr Curta]

Very smart, I also like the 420 case. I have the variant with the brown dial and clean bezel, 420419B (naturally on Perlon), but it looks really sharp in black.

[Seamaster73]

That's gorgeous.

[barryw]

That's gorgeous.

wow

[ktmog6uk]

Where do you guys buy these? Want one!

[Seamaster73]

https://meranom.com/en/

[RAJEN]

Looks very nice👍

[jchlu]

Very smart, I also like the 420 case. I have the variant with the brown dial and clean bezel, 420419B (naturally on Perlon), but it looks really sharp in black.

Had to come back for another peruse - could I ask, where did this Perlon come from? Looks more textured than Eulit ones I've come across before.
Johnny.

[Mr Curta]

Had to come back for another peruse - could I ask, where did this Perlon come from? Looks more textured than Eulit ones I've come across before.
Johnny.

It's a thick weave vintage Eulit Panama, I like them a lot as they are very comfortable. Unfortunately they are becoming very difficult to get hold of at a decent price, timesofplenty in the US sometimes has stock via their eBay store but as said, not cheap.

Here are some of the others, also on Amphibia 420s so that the thread does not creep too much!








And here's the dark brown one again, on a sandwich dial 420SE with a swapped out bezel and insert.

[jchlu]

It's a thick weave vintage Eulit Panama, I like them a lot as they are very comfortable. Unfortunately they are becoming very difficult to get hold of at a decent price, timesofplenty in the US sometimes has stock via their eBay store but as said, not cheap.

Here are some of the others, also on Amphibia 420s so that the thread does not creep too much!








And here's the dark brown one again, on a sandwich dial 420SE with a swapped out bezel and insert.

Marvellous!
Will keep an eye out.

[Wallasey Runner]

Very nice Ian, I like it a lot.

[howie77]

Not a fan of that particular handset - don't think they work with either the blue or black dial variant.

Do rather like the 120 case - essentially the 060 but without the shrouded lugs. Just a shame there isn't something with 20mm lugs for the case size.

[Velorum]

Not a fan of that particular handset - don't think they work with either the blue or black dial variant.

They are quite close to the shape of the early ones though

[AndyR]

Glad you're enjoying it Ian, looks good on the perlon. I Never got round to wearing it on anything other than the bracelet.

[Velorum]

Glad you're enjoying it Ian, looks good on the perlon. I Never got round to wearing it on anything other than the bracelet.

Thanks Andy. In my view they don't suit bracelets, they are best on straps.

[howie77]

They are quite close to the shape of the early ones though

Thanks, I forgot the old swing lug model and hadn't considered that's where they drew the inspiration from. Still not a huge fan of the actual shape but perhaps better over time as the lume ages.

/\ nice 120 above, Martinss.

[Martinss]

Very good case 120, is mine.

[jchlu]

Who doesn't love a Vostok beater? Not that some of these are beaters by any stretch.
Recently featured on the Grey NATO podcast of the best watches under $250 which is amazing as most of them are about $80.
One of my earliest forays into this madness was a Steve Zissou inspired eBay punt on an Amphibia which I still chuckle at when I see it in the box.
This thread may well prompt a perlon purchase for the old girl.

Johnny.

[barryw]

Bought my first Amphibian thirty years ago and dived with it weekly for over twenty years with no issues.
Hard as nails, great to see Meranom bringing out some very nice Se versions, just seem to get better and better!

[Velorum]

Looking at Mr Curta's very nice example and thinking about the bronze effect indices on mine I have ordered a polished bronze smooth bezel - it will be interesting to see how it looks:

[ktmog6uk]

Can they be bought already modded for us hamfisted types? I'm thinking black blue dial with triangle markers, lumed bezel, steel crown.....

[Velorum]

Can they be bought already modded for us hamfisted types? I'm thinking black blue dial with triangle markers, lumed bezel, steel crown.....

Well although pretty much all of the parts are available from a number of sources, no one to my knowledge will assemble a custom spec one for you.

