The beginning of the existence of the Chistopol watch factory was laid by a great tragedy for our country - the Great Patriotic War. In the fall of 1941, many enterprises, including the second Moscow Watch Factory, were evacuated beyond the Urals. His equipment and specialists ended up on the Volga, in the city of Chistopol. The enterprise was part of the system of numbered defense factories and contributed to the victory: tank watches, time mines, devices and units for military equipment were produced here.
Wristwatches were also put into production - men's models "Kirovskie" were produced since the middle of the war. Since then, whatever the factory does, it is the mechanical watch that has remained and remains the most important strategic division. In the post-war years, the well-known Russian lines K-26 Pobeda, Kama, K-28 Vostok, Mir, Volna, Saturn, Cosmos saw the light. And in 1965, the Chistopol plant received a special order: its masters were entrusted to produce premium watches for officers of the Soviet Army. So the plant became the official supplier of the USSR Ministry of Defense.
To meet the requirements for an officer's watch, the cases were equipped with water protection, and the mechanisms were developed taking into account possible shocks and work in conditions of temperature differences. They called the new watch without guile - "Komandirskie". Since they did not get on sale, the dials instead of “made in the USSR” were branded “order of the USSR Ministry of Defense”. In addition, the distinguishing features of the appearance were the red star and the inscription "Chistopol" located in the lower part of the dial, and the brand "Komandirskie" in the upper part. All watches were supplied with a light accumulator on the hands and markers.
The main difference was the movement 2234 developed especially for this watch. Assembled on 18 precious stones, it worked from manual winding up to 38 hours in a row, the frequency of the balance was 18,000 vibrations per hour. The movement was equipped with a stop-second function, that is, at the moment the crown was extended, the second hand stopped (which could be used as a stopwatch: when the crown was returned to its place, the countdown began). And of course, there was shockproof balance protection, which is vital in the conditions of army service. They received such a watch exclusively as a badge of distinction for success in the service and wore it with great pride - even a letter of gratitude signed by the Secretary General was of lesser value.
Almost immediately, the production of watches with increased water resistance of 200 meters began. They were named after a creature capable of living equally both at sea and on land - "Amphibian". It seems to be a simple task - to increase water resistance - but it forced a lot to change in the watch design. Previously, the Union did not produce watches for submariners, the country did not own any patents, which means that the development was completely from scratch. It was necessary to create a watch that meets strict requirements and does not violate the rights of world manufacturers. As a result, Chistopol watchmakers achieved success, creating a completely original solution.
Everything about this watch was different. For the first time, instead of brass, stainless steel was used for the manufacture of the case. The back cover thickness has been doubled to 1 mm. The thickness of the glass increased from 2 to 3 mm, and in addition, it had to be subjected to special grinding, because under high pressure, any roughness will break the tightness, and the glass at such a depth bends by half a millimeter. Even the rubber used for the gaskets has undergone modifications - the usual material was too porous and under high pressure, water simply seeped through the gasket. For the first time, the watch features a larger crown and a rotating bezel, characteristic of a diver's watch, helping to keep track of time. To do this, it is enough to align the zero mark with the minute hand. Later, by looking at your watch, you can easily determine how much time has passed since that moment.
The plant also produced a military version of the "Amphibia" with the abbreviation NVCh-30. As the name implies, the main difference was water resistance up to 30 atmospheres. The tests were carried out while diving in the North Sea.
Since then, the factory has changed its name more than once - now it is called the Chistopol Watch Factory "Vostok" - it has manufactured a wide range of products, from seat belts in the car to water meters in your home, but the production of watches and their own mechanisms for them has never stopped. Modern "Amphibians" and "Komandirskie" are produced in the same place, in the heart of the watch industry in Russia.
Vostok is a real manufactory that manufactures up to 93% of all parts on its own. Vostok watches are still an excellent choice for people with an active lifestyle. Excellent shock-resistant performance allows them to take place on the athlete's hand, and fishermen and hunters will appreciate their ability to work up to their elbows in water and mud, despite temperature fluctuations. Precision mechanics will delight you with their autonomy on a hike - this is not a battery that can run out at the most inopportune moment.
The traditions of that very Soviet quality, which you can hardly find anywhere, are meticulously preserved by the craftsmen today. Modern design, bright stylistic elements, large dimensions - 46 mm is not the limit of the case diameter, which several decades ago could not have been imagined - the new models of Vostok and Komandirskie watches make them the best example of actual men's classics.
Official partner of the Vostok brand, online store of watches and accessories Alltime.ru, represents a wide range of watches from the Russian manufacturer. For example, the steel "Amphibian Classic" on the bracelet has the same water resistance of 200 meters and is made in the colors of the Russian flag.
The Komandirskie K-39 watch with a transparent back cover, a second time zone, luminescent hands and markers and a silicone strap complete with a leather strap is an excellent version of modern military "classics".
Anyone who is not indifferent to the Soviet watch classics and for whom the words “made in Russia” are still a subject of pride can evaluate their quality and design for themselves. The model is played out in the repost competition, which is jointly conducted by the Voennoye Obozreniye publication and the Alltime.ru watch dealer.
For details of the competition and the rules for participants, see the Vkontakte group.
