Post pics of your watches Part II

Wibbs · 14-04-2021 4:20pm

Fitz II wrote: »

I am going to get a vostock to see why people buy them, as far as I can make out they have no appealing attributes....better to speak from experiance than ignorance. What one should I get and from where.

Fully in house, extremely robust, innovative waterproof design, interesting history, something a bit different from the usual fare and get a good one and they're pretty accurate too. Lots of customisation options too. All for feck all money. Downsides? Too many gaudy cartooony dials(though that appeals to some), appallingly bad bracelets, though the mesh and rubber straps are pretty good I gather. The Amphibia line would be the ones I'd look to Fitz.

Daemonic · 14-04-2021 5:15pm

I'd suggest trying some of the SE models from Meranom. A little more money, maybe even $150 :eek: but they are a nicer watch.

Lorddrakul · 15-04-2021 8:02am

I have a Vostok Partner bought in the domestic market and it is easily as well finished as a mid range Seiko or Citizen of the time (early 2000).

Still the same 2416Bb movement, but much better fittings. A screw down case back, instead of the Amphibia system but still claims the same water resistance, with a screw down crown.

The dial is lovely, but the gold looking plating on the rotating bezel is long gone.

I bought it because it had the silhouette of an Akula class SSN on the dial.

Cyclingtourist · 15-04-2021 10:34am

Vostok Pamphibia

birdwatcher · 15-04-2021 1:56pm

Wife got me this for christmas...took off the bracelet and replaced with this leather deployment clasp......much more comfortable

Wibbs · 15-04-2021 3:54pm

Speaking of Vostoks and their waterproof case design. Happened to be wearing this today.

Vintage Bulova Centenary Accuquartz limited edition only produced in 1975. And if we look at the back...

Hmmm... Note the static main caseback, located by a tab in the main case, held down by the thinner screwed ring, with no twisting forces on the rubber gasket. Let's compare it to the Vostok setup.

T'is fierce similar altogether. N'est ce pas? Note too that on the back of the Bulova case it says "patented" for that case design and they had that same setup from the early 1960's a good few years before Vostok came up with their Amphibia. OK the Vostok has a much larger gasket surface area and two instead of one locating tab, but otherwise... Staring me in the face yet I never copped this before and haven't seen anybody on forums note it. I could be wrong, but I suspect a patent lawyer would have a field day there.

Of course by the time Vostoks would be seen in any numbers in the west it would be the late 70's, early 80s and even then in tiny numbers, by which time Bulova were essentially kaput, so...

Thirdfox · 15-04-2021 5:12pm

Unless Bulova took out a patent in Russia/Soviet Union (did the USSR allow the idea of patents actually?!?) Vostok can produce to their merry (legal) content.

Just like if Rolex didn't register EU and US (and other world wide) patents for the Glidelock - they could be legally produced in any country where they didn't register a patent... couldn't legally be sold in the EU/US though which limits the market somewhat

Wibbs · 15-04-2021 5:26pm

That the watches could be legally sold beyond the USSR was apparently a major part of the two designers brief. They mention it a lot in interviews around the process. That they had to avoid western patents. The Soviets has sold watches beyond their shores before and really got into it in the late 60's and very much in 1970's and 80's with Sekonda branded watches. Vostoks started to be exported under their own name by the 80's, at least judging by the models available that you can see in the vintage market today with English on the dials and casebacks. Maybe Bulova's patent was as shaky as the brand itself at that stage so they didn't worry about lawsuits? Plus the difficulty of suing a Soviet era company. Even these days trying to sue a Chinese manufacturer for ripping off designs is difficult.

15-04-2021 6:23pm

Wibbs wrote: »

T'is fierce similar altogether. N'est ce pas? Note too that on the back of the Bulova case it says "patented" for that case design and they had that same setup from the early 1960's a good few years before Vostok came up with their Amphibia. OK the Vostok has a much larger gasket surface area and two instead of one locating tab, but otherwise... Staring me in the face yet I never copped this before and haven't seen anybody on forums note it. I could be wrong, but I suspect a patent lawyer would have a field day there.

Copying Western designs was common for the Soviets. Cars, planes, space shuttles, watches, everything. They were like the Chinese are now.

The Vostok 2802 (and variants) for example was clearly copied from the Zenith Cal. 135. It wasn't 1:1, they made some simplifications and also even improvements, but the "inspiration" is clear as day.

Fitz II · 15-04-2021 8:03pm

Was on a play date today again and so were the watches.

Cant wait to get the Vostock into the mix.

893bet · 15-04-2021 8:27pm

A Vostok would certainly add something to the mix.

The rose gold ALS is exceptional. Top class. Has me even more determined to try and score that rose gold blue face 1815 I link to occasionally on here.

The Daytona is also classy.

Cienciano · 15-04-2021 8:41pm

Fitz II wrote: »

Was on a play date today again and so were the watches.

Cant wait to get the Vostock into the mix.

That PP annual calendar is some watch.

C0N0R · 16-04-2021 9:49am

Love the rose gold ALS, looking for something along that lines myself, but at a fraction of the cost, simple dress watch, brown leather light face, gold detail, suggestions? Budget is probably 4-5k

dinorebel · 16-04-2021 11:15am

C0N0R wrote: »

Love the rose gold ALS, looking for something along that lines myself, but at a fraction of the cost, simple dress watch, brown leather light face, gold detail, suggestions? Budget is probably 4-5k

Could get 70 odd Vostocks for that.

