Do-it-yourself Vostok amphibian watch repair

In detail: do-it-yourself Vostok amphibian watch repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

There is an amphibian, Soviet-made. In the 90s I wore it, before that was my father, after that I was lying in the table.
I want to revive.

The condition of the watch: it starts up and runs, but it lags very much behind (I definitely didn't measure it), most likely there was never any repassage, sometimes a spring seems to jump off during the winding process, the phosphor on the hands has collapsed, there are traces of rust on the arrows. The mechanism did not disassemble

What do I want:
- Repassage / repair of the mechanism
- Cleaning the arrows from rust and restoring the phosphor (for some brighter composition)
- Glass replacement
- Replacing the phosphor on the dial (it is all preserved, but very pale)
- Check / restore tightness
- Painting the grooves in the bezel in black and red
- something else is possible.

Tell me who it is better for me to contact in St. Petersburg and how much these works will cost (if possible separately for each type of work, I want everything, but maybe I will save on something)

It will be cheaper to buy the same amphibian in perfect condition. It makes sense to restore this only if it has personal value.
1. Glass is polished elementary; there are no new glasses, and it is a problem to glue them tightly in artisanal conditions.
2. Only put new arrows, because the phosphor was crumbling and chrome plating rusted. Arrows are not a question.
3. It makes sense to leave the dial as it is, it is difficult to update the phosphor neatly, you can destroy the dial irrevocably
4. Repassage is not a problem, the 2209 mechanism is not complicated.
5. Crowns for this caliber are quite difficult to find. the mechanism was discontinued in the 80s.
It is possible that the thread on the fluorine has been torn off and the housing needs to be replaced.
6. Bezel for replacement, because except for paint peeled off and chrome.

Video (click to play).

Work is recruited for at least 1500-1600 rubles, along with parts. It is easier to buy other watches in perfect preservation and restrict themselves to repassage. In any case, I do not advise you to rely on the perfect tightness of old watches. It is unrealistic to find new original rubber bands, and old ones already from age will not hold water well.

It will be cheaper to buy the same amphibian in perfect condition. It makes sense to restore this only if it has personal value.
There is no great value, there is an interest in restoring the watch. Exactly these.

1. Glass is polished elementary, it makes no sense to change, because there are no new glasses, and it is a problem to glue them tightly in artisanal conditions.
And if you do it in a decent workshop? Handicraft too?

The question is not to make working hours, for the minimum money from these.
The question is how much it costs to restore these well. Perhaps it will cost more than buying the same.

Work is recruited for at least 1500-1600 rubles, along with parts. It is easier to buy other watches in perfect preservation and restrict themselves to repassage.
Until the price looks scary 🙂

In any case, I do not advise you to rely on the perfect tightness of old watches. It is unrealistic to find new original rubber bands, and old ones already from age will not hold water well.
How imperfect. I still want to swim in the summer without taking off.

What is Amphibia watch? This is a diving watch that can withstand a lot of pressure. In our country, the clock Amphibian produced at the Chistopol watch factory East... By the appearance of the watch Amphibian very similar to the commander ones, but there are several differences. Basically, these differences concern the case and details of the external design, which allow the Amphibia watch to withstand a pressure of 200 atm, in contrast to Komandirskie watches, which can withstand only 30 atm. The mechanism of the watch in the commander's and in the Amphibian is similar - "East" with a diameter of 22 mm or 24 mm. Clock Amphibian were ordered by the USSR Ministry of Defense for combat swimmers-divers. Accordingly, the requirements that were put forward for the watch Amphibian were increased water resistance, the ability of the body to withstand the effects of a chemically aggressive environment on it, i.e.That is, sea water which contains salt.

For these purposes, cases were made of special stainless steel. This steel is quite rare, expensive and difficult to work with. It is more durable and durable, does not cause allergies. The thickness of the back cover was also increased, instead of 0.5 mm. it was made with a thickness of 1 mm. Even in Amphibia, an additional back cover was provided, which was an anti-magnetic shield. The glass was made of special plastic and was 3 mm thick. The glass itself had a different gluing technology, different from the commander's watch. The edges of the glass were carefully ground for a more snug fit to the watch case. The rubber gaskets under the case back and the crown were made of rubber, which had the property of compressing under high pressure and restoring shape under normal pressure. For more reliable water protection on the back cover there were additional protrusions that adjoined the rubber gasket, which also played an important role.

