Vostok Amphibia: Amazing design features, but.........

[RickFlorida]

Hello,

 

I recently discovered what Vostok Amphibia watches are from watching youtube.   That is an amazing and interesting design and history.  I find it really smart how they created a two part locking caseback that prevents the extreme shearing and distortion of O-rings like on traditional oyster cases.  That was really smart.   As well as the crystal becoming more watertight as pressure increases.  But......... I think there is a major flaw at least in the ones made today (if the older ones were different?).

 

While learning about Vostok Amphibia watches I see that the crown and bezel are made of brass or something other than stainless steel but is chrome plated while the other parts like case and caseback are stainless.  I can't believe they did this because that is probably a fatal flaw if they really designed Vostok Amphibia's to be tough military dive watches.   I fish and surf in the ocean almost every week of the year except maybe a few weeks in the winter. One thing I've learned is that if you place two dissimilar metals or alloys against each other and expose them to saltwater, they are subject to galvanic corrosion.   Usually exposed copper is the worst but even though the brass parts of the vostok watch are chrome plated, I would think the galvanic corrosion would still occur.

 

So here is my question, did Vostok Amphibia's originally made for the military divers of russia compose of only stainless steel and only the newly made Vostok for commercial are composed of brass parts mixed with stainless or did they always have this flaw?

[Timelord]

56 minutes ago, RickFlorida said:

While learning about Vostok Amphibia watches I see that the crown and bezel are made of brass or something other than stainless steel but is chrome plated while the other parts like case and caseback are stainless.  I can't believe they did this because that is probably a fatal flaw if they really designed Vostok Amphibia's to be tough military dive watches.

 

There is a real misconception regarding to something being tough and rugged versus longevity!

 

As a novice to the watch world since my early teens, over 35 yeas ago I was under the impression that a watch such as an Omega and a Rolex were 5 or 50 times more expensive than normal mainstream watches because they were more long lasting and were much more accurate timekeepers.  Not the case as we know as a cheapie can last just as long and be as reliable if given the same care and attention.

 

A military watch is no different as it's purpose is to do its duty for the time that it is in service.  Not to last forever! 

 

Apart  from rolex, omega seiko and all the known brands they all have stainless steel screw down crowns for their divers models as far as I know!  I have found other divers watches that are more generic to also have brass chrome plated screw down crowns. 

 

In the last 6 years, I am actually having a Hard time locating a stainless steel generic 5.5mm screw down crown  as every source I have searched have plated brass ones!  So to answer your question, I sense it all to be down to cost and that big brand complained make their own

 

[automatico]

"In the last 6 years, I am actually having a Hard time locating a stainless steel generic 5.5mm screw down crown  as every source I have searched have plated brass ones!"

 

If you can go with rolex spec 5.3mm parts, ST Supply has them:

RP24-530W

Generic Stainless Steel Crown without Emblem to Replace Rolex 24-530.  Includes Stainless Steel Case Tube RP24-5320-SS with Gaskets.

$17.95

http://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=1D_Rolex_Crowns_Generic&Product_Code=

 

They also have assortments:

http://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=1H-Parts-Crowns-ByType-Screw&Product_Code=AST530X

If you need only a few of one type, order 'refills' for the assortment.

 

Otoh I bought a few screw down crowns sold as 'stainless steel' that turned out to be plated brass.  ST parts have always been what they say they are.

 

Never owned a Vostok but had a few Poljot 3133 chronographs.  I asked a Russian guy selling them at a watch show how to pronounce 'Poljot' and he said "Poley-oat"  'Oat' like in horse feed oats…but he had an accent.    

In my experience, a Poley-oat 3133 chrono was much like an eBay Alpha with an Asian 2813 of some sort...if it ran for a week, it would usually go for a few years.

 

 

[Timelord]

8 hours ago, automatico said:

 

 

If you can go with rolex spec 5.3mm parts, ST Supply has them:

RP24-530W

 

Generic Stainless Steel Crown without Emblem to Replace Rolex 24-530.  Includes Stainless Steel Case Tube RP24-5320-SS with Gaskets.

$17.95

Otoh I bought a few screw down crowns sold as 'stainless steel' that turned out to be plated brass.  ST parts have always been what they say they are.

 

 

I should have been a little more specific as the crown is one without the threaded case tube on the case end.  It is for an old divers watch which uses a press in fitted tube  for a screw down crown.

 

I tried most of the rolex generic tubes by skimming the thread on a lathe to create the smooth friction fit but became too thin to get a tight fit on the case.  I even used JB weld but was only a short term solution. 

 

I do have a screw down crown that fits the right sized 2.9mm tube and is perfect size 5.5mm in diameter but chrome plated on brass. When the plating wears off, the end is also near for the crown.  Apart from the rolex generic crowns, the only screw down crowns available  as generics have all been plated and almost in every size imaginable!  LOL!