Dive Watches for 100 Euro or USD? Russian Vostok Amphibia As an Alternative? Review. 

Comrade, you don't wear the Vostok, the Vostok wears you. Get the kettle bells, Timmy.

Vostok are legendary watch manufacturers. Every man should own a Vostok watch. They are far better than most people might imagine. I would love to show you my recently acquired USSR made Sekonda. It's a 70's made watch, and in my opinion one of the best looking watches ever made. The USSR and Russia have a long history of watch making.

Words to live by: “You cannot scratch another man’s watch.”

The wobbling is made to protect the movement. If the crown is unscrewed and you accidentally hit the crown the wobbling is designed to be a shock absorber :)

Everyone should have one! (especially in this 710 case) It's got everything for next to nothing. Real, not 'made up' history. Unique technical innovations. Funky/Quirky design and function. Super reliable. 200m WR with screw-in crown. Built like a tank (reminds me of the old Volvo 244 series). The ideal beater dive/field watch. Almost no loss when reselling. What's not to like?

Tim. Picard's Trieste bathyscaphe used plexi for its porthole, and reached the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench.. Even with a crack it held back vast pressure in the deepest ocean. You must agree it's a great material. Thanks for the video! Greetings from Scotland.

That Vostok with green zulu looks like a nice Panerai Luminor hommage. I'd buy it definitely

Great vid, so happy to se a Vostok, they are great :D BUT, you have to do some more research ;) Panerai is much much older than Vostok. Vostok was founded in 1942 when the germans retreated and the First Watch Factory which had been moved to Zlatoust from Moscow when Germany invaded was split in three. The part that went back to Moscow became Poljot, the part that went to Chelyabink became Molnija and the part, the oldest one that went to Chistopol became Vostok. The plexi is of a special type and is an integral part of the water resistance. It is much thicker and softer than an ordinary plexi crystal. When the pressure increases the plexi changes shape and is pushed outwards within the case into a very wide and soft gasket, the higher the pressure the tighter the seal gets. The same principle is applied to the caseback as well, it is pushed into a very wide and soft gasket when the pressure increases. The reason why the watch have a locking ring for the caseback is because if you would screw it in as an oridnary caseback it would tear the gasket. The russians went this way because they wanted a watch as waterproof as Blancpain and Rolex but the russian watch factories couldnt produce cases with as small tolerances as the swiss when they produced waterresistant watches. The swiss could therefor make their watches waterproof with ultra stable cases that dont change shape under pressure and don have any gaps where water can get into the watch. The russians solved that problem by making a watch which used the pressure to waterproof the watch and allowed the watchcase to change shape without compromising the water resistance, thats why you have the wobly crown. The one that solved the problem is one of the unsung heroes of watch design, and probably the only female horologically signifcant watchdesigner, Vera Bulovna ;) My suggestions for cool microbrands: Sjöö Sandström, Monta, Borealis :D EDIT: You already did take a look at Monta so I change my suggestion to Sjöö Sandström, CWC and Borealis.

Nothing like getting home from work coffee and a spliff and caseback watches ;)

I have two 24 hr Vostoks...1 with a date, and 1 without. From the factory, my no date Vostok stayed within 1-3 seconds a day over 2 weeks of taking readings. My date Vostok stays 20 seconds slow from the factory but can be regulated quite easily. I find them to be very quirky, unrefined, no nonsense and no frills watches...quite like a tank or an ak47 and it just works.

I once had a vintage Slava (also a russian brand) from a relative in for a strap change, I actually was impressed by the watch because of two reasons. First the look, that was the most 70s watch I have ever seen in my entire live, without any patina on the dial (I dont like patina or stuff like that). The second reason the watch still worked fine without beeing serviced in at least 20 years ore more, and even had a Day Date Function. That was my first expiernce with russian watches. Best regards.:)

I appreciate when a reviewer explains the feel of a movement; winding and setting. Thank you Tim.