Amphibian watches from the Chistopol watch factory are known all over the world. In the late eighties, Komandirskie watches began to enjoy wide popularity in the West, as, indeed, everything Soviet with military symbols. During Operation Desert Storm, the American military appreciated both the practicality of this watch and the ability of Chistopol watchmakers to fulfill orders in a short time. By order of the US Department of Defense, the factory produced ten thousand watches with commemorative symbols for the participants in this operation.

I present a description of the repair / "Vostok" 2214. This is another basic mechanism for the Komandirskie watches from the Chistopol plant, which has been tested by years of operation in different conditions, which I have under repair. They had one legend; they were sold only in the military trade stores of the former USSR, and the stores themselves were located on the territory of military units and it was possible to buy "Komandirskie" watches only there, but they were not sold to an ordinary soldier. Now it would be called a good marketing ploy.

I present a description of the repair of production watches Chistopol plant "Vostok", which is located in the Republic of Tatarstan. It was this watch that I had for repair in 1997, and again it came to me 17 years later, if you count by the mark I left. The model was produced in a gilded case with a slight moisture resistance of the mechanism from water released around the beginning of the eighties of the last century.

Image - Do-it-yourself Vostok amphibian watch repair

According to the technical characteristics, the watch is mechanical have a shockproof device, a central second hand and a pointer time indication on the dial, markings from 1 to 12 in the form of dashes. There is also a calendar for the day of the month, which changes once a day from the 1st to the 31st of the month. The glass on the case is simple plexiglass, which I will replace with a new one during repairs.

The role of bearings in the mechanism is performed by eighteen stones, two of them are overhead round shapes for the vertical support of the balance axle pins (pendulum) working in tandem with through-built bushons. Which are attached to the mechanism with the help of shock-absorbing (shock-absorbing) springs in their form, called "lyrochki" in professional circles. A standard pair of stones in an anchor fork, inlet and outlet pallets, and an unpaired impulse stone for a double balance roller.

All other stones are through and stand in platinum and bridges, in which the journals of the axles of all wheels rotate. If you noticed in this mechanism of stones a paired (even) number, in contrast to 2409 previously described repair of the mechanism. This mechanism does not have a central wheel, like most watches, in this place there is a seconds tribe on which the seconds hand is subsequently placed. Like most watches produced in the former Soviet Union, the balance sheet has a period of 18,000 vibrations per hour. The 2409 model has 19,800 A / h.

Effort from the engine for the entire engrainage (wheel system) is transmitted through a wheel standing to the side of the center of the plate, which has trunnions (axles) larger in diameter in relation to the rest of the wheels. This wheel with friction tribe has one axle rotation support stone, which is located in the winding bridge. The other end of the axle simply rotates in a hole in the plate. That is why this mechanism has an even number of stones.

This watch is more than thirty years old and judging by the condition of the case and other details of the external design of the watch, the operation was real and daily. After disassembly and troubleshooting, all parts of the watch were thoroughly cleaned and washed. There is not much wear and tear in the mechanism, a really hard worker and the legend is still persistent. In this instance, I restore the crown, change the glass and lugs for new ones.

During the former Soviet Union (USSR) produced models in a simple case, which were made of brass and chrome-plated, having an excellent presentation. Remarkably protects the case with micronized gold plating and markings from just Au to Au 25 above the figure I have not seen in my practice. And best of all, if the body is made of gold, which is almost not afraid of anything in terms of aggressive environments, except for mercury and the so-called "aqua regia". And it is also afraid of harsh mechanical stress, but it is perfectly polished and has an excellent presentation.

The photographs show the entire mechanism already clean and ready to assemble. This mechanism also has its own distinctive design feature; it does not have a central wheel. The plate has a stand pressed in in the center of the mechanism and has a through hole for the second's tribe on which the second hand is placed. The assembly begins with the installation of the factory parts and the transfer of the hands (remontar), then the barrel assembly, the transmission wheel with the friction tribe, the second tribe and from above we attach the winding bridge and the winding wheel, not forgetting to lubricate all the parts in the right places.

