NWA: How I Saved $29,916!
The Vacheron Constantin 1921 is a luxury watch that pays homage to a historical model from the Art Deco era. The watch has a distinctive design, with a cushion-shaped case, a slanted dial, and an off-center crown. The dial is rotated 45 degrees clockwise, so that the 12 o’clock position is at the upper left corner of the case. The subdial for the small seconds is also aligned along this axis, with black markings on a silver background. The watch has a diameter of 38mm, a height of 7.77mm, and a lug width of 20mm.
The slanted dial of the Vacheron Constantin 1921 was inspired by a vintage model that was made for the American market in the 1920s. The original watch was designed for drivers who wanted to read the time without taking their hands off the steering wheel. The idea was that the watch would be worn on the inside of the wrist, and the dial would be oriented to face the driver’s eyes. However, this story is really a myth, as confirmed by the company itself. There is no evidence that this was the original intention of the watchmakers, or that any drivers actually wore their watches this way. The slanted dial was simply a stylistic choice, reflecting the artistic and experimental spirit of the Art Deco era. Another reason for the slanted dial was to fit in a pocket watch movement, which was more common and reliable at that time than a wristwatch movement. The modern version of the watch retains this quirky feature, but also adds some contemporary touches, such as a sapphire crystal, a transparent caseback, and an in-house movement. The watch is powered by the caliber 4400 AS, a hand-wound movement with a 65-hour power reserve and a Geneva Seal certification.
However, this announcement isn't about that historic watch. No, I'm talking about a watch from another heritage brand, with slightly less horological pedigree.
Vostok is a Russian watch company that was founded in 1942 when a Moscow watch factory was evacuated to Chistopol during World War II. The company started making mechanical wristwatches after the war, and became the official supplier of watches for the Russian Ministry of Defence in 1965. The company also created the famous Komandirskie and Amphibia watches, which were designed for military and diving purposes. Vostok is known for its robust and reliable movements, as well as its affordable prices.
The company has achieved many milestones throughout its history. In 1957, it released a series of precision watches with various features and designs, such as East, Mir, Volna, Saturn and Cosmos. These watches increased the export of Chisopol watches up to seven times. In 1961, it adopted the name “Vostok”, which means “East” in Russian, after the first manned space flight by Yuri Gagarin on board the Vostok 1 spacecraft. It also started producing watches for cosmonauts and astronauts under the name “Sturmanskie”. In 1972, it released a new 24 Calibre men’s watch with a numerical calendar and an automatic movement. It also started exporting its products to over 54 countries of the world. In 1976, cosmonaut G. Grechko visited the Vostok factory and praised the watchmakers for their quality products and hard work. In 1980, it was producing 4.5 million timepieces per year. In the 2000s, it launched a line of 1940 inspired replicas called the Kirovskie K-43 collection. It also started producing a “luxury” line of watches called Kremlevskie. Both lines were made of high-quality stainless steel and produced in limited quantities.
This brings us back to the watch in the photos. Isn’t it a beauty? Look at those proportions, that dial, those hands. I was always fascinated by the VC 1921, ever since I saw it at the boutique at SCP. But of course, it was way out of my budget. So I was feeling a bit depressed until I stumbled upon this Vostok online. It looked very similar to the VC 1921, but at a fraction of the cost. I decided to give it a try and ordered one.
Now, I’m not saying that the Vostok is as good as the VC in terms of quality and finishing. It’s not. But it’s good enough for me to get a feel of how the slanted dial works on my wrist. And guess what? I realized that I don’t really like it. It’s just not my style. And when I learned that the reason for the slanted dial was not some cool driver’s watch story, but rather a practical way to fit a pocket watch movement into a wristwatch case, I felt even less attracted to it. It lost some of its charm and uniqueness for me.
So what did I learn from this? Well, I learned that homage watches can be useful tools to test out your preferences and tastes before you commit to something more expensive and exclusive. They can help you avoid disappointment and regret in the long run. They can also help you appreciate the original watches more, by showing you what makes them special and different from the imitations. That’s how I use homage watches, and I think it’s a smart way to do it. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with me? Would you buy the Vostok to see if you wanted the grand original?
Son of a watchmaker. Artsy farsy dude.
Thank you for the history lesson and sharing your experience with homage watches.
I don't own any yet but I kind of agree, they are an affordable alternative to the high end watches I will never be able to afford or justify.