Trigger Happy · 16-04-2021 12:31pm

Lockdown boredom drove me to build a watch from parts from tinternet. Happy enough with the results.

redlead · 16-04-2021 12:35pm

C0N0R wrote: »

Love the rose gold ALS, looking for something along that lines myself, but at a fraction of the cost, simple dress watch, brown leather light face, gold detail, suggestions? Budget is probably 4-5k

You'll struggle at that budget. The closest to the Lange in design will be Glashutte Original but you won't get gold and they are thick enough I believe. Maybe check out Frederique Constant. They have plenty of dress watches that are gold plated for around 2k. More Breguet than Lange is the only thing.

Wibbs · 16-04-2021 12:39pm

No way would I pay 2K for a plated watch tbh. 200 maybe.

athlone573 · 16-04-2021 12:39pm

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Lockdown boredom drove me to build a watch from parts from tinternet. Happy enough with the results.

That's pretty cool! Was it difficult to do?

The font for the numerals is... Eh... Interesting?

redlead · 16-04-2021 12:45pm

Wibbs wrote: »

No way would I pay 2K for a plated watch tbh. 200 maybe.

I wouldn't either. I wouldn't buy a homage watch for that matter so would never buy an FC watch myself. Just trying to think what will fit the budget and you'll struggle to get solid gold. Maybe some vintage Omega seamasters but some of those were generally plated too.

Trigger Happy · 16-04-2021 12:50pm

athlone573 wrote: »

That's pretty cool! Was it difficult to do?

The font for the numerals is... Eh... Interesting?

The research buying the right fitting parts took longest. Assembling too about 90 mins. Cost was €220 all in. It has a sellita sw210-1 movement which beats at 28.8k so a nice smooth sweep.

Time · 16-04-2021 12:59pm

C0N0R wrote: »

Love the rose gold ALS, looking for something along that lines myself, but at a fraction of the cost, simple dress watch, brown leather light face, gold detail, suggestions? Budget is probably 4-5k

Good few options at that budget for decent second hand watches.

IWC Portofino
Gold Omega DeVille of some sort
Longines master collection in gold
Montblanc do a few simple watches in gold too that would be cheap second hand too

Wibbs · 16-04-2021 1:55pm

Girard Perregaux Friday.

C0N0R · 16-04-2021 7:20pm

https://johnsonsjewellers.co.uk/breitling-premier-day-date-40-a45340211g1p1

Sorry should have been more or perhaps less specific, doesn’t need to be gold, stainless is fine with gold detail, similar to the Breitling linked or even more simple perhaps. I’m not being very clear!

C0N0R · 17-04-2021 8:45am

Time wrote: »

Good few options at that budget for decent second hand watches.

IWC Portofino
Gold Omega DeVille of some sort
Longines master collection in gold
Montblanc do a few simple watches in gold too that would be cheap second hand too

IWC Portofino could be an option thanks, DeVille I’m not overly enthusiastic about

Fitz II · 17-04-2021 8:54am

Finally the new Strap for my Patek arrived. Hate wearing other peoples straps. On recommendations from the gurus here I went to the Camille Fournet site and ordered a custom strap https://www.camillefournet.com/en/ .

Patek and a lot of the swiss brands use this manufacturer and then QC and stamp the straps. Going direct lets you do a custom strap, where this is a bewildering number of customisations, most of which I had never considered.

Went for an OEM look, but made some changes, slightly more padded (4mm rather than 3.5), squared the end, larger holes for the tang to make it easier to use, Matt finish rather than shiny (bit more casual), red calfskin back for a bit of personality, and tone on tone stitching. The quick release is standard on these and really should be on every watch.

Now I could have gotten about 8 Vostok's for the cost of this strap, so I have had to give up a lot for this

But anyone that wants a really high quality strap should check it out, and endlessly customisable. Delivery was slow, 5 weeks waiting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzbpXTeofiY

893bet · 17-04-2021 9:48am

Having had a watch geek meet the other day and formally taking ownership of Fitz white dialled VC I am in a wonderful position of having two VCs.

Then after a month of back and forth with Dornbluth I am on the verge ordering a jumped up Unitas from there! So something has to give..........and it’s the below. Hoping to keep on the forum as it’s a lovely watch (and then I will always have the opportunity to buy back perhaps at some stage )

Cyrus · 17-04-2021 9:55am

Fitz II wrote: »

Finally the new Strap for my Patek arrived. Hate wearing other peoples straps. On recommendations from the gurus here I went to the Camille Fournet site and ordered a custom strap https://www.camillefournet.com/en/ .

Patek and a lot of the swiss brands use this manufacturer and then QC and stamp the straps. Going direct lets you do a custom strap, where this is a bewildering number of customisations, most of which I had never considered.

Went for an OEM look, but made some changes, slightly more padded (4mm rather than 3.5), squared the end, larger holes for the tang to make it easier to use, Matt finish rather than shiny (bit more casual), red calfskin back for a bit of personality, and tone on tone stitching. The quick release is standard on these and really should be on every watch.

Now I could have gotten about 8 Vostok's for the cost of this strap, so I have had to give up a lot for this But anyone that wants a really high quality strap should check it out, and endlessly customisable. Delivery was slow, 5 weeks waiting.

Pure class fitz , proper outfit

Cyrus · 17-04-2021 10:13am

Wearing the dark side today

Am delighted with this happier than I thought I would be, the oem gator is a better match than the fabric strap IMO

$835-B06-CF-B719-4-D77-8-EF2-86-B40-E1254-E8.jpg[\img]$

furiousox · 17-04-2021 11:11am

For the day that's in it.
#Verstappen33

banie01 · 17-04-2021 11:46am

893bet wrote: »

So something has to give..........and it’s the below. Hoping to keep on the forum as it’s a lovely watch (and then I will always have the opportunity to buy back perhaps at some stage )
]

My grà for this hasn't abated

Checking the back of the couch and all for coins to add to the pot :P

I look forward to trying it on and making a call one or the other.
Congrats on the new VC too, that is a stunner too.

Post pics of your watches Part II

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