After assembling the parts of the mechanism plant and translation of the arrows, I assemble the wheel system (angrenage) by fixing it with a bridge, again not forgetting to lubricate, then I check the rotation of the wheels. After that, an anchor fork with a bridge and a balance are placed. After that, I make 2-3 turns with the crown, and the mechanism starts, the balance makes oscillatory movements, I’ll say it’s easier to understand “the clock is ticking”. I do the installation of an additional device (calendar), I check the correct operation once every 24 hours.

I'm not starting up the mechanism all the way I check for accuracy on a device with an instantaneous daily rate, a slight correction of accuracy and continue further assembly. I mount the dial and case ring, put the hour, minute and second hands in place. The repair is almost complete, I put the mechanism in a washed case with new glass and lugs. I leave my mark with the date of repair and tighten the fastening nut on the back cover tightly. The legendary almost "Commander" ones will continue to serve their master.

These are the two basic mechanisms "Vostok" 2209 and 2409 "Komandirskie" of the Chistopol plant, legends and reality of watchmaking in the USSR and New Russia. Best regards, Nikolay, watch repair specialist.

The Chistopol Watch Factory was founded in 1941 in the city of Chistopol. The equipment came from Moscow from the evacuated Second Moscow Watch Factory. Already in the spring of 1942, the plant began production of military instruments. The enterprise worked for the needs of the front and was a closed facility. Since 1943, ChChZ began to produce peaceful products, the first men's wrist watch "Kirovskie" was released. In the post-war years, the plant began development, production and release of new watch models "ZiM", "Volga", "Pobeda", "Vostok", "Mir", "Volna", "Saturn", "Cosmos", ship clocks, and others. Subsequently, the plant became the main supplier of the USSR Ministry of Defense, and then the Komandirskie and Amphibia watches were created with a water resistance of 200 meters.Since the 70s, the factory began production of 24xx caliber wristwatches with calendars and automatic winding. Today the plant is bankrupt, and watches are produced by subsidiaries.

The watch was brought with a defect "something dangles inside and does not work"

We take out the mechanism from the case and see

balls, from the ball bearing of the automatic winding sector, they are not all here, there are 2 more balls in the mechanism itself.

We disassemble the automatic winding mechanism, take out the drum with the spring.

Let's remove the balance and the truss fork.

The watch is disassembled and ready to be washed. Cleanliness is a guarantee of health, and especially for watches.

The old sector of the automatic winding (with a crumbling bearing) and the new one.

The parts of the mechanism have been washed and can be reassembled.

We assemble the drum and grease the spring.

In the process of checking parts for defects, I found that the intermediate wheel blade was bent.

We insert the wheel into the frother and correct it.

After editing, we assemble the main wheel system and check the wheel pitch.

Install the drum, cam clutch, winding clutch and winding shaft.

We cover with a drum bridge and fasten.

We lubricate and install the anchor fork, and check its operation.

We install bushes (balance bearings and shockproof device at the same time) and fix with lyres (three-leaf springs).

After setup, the clock runs fine!

Installing self-winding wheels and

cover with a self-winding bridge, and fasten.

We turn over the mechanism and collect the calendar device.

Calendar device assembly.

Install the dial and hands.

We install the mechanism into the case and fasten a new sector of the automatic winding.

And the clock is ready. They will again delight the owner with a long service life.

I ordered myself a watch Amphibia (VOSTOK 2416/060433) with such a mechanism ... What was needed was an unpretentious military watch showing the time. For a long time I was choosing between Swiss, Japanese Orients and seiko ... But I decided that in the army, somehow, not domestic watches would be perceived in a wrong way ... Therefore, the choice fell on the Russians, sort of like with history ... And now I began to worry if they would let me down at a crucial moment this watch? Tell me, is it possible to do some kind of prophylaxis, adjustment, flushing, lubrication, or something like that (in short, bring them to mind) so that they walk for a long time and you can rely on them for at least 10 years? I’m not a watchmaker, I don’t understand anything at all, but it seems that all watches are almost the same inside, it's just the quality of the assembly. So I would like a competent and neat person to disassemble and correctly assemble my watch, so that he can put it on his hand and always be sure that the exact time is always with you.