Character in these ..."The Kalashnikov" of Dive Watches! I bought one years ago, picked a specific case, dial and even customized the bezel. GREAT Beater Watch! I have even gotten more compliments from it than from my Rolex!

Amphibians are awesome - both the plain ones, the slightly upgraded and the top SE-models. I have owned more than 30 - and have 2 left right now. All others have been sold or given away as gifts. I just love them and might get one more in the near future.

The case back function with the separate ring actually improves water resistance, because with vostoks tests they found out that sometimes with normal screw down case backs, the gasket gets sheared and twists letting water in.

it's not often that I like the look of a Vostok. But these two look actually nice.

The loose crown is a design feature to protect the movement from damage in case the stem is hit; the impact does not transmit as easily to the movement.

I'm a big fan of Vostok. I have a couple. The automatic divers are brilliant value. Mine was around 60 euros. The back is designed so that it presses on harder with more pressure. Very clever design

Tim, you really need to get your hands on a Vostok Classica, 39mm, manual wind, Sixties style 3 hander, to me that's the best Vostok has to offer, its incredible for the original purchase price of $168, I paid $200 for mine second hand, but I couldn't pass it up

Vostok are great beaters. These models look modded to me. They also make smaller size models. I have this case with a sandwich bgw9 dial, solid signed crown and lumed dive bezel. These are soviet era tanks.

The ring on the caseback is a very good design feature ensuring that the very wide gasket does not suffer from the shearing action of a screw down caseback,it also allows water pressure to reinforce the seal of the watch much like the plexi does on the front. My microbrand has to be Perpetual Watches and also Vario..........................

Might hunt myself a Russian Paneria. Looks incredible for the price.

A piece of advice. I now own twelve now. YOU CAN'T BUY JUST ONE....

The plexi flatens and bend under pressure, making the seal more hermetic, the crown is loosely connected, to avoid damaging the stem and the seal if you knock it. And the genius of the caseback 😀 is, you have a really robust an solid rubber seal, and the back doesn't turn squeezing the rubber, you only turn the ring, never twisting the seal. Simple solutions, very practical. You should open the watch and enjoy. Greetings Tim!

Ohhhhh, you don't send in Russian watch movement for service.....you service it yourself. This is first rule of Russian equipment.

I like the recessed indices on the blue one. Both are very nice. 31 jewels same as Rolex hahaha.

I totally love these things. Solid, reliable, and build with the same passion that was behind the Soviet space program.

I would go for the "people's panerai" as well. Vostok continues to impress. I had no idea that they had non-cheesy options in their portfolio. Danke für die Besprechung!

Hi Tim! Great channel! Just ordered a Vostok 170962, which is identical to the 170548, but has a blue dial. My first Vostok..

Never expected you to review a Vostok watch but very happy you did. They are very fine watches especially at that price

Like the Paneriski!😂

Love both of these watches! Kind of like tank design. Meaning they are built in a tank factory. I want one!

Even if the bezel is flat, it is rotating (at least on the one I own). You have then the possibility to upgrade the watch with a real divers bezel.

They are very utilitarian. I like them.

Hi Tim, I love your videos. Great review on the Vostoks. Fantastic value for money and there are load of different designs out there. An excellent first watch for anyone getting into the hobby. Beware... One Vostok is never enough. Greetings from the West of Ireland🇮🇪😊

Thanks, yes, a durable, functional and robust diver, with heritage, for 100 or less. Marvellous. And yes, it's appearance is loved by many but will also divide the room. Remarkable.

Microbrand recommendation for the next video: Melbourne Watch Company.:)

Microbrands : Horage ; Serica. Nice review Tim, and thanks to the gentleman who pushed it. I like that Panerai looking Vostok, I can wear that.

4:30 The Russians interpret "waterproof" differently: when it says waterproof 200m, it means it is guaranteed to be waterproof at a minimum of 200m, not "up to" 200m. Plenty of tests show that the 200m rating is hugely conservative.

