Vostok watches

Vostok Watch Makers, Inc. (Russian: Восток; literally meaning "East") 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.

Vostok Watch Makers, Inc.
TypeJoint stock company
IndustryWatch manufacturing
Founded1942
Headquarters
Chistopol
,
Russia
ProductsWristwatches, Clocks, Watch movements, Clock movements
Revenue$1.01 million[1] (2017)
$117 thousand[1] (2017)
$71.7 thousand[1] (2017)
Total assets$1.18 million[1] (2017)
Total equity$861 thousand[1] (2017)
SubsidiariesAmfiby, Betar, Briolet
WebsiteVostok official page

History
The Vostok Komandirskie, marked "ЗАКАЗ МО СССР", meaning "Ordered by the Ministry of Defence of the USSR"
A mechnical watch of the Russian Federation era featuring an insignia of the Russian Airborne Troops

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.[2] 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.

The Vostok diving watch 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 ("Commander's") 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 (20atm). By 1980, Vostok Watch Makers was producing 4.5 million timepieces per year.[2]

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 (No. 2416B) 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 (called the "1967") appeared in early 2008.

Despite the introduction of the new lines of Komandirskie and Amphibia, the "classic" models (mostly designed in 1960s and 1970s) of these lines were still in production (as of 2014).

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 Soviet-era system.

Modern Vostok Amphibia with popular "Scubadude" dial.
Code Diameter, mm Height, mm Type Jewels BPH Features Used in
2403 24 3.7 Manual 17 19800 Second hand at 9 o'clock Vostok VOT
2209 22 3.7 Manual 17 18000 Central second hand Vostok Amphibia (first models)
2409 24 3.7 Manual 17 19800 Central second hand Vostok Amphibia, Amphibia lady first, Junior 2409A
2414A 24 4.14 Manual 17 19800 Central second hand, date indicator Vostok Komandirskie manual, Komandirskie K-65
2415 24 - Automatic 31 19800 Central second hand Vostok Amphibia 1967
2415B 24 - Automatic 31 19800 Second hand at 9 o'clock Vostok K-43
2416B 24 6.3 Automatic 31 19800 Central second hand, date indicator Vostok Komandirskie, Amphibian, Kremlyovskie, Prestige, Breeze, Titanium, 2416B, VIP
Vostok Europe Pobeda
2423 24 3.7 Manual 17 19800 24h dial, central second hand -
2424 24 3.7 Manual 17 19800 24h dial, central second hand, date indicator -
2426 24 6.3 Automatic precision 32 19800 Central second hand, 24h indicator, date indicator Vostok Komandirskie K-34
Vostok Europe Rocket N1, Gaz 14 Limousine, Radio Room & Expedition 2006
2426.12 24 6.3 Automatic precision 32 19800 Second hand at 10 O'clock, Central Hour minute and 24h hands Vostok Komandirskie 650539
Vostok Amphibia SE 150520S, SE 650521S
2431B 24 6.3 Automatic 31 19800 24h dial, central second hand, date indicator Vostok automatic 24H
2432 24 6.3 Automatic precision 32 19800 Central second hand, date indicator, day/night indicator Vostok New commander , Komandirskie K-35
Vostok Europe Mryia, Arktika, K3, Lunokhod, Red Square, Maxim Gorky.
2433 24 6.3 Automatic 31 19800 Central second hand, open heart, bridge 2416B Vostok 2433.
2434 24 4.14 Manual 17 19800 Central second hand Vostok military manual
2435 24 6.3 Automatic precision 31 19800 Central second hand, date indicator, day/night indicator Vostok Europe Metro
2441 24 6.5 Automatic 32 19800 Second hand at 10 o'clock, off-centre hour and minute hands, date indicator Vostok Europe Energia, Vostok 2441

See also

Notes
  1. "Бухгалтерская отчётность". Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  2. International Watch magazine, Nov. 2006, pg. 187
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