Vostok watches are quite reliable, and, subject to the rules of operation, they will work for as long as necessary. If you want your watch to always delight you, then every 4 years it needs a preventive repair. This is not a whim of the craftsmen, the fact is that the oil with which the watch is lubricated oxidizes over time and thickens, which leads to premature wear of the wheel axles and they hopelessly die. There will be no repair problems with your watch. Bring your watch, I will make preventive repairs. If the watch is under warranty, then it will be better if it ends, and after that it is prevented.

I am the owner of Vostok Amphibia 1967.
Accidentally broke the glass, changed the glass, but ... The clock began to fog up ...
I gave it again for repairs ... And again .... And again .... Advised to operate as it is or ... throw it away ...;)
The question is, am I lucky to have crooked masters, or is it really impossible to do anything?
Of course, the repair is complicated by the bezel, but still ...
The watch just looked, I was already thinking about buying new ones ... But this is the limit, they are no longer made ...
Yes, I forgot to say, the clock was repaired 2 times in Odessa, once in Kiev and 2 (!) Times in Moscow ...

Dear friends, today we will talk about a difficult choice that faces a person who is torn between buying one of the Vostok watch models.Which watch to choose - "Komandirskie" or "Amphibian"? Let's figure it out.

If you are standing at such a crossroads, then, most likely, the price in choosing this accessory does not really matter to you, otherwise the choice would be obvious, because the Amphibia cost around 4,500 rubles, while the Komandirskie ones cost about 2,500 Therefore, if the double price difference does not scare you, and you are still wondering which watch to choose, we will take a closer look at both models.

In Amphibia it is made of chrome-plated stainless steel (it is not capable of causing an allergic reaction, it is not afraid of water and adverse environmental influences), in Komandirskie it is made of genuine leather, which is not in the best relations with water.

"Amphibia" has a case made of the same material as their bracelet (chrome-plated stainless steel - increased resistance to shocks, aggressive environmental influences, including temperature indicators). There is no coating on the case of this watch, which allows you to be sure that it will not peel off over time. "Komandirskie" have a brass body. Only the back cover is made of stainless steel, and the case itself is dressed in a chrome coating. Brass belongs to soft alloys, which makes it less resistant to mechanical damage in comparison with stainless steel. In addition, the alloy may contain lead impurities, and the chrome-plated surface may peel off.

Protective glass of the dial

"Amphibians" have glasses with an organic structure. Such glasses are hand-cut and have a thickness of 3 mm, do not fall apart when dropped from low heights, but are easily scratched. Speaking about the "Komandirskie" watches, it is worth noting that all their models are equipped with similar glasses, although the thickness is 1 mm less than that of "Amphibians", except for the 641st (641643, 641653, 641655, 641685, 641687, 641688, 641686, 641641), where a mineral glass surface is used for protection. Mineral glasses have a higher hardness compared to organics, which means that they are more resistant to scratches, but if dropped, it can crack.

"Amphibians" are equipped with an automatic winding system (in case of hand oscillations), and a safety mechanism protects the spring from rewinding. "Komandirskie" demand to wind up the clockwork every day (if possible, this should be done at approximately the same time within the day).

"Amphibians" are capable of withstanding immersion in water up to 200 meters. Actually, their very name indicates that they are intended for scuba divers. "Komandirskie" are able to withstand rain, washing hands, swimming on the surface of the water. However, it is worth remembering about the strap.

"Amphibians" have a greater mass than their considered competitors.

"Amphibia" is supplied in a black hard plastic case, on which the name "VOSTOK" flaunts. "Komandirskie" were awarded only to cardboard boxes.

Operating time without winding

"Amphibia" with a calendar - 31 hours, without - 33 hours. "Komandirskie" - 36 hours.

Number of ruby stones

"Amphibia" - 31 stones, allowing to reduce the friction of parts of the clockwork to a minimum, "Komandirskie" - 17.