Glad to see some more Vostok on the channel, Tim! Some interesting names for the next video: Squale (albeit not a microbrand in the strict sense), Heinrich, Vortic, anOrdain (enamel dials), Mirco (Japanese chronographs) and Ianos :)

Nice job Tim! There are many of us who have both modern and vintage Vostoks - a great reference with lots of color images is: Russian Wristwatches: Pocket Watches, Stop Watches, Deck Watches & Marine Chronometers by Juri Levenberg. As far as microbrands go (and who knows how to define that accurately) here are my suggestions (I have quite a few and I have some from each of these brands - love supporting these enthusiasts): Aquatico, Aragon, Astor + Banks, Audric, Axios, Baltic, Behrens, Bern, Dan Henry, Dificiano, Douglas (brand revival w/ Wolbrook), Helson, Le Forban (brand revival), Lorier, Meccaniche Veneziane, Montage, Nezumi, OVD, Pancor, Phoibos, Seaborne, Second Hour, Stratton, TC-9, 220 Watch, Unimatic, UW, Vario, and Zelos.

Loose crown is a feature of shock resistance system. It is a disengaging clutch. Prevents shock from a fall transmitting to the movement.

Wow, those really do look so different from the other Vostoks I've seen, let alone the one I own! Also great channel, consider me subscribed

I love the 710 ministry case

Excellent video Tim, but credits have to go to Alex too!! Brilliant choice of watches to present in the light box! For me, it has to be the "Russian" Panerai!! Those exaggerated numerals and the case design combination make this a very special watch indeed! The movement may not be too bad. I just worked on a vintage Luch 23 jewel 2209 movement and what a clever movement it is. It keeps excellent time. Greetings from the UK!

Does anyone buy Vostoks and not fall in love? 80% Russian Tank.. 20% Swatch. I have a Seiko LX and honestly seeing my Vostoks on wrist make me just as happy.

Love my single hand Meistersinger Metris in blue. The perfect weekend watch. Be great to see your take on them.

Watching your Friday videos after work is a great way for me to start my weekend, Tim! Halios is called the Rolex of micobrands because they tend to retain their value, the quality is amazing and they are difficult to get. Their current release is the Fairwind with a unique micro adjustment on the bracelet and their next release will be the Universa, an Explorer type watch. For pure beauty, AnOrdain has some of the nicest dials.

Unique approach to a watch examination.

Thanks Tim, the last shot of the watch on your wrist is really impressive I must say, the lighting really accents the dial. Hmmmmm...

The bombers are from the Decco era, Rolex used them in the 30’s and the first PaneraiS (the Radiomir) use it to.

I really like the face with the numbers. Very classy and unique. The blue, not so much. To my eyes it's lacking style and appears like something one would purchase in a department store like Target. This is for sure a company I will add to my list.

That blue dial is GORGEOUS ! 👍 I haven't seen either of these models before. The plain style and lack of numbers on the bezel is really nice. The Plexi crystal is actually good to over 700m ! Two different RU-vid channels have pressure tested Amphibias and both got the same results.

I bought the GMT decent watch for the money the supplied strap isn’t very good I added the Vostok mesh strap sets 5he watch nicely.

This one reminds me of the old Panerai. The cushion case evokes the square Panerai case but without the old welded lug wires - and sturdier (sturdier would be Russian, yes?). I have a Vostock Scuba -dude with a blue dial. This one interests me. Thanks for reviewing it. Keep at it!

Two of my favorites I will mention Tim. I love Perpetual watches especially their simple classic watch with enamel dial and blued hands for a small price. Also loving my new Makina Uriel II watch though it is a bit pricier.

You dress quite nicely with a nice background. Perfect way to showcase nice watches.

