Vostok watches


Vostok Watch Makers, Inc. is a Russian watchmaker based in Chistopol, Tatarstan, Russia. The company produces mainly rugged military and amfibia mechanical watches. It also makes clocks and watch movements for other watch brands.

History

The Vostok Watch Makers company was founded in 1942 when one of the Moscow watch-making plants of the First Moscow Watch Factory was evacuated to Chistopol, a small town located on the Kama River in Tatarstan. Only defence equipment was produced during the war years, but as soon as the war was over the company started making mechanical wrist watches. However, the company did not begin using the "Vostok" brand name until the 1960s. Presumably, the "Vostok" brand was named after the Vostok space programme, as were some other soviet watch brands, namely Poljot and Raketa.
Amphibia
The company was appointed an official supplier of watches for the Ministry of Defence of the Soviet Union in 1965. This year also marks the creation of the well known Komandirskie watch. The experience gained through development of the army watch led to the Amphibia, a stainless-steel diving watch able to withstand a 200-metre depth. By 1980, Vostok Watch Makers was producing 4.5 million timepieces per year.
Watches sold to the military were marked "ЗАКАЗ МО СССР", meaning "Ordered by the Ministry of Defence of the USSR". These models were sold exclusively through Voentorg stores, which catered to military personnel with identification only. Today, these models have become sought-after collectibles.
At turn of the 21st century, Vostok launched a line of 1940s-style replicas called the Kirovskie K-43 collection. Vostok also began producing a "luxury" line of watches called Kremlevskie. Both lines are made of stainless steel, produced in limited quantities, and aimed toward a more affluent consumer.
In 2004, Vostok Watch Makers began supplying movements to the Koliz Company of Lithuania, makers of the Vostok Europe brand of timepieces.
In 2006, Vostok Watch Makers began marketing another line of watches branded "Amphibia". This brand, like most other Vostok products, features the familiar 31-jewel automatic movement. These watches feature "diver" styling with polyurethane or stainless steel bands. An updated version of the Komandirskie debuted in summer 2007, and a special anniversary edition of the Amphibia appeared in early 2008.
Despite the introduction of the new lines of Komandirskie and Amphibia, the "classic" models of these lines were still in production.
In early 2010, Vostok Watch Factory filed for bankruptcy and their official website was disabled. The factory went through restructure and resumed the production of watches and movements.

List of Vostok movements

Vostok produces its own mechanical movements. The company also owns "Briolet", which specializes in the production of technical ruby-jewels. Vostok supplies models for other watch makers including Vostok Europe, Volmax, Moscow Classic and Poljot International.
The models produced are listed in the table below. Movement codes are based on the standard .
CodeDiameter, mmHeight, mmTypeJewelsBPHFeaturesUsed in
2403243.7Manual1719800Second hand at 9 o'clockVostok VOT
2209223.7Manual1718000Central second handVostok Amphibia
2409243.7Manual1719800Central second handVostok Amphibia, Amphibia lady first, Junior 2409A
2414A244.14Manual1719800Central second hand, date indicatorVostok Komandirskie manual, Komandirskie K-65
241524-Automatic3119800Central second handVostok Amphibia 1967
2415B24-Automatic3119800Second hand at 9 o'clockVostok K-43
2416B246.3Automatic3119800Central second hand, date indicatorVostok Komandirskie, Amphibian, Kremlyovskie, Prestige, Breeze, Titanium, 2416B, VIP
Vostok Europe Pobeda
2423243.7Manual171980024h dial, central second hand-
2424243.7Manual171980024h dial, central second hand, date indicator-
2426246.3Automatic precision3219800Central second hand, 24h indicator, date indicatorVostok Komandirskie K-34
Vostok Europe Rocket N1, Gaz 14 Limousine, Radio Room & Expedition 2006
2426.12246.3Automatic precision3219800Second hand at 10 O'clock, Central Hour minute and 24h handsVostok Komandirskie 650539
Vostok Amphibia SE 150520S, SE 650521S
2431B246.3Automatic311980024h dial, central second hand, date indicatorVostok automatic 24H
2432246.3Automatic precision3219800Central second hand, date indicator, day/night indicatorVostok New commander, Komandirskie K-35
Vostok Europe Mryia, Arktika, K3, Lunokhod, Red Square, Maxim Gorky.
2433246.3Automatic3119800Central second hand, open heart, bridge 2416BVostok 2433.
2434244.14Manual1719800Central second handVostok military manual
2435246.3Automatic precision3119800Central second hand, date indicator, day/night indicatorVostok Europe Metro
2441246.5Automatic3219800Second hand at 10 o'clock, off-centre hour and minute hands, date indicatorVostok Europe Energia, Vostok 2441