Despite all the differences between these watches, they have a number of similar features: they are produced and assembled on the territory of the Russian Federation; have exclusively domestic details; have dials of the same diameter, matching each other; belong to the popular world-famous mechanical watches that do not run on batteries; equipped with a shockproof balance unit; are distinguished by a long service life (more than 10 years); equipped with a second hand located in the middle of the dial and a bezel.

Friends, if you have any questions, as far as possible, I will try to answer everyone.
Write, call and come by contact information,
posted here (link CONTACTS AIRCRAFT shopping center)
and here (link CONTACTS TRINITY MARKET)
We kindly ask you to pay attention that our workshop is located in Samara.

We hope that after reading this article, you have discovered something new and interesting for yourself.
And remember, if you are the owner of one of the watches that we talk about on our website and feel that they need repairs or maintenance, or you just want to get professional advice from highly qualified watchmakers in the city of Samara, feel free to contact us.
Our experts will help you
to repair the following types of watches for you:

- old mechanical (the possibility of repair is determined by the master at the time of inspection);
- wall-mounted (the possibility of repair is determined by the master at the time of inspection);
- floor;
- desktop;
- Pocket;
- wrist;
- and even electronic-mechanical and quartz.

We will be sincerely glad for all your thoughts that you leave in the comments under this article.

A little of the history of such watches - they were produced at the Maslennikov Plant (ZiM), which worked from 1911 to 1990. The movements of these watches, like all the others, had their own caliber, the most widespread was “2602”, created in the mid-70s. The movements with this caliber had a separate second hand under the minute and hour.

An acquaintance watchmaker gave away several dead mechanisms with dials, so I decided to make some changes.
Who knew that without experience, and having watched only one video on youtube, the experience would be successful.

Let's start. This is what the dial looks like:

We remove all arrows, unscrew from the mechanism

Since I cannot restore this mechanism, I will take another one, in which I only need to put the balance spring:

Inserts the dial into the movement:

We tighten the mounting bolts:

Insert the hands: second, then hour and minute:

insert into the case, taking into account the location of the crown hole

snap on the lid, insert the glass, put on the bracelet and voila - the watch has been given a second life

Well, and lastly, a gift from the tankman's grandfather - a commander's watch

Thanks for watching)
If this topic is of interest to the public, there will be a continuation)

Not seriously? Polish or replace glasses. Well, the bracelet is in size.

The first ZiM mechanism, aka Pobeda, was licked off by the Swiss, like most of our Soviet mechanics. I happened to repair the original, which was attended by shockproof bushons. Ours also did so at first, but later refused, I think, in favor of reducing the cost. Budget hours all the same. From here and the weak point - they do not like to fall, the balance axis breaks, it was necessary to repress. In these, I would also check the work hardening. When the watch is often laid on the table, work hardening forms on the lower axis and the accuracy of the movement begins to depend on the position of the watch. And in general, it is possible to say about a successful repair only after a test at the NPP-2m or something similar. Their predecessors, Zvezda, were similar in layout.

The second is the east. Weak points: spring (the spot welding of the burr breaks, it is treated by releasing the end of the spring and bending with the insertion of a broken piece into it), the second hand (more precisely, the spring that presses it, sensitive to contamination with solidified oil), the thread of the key and the key itself (the thread is cut off and etches the water , or an overheated key breaks), a half-barrel and a barrel of a remontuar (often fall apart).

And for ZIM glass can be made. You heat up 0.5 mm of glass to the softness of a cloth, put it on the case without a mechanism, press with a pre-prepared and matched convex watch back cover, and after cooling down you file it with nardfil. The glass is inserted without glue, snapping into the groove. Well, or polish with Pearls toothpaste and a linen rag.

And yes, the balance bushes are unscrewed, washed with hexane, lubricated, and put back, otherwise there will be no kin, or there will be a short film.

Good day. I cry for the help of the ZiM watch guru.I have such a charm on my hands. They work properly, only the body has been beaten and worn out by time. I want to acquire a Chinese corps from an alik. Surprisingly, there are high quality and beautiful ones. What sizes and measurements are needed for selection and purchase? I wanted to write in a personal, but suddenly I found out that there is no such thing. I expect and thank you in advance for your reply.