Amphibian was designed’67 to replace Rolex Sub and Omega divers for Russian frogmen. It did the same job but much much cheaper. Makes you think 🤔

Here’s the thing: arguably Vostoks are not cheap (billig), they are actually inexpensive (günstig) Vostoks are on record (not just hearsay it actual records) of shrugging off being frozen, being boiled, and depth pressure tests of 800m, only giving in after something over 815m or so. And is officially “only” rated for 200m... And the “loose” crown is a layer of robustness. Something you don’t need in jewelry watches but in tool watches actually meant for hard work every bit of reliability and survivability is highly appreciated, I’d reckon... Imagine: when you go for serious off-roading (like deep jungle or Siberian steppe) you don’t want some fancy SUV that may be able to handle light off-roading but a serious tried and tested off-roading vehicle with a proven track record of reliability.

I like it, it's a great inexpensive beach watch! I prefer the black dial as well, it's very playful !❤

Vostoks are cool, I have a really kitchy Komandirskie and a cool no date Scuba Dude and I do want a Zissou ⚓️ Great video, Tim 👍🏻

It looks very nice. I've been trying to work out which Vostok model I want to buy first.

Ok...here's a good list of micro brands... Farer (Bradfield), Pinion (TT Maroon), SecondHour (Salmon Mandala), Anordain (Model 1 in cream or blue dial), Feers (Brunswick in salmom). Surprisingly, these are mostly all British brands with the exception of SecondHour, which is an Australian brand. This is my current wish list for micros, minus the purple laborite dialed Signum (Malaysian) , since I know you don't care much for diver's..but it does come in a 39mm offering.

Not only the plexiglass dome is compatible with the diving features of the watch, it is there to help with this task since as it goes deeper, the increasing water pressure push the glass, and because of the material it expands, making the watch more resistant.

I've looked all over for the watch with the black dial and can't find it anywhere. There's just something about it. I love it.

Thanks Tim, and thanks to Alex too 👍.

The lug-to-lug is very small, so it will fit well on smaller wrists without any overhang.

There are so many video's on the Bostoc Amphibia's. I can't believe that you haven't seen them. There are also plenty of places to buy them. Shop around. You can find them for as little as 65 dollars. Amazon sells them for around 80 dollars. Meranom sells them for as little as 75 dollars. Shipping can be a problem now from Russia. The watches are durable and good looking. They have a lot of different cases and they are easily modded. They are a great watch for those people that don't have a lot of money to invest in swiss watches. Plus, there are a lot of people that like the Amphibia watch. I love mine. I will buy more.

Three microbrands to check out: 1. Vario - I know you did a vid on the Empire, but they've got a trench watch coming soon and will be worth checking out. 2. Gekota - Some are turned off by the name, but they're well made pieces. 3. Zelos - They've been getting allot of attention and for good reason. I have a Mako II bronze and that thing rocks!

Welcome to Club Vostok Comrade! haha (My favorite micro-brand... Traska:)

I like them a lot. I need some in my collection. But perfect beach watch? Hell no: you'll need a ton of polywatch afterwards to get all the scratches of that plexiglass made by the sand 😂😆

5:57 yep I to like the look of the Panari Radiomir PAM00753. Anyway, no complaints about Vostok outstanding value for money and really good watches.

Τhe thumbnail is hilarious 😂 You should put adidas stripes in your coat too😎😎

Baltic watches.... love the blue gilt aquascaphe, also love to hear your thoughts on the new yema pearl diver, although Yema may not exactly qualify as a micro brand....great quality to price ratio however!

I never thought I'd be interested in a Vostock. I think I might get the one in blue.

"You cannot scratch another man's watch." - Tim Holzhäuser Amen!

They have a brown sandwich dial like the first you presented on meranom right now. It looks pretty cool with its Paneraiesque design.

Yeah that one w/ the numerals actually looks really cool. Agreed on the polished bezel - why?

I love my Vostoks!

Ok, you've got me with this video... i ordered my first vostok... for your next video: what about Traska?

