Vostok Vs Seiko/Orient

run_Forrest_run

Been looking at a few autos, I was interested in the Seiko or Orient options until I saw this beauty

What are Vostok watches like in terms of quality compared to a similarly priced Seiko or Orient around the €250 budget lines?

peasant

That's a Vostok Europe from Lithuania (as opposed to a Vostok Vostok from Tatarstan, Russia).

That company was originally formed as a co-operation to use up Vostok movements and make the Vostok name known outside of Russia.

These days they also use quartz and Seiko movements (as in the linked watch)

I have two previous generation VE's (with Vostok movement) and I'm very happy with the build quality.Their latest models are all very big and somewhat outside my prey schematics, so I have no personal experience with them.

That particular watch is getting good reviews, the Seiko movement is solid and offers handwind and stop second fucntions. The only thing that could possibly be better (at that price) would be if it had sapphire glass instead of mineral.

Other than that ...if you like it, get it ...keeping in mind that it is indeed big.

run_Forrest_run

Thanks for the info peasant, excuse my ignorance but

"handwind and stop second fucntions" - is the handwind to bring it back to life and build up it's 'juice' after a period of non-movement?

Also, what is stop second function? I love the look of it and the size wouldn't be an issue either.

peasant

The cheaper Seiko and Orient automatic movements can't be wound by hand at all. You have to shake the watch into life and then the movement of your arm during the day should keep it wound and going ...if you have a quiet desk job the watch may never be fully wound and accordingly have a shorter power reserve when you don't wear it.
Not really an issue, I personally just prefer watches that I can also wind myself through the crown.

The stop-second function means that the second hand stops once you pull the crown (once again quite a few lower end automatics/mechanicals don't have that) which helps to set the time accurately...which is an advantage when adjusting the time on a watch that gains/loses several tens of seconds per day as most cheaper automatics do.

run_Forrest_run

Ah i see, thanks for the info, now I'm definitely inclined to steer clear of the cheaper watches. The self wind sounds like a useful feature.