The fittings are selected according to the diameter and thickness of the mechanism. The case usually comes with a dial and hands. The dial is mounted on pins and if their location is not suitable, then they are cut off and put on glue (not superglue) in the areas of the board where there are no ruby bearings. If the fur is thinner than the body, it doesn't matter, a plastic pressure ring is inserted (usually from a donor, but more often, “do it yourself”). Pay attention to the length of the key. It can be either long or short. If it is long, remove the lamb and shorten the key and the lamb bushing, as far as the thread allows, and if it does not allow, we cut a new one to the desired one. If it is short, we remove the lamb and go to the watchmaker's shop for an elongated universal new one. Something like this.

I remember I bought such commander's clothes for myself in a stall for 50r in the 90s (then snickers cost 25). They were almost by weight then they were hoarded. The water was not allowed to pass through, but due to condensation they rusted after 2 years.

I have a Slava automatic watch (export version). So, they stop every day at about 11 pm (when the calendar starts to translate). Can someone tell me how to fix it?

And what is this gradation on the commander's hours from 0 to 60 and why is part of it highlighted in red?

Hello everyone, at last I have matured to the desire to acquire a legend of the Soviet watch industry - the Vostok Amphibia watch in the case of 090 "barrel" with a navy blue dial with the image of a scuba diver. The watch was ordered from the official dealer of the Chistopol watch factory - the company Meran. At the same time, it was decided together with them to order a kit for their minor revision.

The watch was chosen with a matte case, article 090059M (090 - barrel case, 059 - dial variant, M - matte case).
Additionally, they ordered a 22mm MESh strap, a transparent case back and a self-winding pendulum with the Vostok emblem.
Unfortunately, I could not find a bezel for this watch in Meranom's assortment - I didn’t like anything, so this will be the next stage of “customization”.

The guys from Meranom willingly advise on the phone, after two telephone conversations I finally decided on the modification of the watch. Ironically, while I was waiting for all additional components to appear in stock, the hours themselves ran out, but this did not stop me, they assured me that they would have this model within a week and opened the possibility of ordering them on the website.
The order was placed on Friday, immediately and paid by credit card. In principle, you can also choose the option of delivery with cash on delivery, but some prepayment was required for it, so it was easier for me to pay the entire amount in full. Delivery of orders over 2,000 rubles is carried out free of charge by Russian Post, which is also a plus.
On Monday, I received a letter that my order had been sent, and the track number was also attached. The parcel itself (first class parcel post) from Chistopol reached my post office in Moscow within a week.

Automatic movement "Vostok" 2416B.
Central second hand.
Anti-shock device of the balance assembly.
The number of ruby stones is 31.
Frequency: 19,800 vibrations per hour.
Average daily rate -20 +60 sec / day.
Power reserve is not less than 31 hours.
Instant calendar.
Stainless steel case and bracelet.
Organic glass.
Water resistant up to 20 ATM.
Average service life of a watch is 10 years.

So, what did we get, and what we got here is such a clock in a standard Vostok "coffin" made of plastic:

The bracelet is not the same as in the picture and it immediately seemed to me painfully familiar, compare 😉

It looks good, but it has large link backlash and is made by stamping

In any case, it was supposed to be replaced with a mesh bracelet, so let's put it aside and try on a new one.

I really liked the system for adjusting its length, you don't need to cut anything, just lift the latch and move the fastener on the bracelet:

The clasp mechanism itself is with a double "diver" fixation:

Now I want to move on to the most interesting part of the revision - replacing the automatic winding pendulum and the back cover of the watch.
Unfortunately, the Chinese set for unscrewing the caps did not fit - not a single bit could fit into the slots of the Amphibians, but I remembered that someone said how easy it was to disassemble Soviet Amphibians with a caliper. Well, let's check 😉

The threaded ring securing the cover was unscrewed without problems.
A mechanism appeared in front of me and I was surprised and somewhat annoyed to find in it an already modified pendulum, exactly the same as the one I had ordered. However, he was in scratches, and I was delighted to have such an occasion to replace him 🙂
The screw had to be unscrewed with a knife, because I did not find such a thin slotted screwdriver.