However, believe me - if I can swap movements between cases, change crowns and swap bezels about then anyone can!

All you need is a good case opener/blade thing for the bezel and an adjustable case back opener really. I use the sharp end of my Bergeon strap changing tool to depress the release button for the crown. My selection of case openers / knives came as past of a cheap eBay watch tool kit that my wife bought me as a stocking filler.

If the worst comes to the worst and you really cock it up then it isn't as if your going to be down by thousands!

[Sinnlover]

I have this old one that I replaced the bezel on.
It has tritium lume so I presume it has some age to it.
I picked it up at a militaria fair looking for bit for my Willys jeep rebuild.
I tend to only wear it when working on the jeep now.

[KNog]

That looks nice, a very complimentary strap choice.

I've got a smooth bezel en route from eBay to try on mine so itching to find some other add ons to change it up just a little.

Does it sit flatter on the perlon than a NATO? I find the 420 sits quite tall already (for my wimpy wrists) and haven't got on with natos in the past for that reason as well.

[Velorum]

Yes, it sits lower as it has only one quite thin layer of material between the case and wrist as opposed to the two, often thicker ones of a NATO.

I don't find the 420 case top heavy or unstable even when wearing perlon straps quite loosely.

[KNog]

Thanks for that.

I think it's the short lugs that extenuate the height.

The next mod on my radar is to stick it in a 120 case but I'll see if this satisfies me for now.

A little light tinkering is certainly cheaper than a new watch anyway.

[KNog]

It's arrived! Sunburst dial pops even more now.

[Velorum]

That looks great!

[howie77]

That looks great.

Bracelet works well too on that, well fitting end links.

[barryw]

That does look good, what's your thoughts on the bracelet?

[KNog]

That does look good, what's your thoughts on the bracelet?

A big improvement on the standard bracelet, reasonable at $28 though you won't find it searching for bracelet, 'metal band'...

https://meranom.com/en/amphibian-cla...-420-case.html

Hollow end links but micro adjustment on the clasp.

[barryw]

A big improvement on the standard bracelet, reasonable at $28 though you won't find it searching for bracelet, 'metal band'...

https://meranom.com/en/amphibian-cla...-420-case.html

Hollow end links but micro adjustment on the clasp.

Thanks for that, good to know about the micro adjust.
Cheers 👍

[Sinnlover]

Well thanks to this thread, these arrived this morning.
Not a bad holiday beater.

[Velorum]

Meranom have them listed on their website but they are currently shown as out of stock.

[Ripley]

Meranom have them listed on their website but they are currently shown as out of stock.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Thanks Velorum, I'll see if I can set up an alert on that - or just check back frequently.
I was going to post a gratuitous pic of my only Vostok, a blue dialed 420 with Boris bezel and Dagaz blue insert, but but photobucket is not cooperating.

[Velorum]

The smooth bezels ordered from a UK eBay seller that I ordered ages ago and had given up on arrived this morning.

I'm not sure where they originate from but they are better quality than the ones I have ordered from Russian/Ukranian sellers in the past. They seem comparable to Murphy Engineering ones.

Anyway, returning to the 420SE that I opened this thread with - along with my work colleagues I have decided to give it to a new business partner as a welcome gift. Being as we are all watch enthusiasts then this seemed like a good thing to do. Ive fitted the bronze effect smooth bezel and popped it on a vintage style TSS leather strap.








The other smooth bezel has gone on my sandwich dial SE. I love the look.

[howie77]

That looks superb and especially on the tan strap.

Is it a Matt Brace bezel?

[Velorum]

Thanks.

Yes, both of the above are from Matt Brace - do you know where he gets them from? They are very good quality and an excellent fit.

[mindforge]

Love the SE with that smooth bezel and sandwich dial, let me know if you ever want to sell it!

[Velorum]

Yes, the smooth bezel really lifts the sandwich dial I think.

Moved it onto a black perlon.