‘there’s a bit of Panerai about this watch’ 8’40” in to the video! The rest of the world thought that after 5 seconds.

Tim. Please showcase Auguste Reymond. I love their watches. I have 3 WWII Wehrmacht issued Swiss made ARSA ( Auguste Reymond SA) watches that keep great time. I also have a beautiful Auguste Reymond Flieger that I bought from Germany that is both beautiful and keeps great time. I'm confused as to why the company isn't as popular as it should be. Thank you for your attention, and I'm waiting to hear more smooth guitar sounds.

Vostok bezels are interchangeable, about 1 minute of work, including tightness of rotation adjustment; purchase 1 of several styles of diver bezels if you prefer. Personally, I think the plain bezel, with that Ministry case style, 3-6-9-12 dial looks unique and very "vintage cool."

I do like the black one. In fact a have a komandirskie and I must say it keeps time very well. I agree with you that the watch case could be 2 to 4 mm smaller. But for a bigger wrist size it's a very decent watch.

Does anyone offer decent bracelet option for Amphibias? Why is there no timing bezel if this a diver? Is it modded?

OMFG that 170548 is freaking amazing!!!! BUT IT'S OUT OF STOCK ON MERANOM!!!! AGH!!!!

Hey Tim- Regarding microbrands . . . I have an Axios Ironclad 40. I got it about six months ago. I'm not a big fan of dive watches (I have only two), but I like this one. I'd be curious to hear your take on it. I can send photos. I'm anxious to start macro photography, and I'll build a homemade light box. If I can get any decent photos, I'll send them along. Thanks.

6:10 I haven't seen that particular model at Meranom or anywhere else. Any link to buy it?

I own one Vostok amfibia Zissou model. It is really a good funky watch with a great wearing feeling, and nice time setting operation. What is also cool is that their date complication features instant jump, so you get that Rolex Datejust feeling for just 75€. Still, there is a major downside of Vostok watches, and that is QA, and they are delivered unregulated. They are too often delivered with foreign material inside of the case, which makes the watch stop soon after delivery. Mine also stopped and I took effort to send it back to seller in Russia for a repair under warranty, and after couple of months I got it back fully repaired and precisely regulated.

Vostok is a thing you love or hate. I love them. There are various cases arround. The Straps are not really bad but the bracelets are rubbish.

I feel I should point out that calling the 170548 a panerai homage is not really right. It is homage to a vostok NVCH-30 watch from the late 70s and 80s. Also I wouldnt call the 2415 movement rough and basic. In my opinion it is superior to the miyota 8200 series as it has bidirectional winding, a better more robust rotor and the standard of finish between these two movements is pretty close. The vostok is a bit rough around the edges but all the wheels, pallet fork, pinions and jewels are of high quality. These movements will run for decades with minimal care and can look really good if you get them in top grade.

They have the Pan homage with various color dials. I seen brown and blue on ebay.

Any vostok Watch good for 6. 25 inches wrist. Cannot seem to find any. This seem to be the smallest vostok diver. Any smaller size found?

What are the reference numbers for the green watch? I would love to buy one but cannot find it.

Like this .

I do like the first one. Dial and case shape reminds me of a Panerai... LOL! He just commented on it as I was typing it. I have a 420 SE from Meranom, but I can't get used to the crown wobble. I know it's a design function, but still... The ONE Russian watch I would like to have in my collection is the SE020 white dial on bracelet. Out-of-stock, and hard to find.

With your wrist size you should have bought one of the smaller ones with a "tuna can" design, not one with a cushion case. I mean there are like 10 case shapes with 20 colourways each, everyone should find one suitable for them.

The watch with the arabic numerals feels more field watch to me rather than dive. This feeling is reinforced by the lack of a rotating bezel.

You can try the 420 case Vostok. It is their smallest diver @ 39 mm.

Where can i find this now? Their website is sold out obviously because of where the inspiration came from.