It’s lovely watch! - but I’m afraid to ask: Is it still made in Russia?
The horrors they are inflicting on Ukraine (and inflicted on Syria, and Crimea, and Georgia, +++) … Unceasing atrocities.
In Dictatorships like Russia and China, every company is ultimately owned of the state.
I’ll personally not buy anything Russian if I can avoid it.
if it’s now made in Switzerland, or any friendly country, then I’m an idiot who should’ve stayed quiet here, my bad!
Re homage watches - I’m generally against as I think a ‘copy’ is not an homage. A homage has a few loose design cues like a black bay from a submariner, not
BUT… I do totally buy in to the idea that if you want to test drive of a fancy watch it might be the only way to accomplish that. so it depends on the reason for me!
Thank you for the history lesson and sharing your experience with homage watches.
I don't own any yet but I kind of agree, they are an affordable alternative to the high end watches I will never be able to afford or justify.
I know the feeling. We don't really need those beautiful machines. On my gov salary, it's hard to justify even a g shock lol.
It’s lovely watch! - but I’m afraid to ask: Is it still made in Russia?
The horrors they are inflicting on Ukraine (and inflicted on Syria, and Crimea, and Georgia, +++) … Unceasing atrocities.
In Dictatorships like Russia and China, every company is ultimately owned of the state.
I’ll personally not buy anything Russian if I can avoid it.
if it’s now made in Switzerland, or any friendly country, then I’m an idiot who should’ve stayed quiet here, my bad!
Re homage watches - I’m generally against as I think a ‘copy’ is not an homage. A homage has a few loose design cues like a black bay from a submariner, not
BUT… I do totally buy in to the idea that if you want to test drive of a fancy watch it might be the only way to accomplish that. so it depends on the reason for me!
I'm not sure about the actual site of manufacturing. It was shipped to me from a shop in Poland, if I recall correctly. I paid double the usual price to avoid the Russia connection.
All that writing & no clear pictures!
I would never knowingly buy anything Russian ever again.
Vostok Kirova is an underated dressy lineup, overshadowed the Amphibia and Komandirskie. That tilted white dial with blue hands is so pretty 🤤, too bad I'm having a hard time to find where to buy it where I live
Vostok Kirova is an underated dressy lineup, overshadowed the Amphibia and Komandirskie. That tilted white dial with blue hands is so pretty 🤤, too bad I'm having a hard time to find where to buy it where I live
Yeah, when I held it in my hands, I was impressed by the blue hands. They look even better in person.
All that writing & no clear pictures!
I would never knowingly buy anything Russian ever again.
Factory pic:
In the 581 range listed at vostokinc , the vast majority of them have conventionally laid out dials.
Factory pic:
In the 581 range listed at vostokinc , the vast majority of them have conventionally laid out dials.
Thank you for the clearer image.
I still wouldn’t knowingly buy anything Russian though.
🇬🇧✌️🇺🇦
Vostok can do classic or retro as good as anyone, like the 540 and 550 series, but those do not get much attention. We tend to remember the "quirky" models the most.
Well, it's no VC.
I'm currently pausing purchases from Russia myself. But as a citizen of a country that convinced many other countries to aid it in one of the most ... controversial invasions in recent memory, I think it's important to remain clear-eyed. And it's worth considering whether our boycott decisions are consistent, whether sanctions ultimately just hurt innocent people rather than those in charge, etc.
Anyway, that's a really handsome design, and I appreciate the data point that it didn't actually work for you. I've always wanted to try out one of those old, skewed arrangement style watches, so the info is useful.
***
Trivia: Virtually every used/vintage Russian watch I've ever bought was sold from Ukraine, if anyone wants to have their cake and eat it.
What is the name of the watch?? Could not find it in the description, maybe I'm stupid 🥲
It’s lovely watch! - but I’m afraid to ask: Is it still made in Russia?
The horrors they are inflicting on Ukraine (and inflicted on Syria, and Crimea, and Georgia, +++) … Unceasing atrocities.
In Dictatorships like Russia and China, every company is ultimately owned of the state.
I’ll personally not buy anything Russian if I can avoid it.
if it’s now made in Switzerland, or any friendly country, then I’m an idiot who should’ve stayed quiet here, my bad!
Re homage watches - I’m generally against as I think a ‘copy’ is not an homage. A homage has a few loose design cues like a black bay from a submariner, not
BUT… I do totally buy in to the idea that if you want to test drive of a fancy watch it might be the only way to accomplish that. so it depends on the reason for me!
