|
SKU # |
|
|
Brand |
Vostok |
|
Model |
Anchor |
|
Made in |
USSR (CCCR / Soviet Union) |
|
Movement |
Mechanical |
|
Case |
Stainless steel |
|
Case diameter |
34 mm |
|
Dial |
Gold |
|
Bracelet
material |
New Black Nato
Band |
|
Year of
production |
1980s |
|
Condition |
Vintage; In very
good condition |
|
Includes |
Generic box |
|
Gender |
Men’s |
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.
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.
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.
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.