@Fieldwalker check this out
Not touching Vostok with a 10 foot pole while the geopolitical situation remains as is. If they withdraw from Ukraine voluntarily, I will reconsider. Otherwise, I will support the sanctions and avoid Russian products.
Sturmanskie "first man in space" watch. Valentine's Day gift from my wife.
Love your Vostok!
I'm currently pausing purchases from Russia myself. But as a citizen of a country that convinced many other countries to aid it in one of the most ... controversial invasions in recent memory, I think it's important to remain clear-eyed. And it's worth considering whether our boycott decisions are consistent, whether sanctions ultimately just hurt innocent people rather than those in charge, etc.
Anyway, that's a really handsome design, and I appreciate the data point that it didn't actually work for you. I've always wanted to try out one of those old, skewed arrangement style watches, so the info is useful.
***
Trivia: Virtually every used/vintage Russian watch I've ever bought was sold from Ukraine, if anyone wants to have their cake and eat it.
As an economist, I would say that almost all boycotts of a country fail. There are too many middle men who will act as market makers. Point of fact, the recent embargo of oil from Russia failed. The restricted market only resulted in higher prices for oil, and Russian profits from oil went up. It really not as easy as saying I'll never buy from that country again.
And yes, I bought from a store in Poland. The price was actually higher than the official listing on the Bostok website.
What is the name of the watch?? Could not find it in the description, maybe I'm stupid 🥲
I included the reference number in the post. Also, another commenter has listed the website.
Sturmanskie "first man in space" watch. Valentine's Day gift from my wife.
Love your Vostok!
That's a beautiful watch full of history! Enjoy!
I also have a VC homage. One made in the 1920s.
New Haven Watch Co. Tommy Ticker ca. 1928.
Great find! The Art Deco period really was fantastic.
Longines released a “tilt dial” watch about a decade ago that was a homage to a watch it released in the 1930s.
I don’t know that I believe VC was the first to have a tilted dial watch.
Longines released a “tilt dial” watch about a decade ago that was a homage to a watch it released in the 1930s.
I don’t know that I believe VC was the first to have a tilted dial watch.
Very cool looking watch. Longines is definitely underated in terms of horology.
I’m a bit envious seeing you enjoying this watch 😉 . Had been trying to pick up this exact black dial watch for 3 months of 2023, but Vostok distributors shared 2 reasons regarding the 581098 model. Firstly, Vostok no longer manufactures this model so they are selling old batches and secondly war has made exports from Russia almost impossible to carry out. I gave up on my hunt almost 1 month ago and settled for this (shared in pic). Lovely watch indeed.
I’m a bit envious seeing you enjoying this watch 😉 . Had been trying to pick up this exact black dial watch for 3 months of 2023, but Vostok distributors shared 2 reasons regarding the 581098 model. Firstly, Vostok no longer manufactures this model so they are selling old batches and secondly war has made exports from Russia almost impossible to carry out. I gave up on my hunt almost 1 month ago and settled for this (shared in pic). Lovely watch indeed.
Thanks. I wasn't aware that this was discontinued. And that explains the price increases. Once I replace the strap, it's gonna get some wrist time :-).
I'm gonna get this as my dress watch.
I'm gonna get this as my dress watch.
The VC? Or the Vostok? Either would be a great choice.
The VC? Or the Vostok? Either would be a great choice.
The Vostok. I don't dress up much, so for me it doesn't make sense to get an expensive dress watch.
The Vostok. I don't dress up much, so for me it doesn't make sense to get an expensive dress watch.
I got mine here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1155189983/vostok-prestige-581096-mechanical-watch?ref=yr_purchases
I can relate to you here Ckim. I mean my grail watch is much less then your in price just about 10k but at the moment 10k is alot of money for me especially if I move it over into a watch that I don’t plan on spending. So in the mean time I’m grabbing a homage and taking it a step further and modifying it to have fun until the heavy hitter come in. ✌️😉
I can relate to you here Ckim. I mean my grail watch is much less then your in price just about 10k but at the moment 10k is alot of money for me especially if I move it over into a watch that I don’t plan on spending. So in the mean time I’m grabbing a homage and taking it a step further and modifying it to have fun until the heavy hitter come in. ✌️😉
That sounds like a great idea. Modding is fun and I need to get into it at some point.