Grandfather’s Watch
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Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
Sheffield, UK
Member since
Last active: 4 days ago
6.30” / 16.00 cm
This is a Vostok Komandirskie from the days of the Soviet Union. The dial shows the Kaaba in Mecca; so I assume the Arabic writing is something from the Quran. Maybe the watch was worn for a Haj.
The writing is the “bassmala” which is what you say whenever you start doing something, or start reading the Quran, a fascinating piece of history
My bet is that your grandfather spent time in Uyghur territory. They are mostly Sunni Moslems, which accounts for the Arabic text and the watch itself being made in the USSR.
Well that’s something I didn’t expect to see today. It’s a Vostok Komandirskie from the 1980s, made in the USSR. Google Vostok Khabba online and you’ll see a few of them. Definitely an rare dial. The crown being at two o’clock is also something that is relatively uncommon as well.
The Russian letters on the back say Vodonepronicaemye. Not sure what that means, but it’s certainly a very unique combo of Soviet, Chinese and Arabic! I would also guess northwest China.
The Russian letters on the back say Vodonepronicaemye. Not sure what that means, but it’s certainly a very unique combo of Soviet, Chinese and Arabic! I would also guess northwest China.
Means waterproof :)
Means waterproof :)
I learned something today! Thank you 🙏 I should have known, though! Also, I doubt that is still true today!
Very great taste your Grandfather shows.👑🌹
It appears to be working. Or is that date a coincidence? 🤔😉
Bismallah. It means in the name of God.
Neat .. And yes it says in the name of God the kind and merciful
Bezel looks very bostok
This is a mid 80's Vostok Komenderski a Ref# 333xxx (Case #333 - 33=shape, 3=gold color) (with xxx being the unknown dial code) made in the Chistapol Factory, which was opened during WW2 when the Soviets moved the Moscow First watch factory there to be farther from the front. The factory still produces watches on basically the same machines used back in the day. You case came in two versions, onewith a 3'oclock and one at 1 o'clock which in much less common. your caseback is original to the watch, as are the hands, bezel and dial. It is in really great shape. I have handled several 100s of vostoks, and seen tens of 1000's, but have never seen this dial. It is absolutely genuine, but incredibly rare. Vostok under soviet rule was beholden to the Party, so If a party official wanted to gift 20 watches to someone in the middle east, Vostok would make them toot-sweet, no questions asked. As a result, there are many many lots of <50 pcs for special commissions out there. I collect Soviet Era Vostok Ambhibias, so I dont know much about the Koms from the same time period. But to an interested collector this has abnormally large value, if it were an Ambhibia in its condition I would have no problem offering $250-500 due to the fact that it could likely be the only surviving example of this reference. It is by far the rarest watch in your excellent collection.
Good news- the movement is very common and parts are not an issue. A new movement is <40 quid.
Bad News, odds are the watch has not been serviced in 40 odd years, and likely is in desperate need to be re-lubed.
Good News again- The movement is so low tolerance, that it does not give a shit about its old gummy lube and will keep ticking for another 20 years.
The crown is supposed to wobble.
Your caseback has two pieces, the caseback itself, and the retaining ring. IMHO, this is a more elegant and effective way to waterproof a watch. It allows for a thick and wide gasket that experiences no sheer forces when the caseback is secured as the 14mm piepan bottom of the caseback is pushed straight down on the gasket vs twisting on to it which deforms gaskets. Also as the caseback is free floating between the gasket and the ring, the more water applies pressure against the back, the more the caseback presses into the gasket. Seiko used this design on the Silverwave (their first water-resist sports watch that was the father of the 62mas)
Here is an animation of the caseback consutruction. https://modstok.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/watch0001-0250_3.mp4
Sorry for the info dump, I have volumes of knowledge and no one to tell. My wife yells "NO" when I turn to her with a watch in my hand...
The text in arabic roughly translates to in the name of god the most merciful and the most beneficent.
This is a mid 80's Vostok Komenderski a Ref# 333xxx (Case #333 - 33=shape, 3=gold color) (with xxx being the unknown dial code) made in the Chistapol Factory, which was opened during WW2 when the Soviets moved the Moscow First watch factory there to be farther from the front. The factory still produces watches on basically the same machines used back in the day. You case came in two versions, onewith a 3'oclock and one at 1 o'clock which in much less common. your caseback is original to the watch, as are the hands, bezel and dial. It is in really great shape. I have handled several 100s of vostoks, and seen tens of 1000's, but have never seen this dial. It is absolutely genuine, but incredibly rare. Vostok under soviet rule was beholden to the Party, so If a party official wanted to gift 20 watches to someone in the middle east, Vostok would make them toot-sweet, no questions asked. As a result, there are many many lots of <50 pcs for special commissions out there. I collect Soviet Era Vostok Ambhibias, so I dont know much about the Koms from the same time period. But to an interested collector this has abnormally large value, if it were an Ambhibia in its condition I would have no problem offering $250-500 due to the fact that it could likely be the only surviving example of this reference. It is by far the rarest watch in your excellent collection.
Good news- the movement is very common and parts are not an issue. A new movement is <40 quid.
Bad News, odds are the watch has not been serviced in 40 odd years, and likely is in desperate need to be re-lubed.
Good News again- The movement is so low tolerance, that it does not give a shit about its old gummy lube and will keep ticking for another 20 years.
The crown is supposed to wobble.
Your caseback has two pieces, the caseback itself, and the retaining ring. IMHO, this is a more elegant and effective way to waterproof a watch. It allows for a thick and wide gasket that experiences no sheer forces when the caseback is secured as the 14mm piepan bottom of the caseback is pushed straight down on the gasket vs twisting on to it which deforms gaskets. Also as the caseback is free floating between the gasket and the ring, the more water applies pressure against the back, the more the caseback presses into the gasket. Seiko used this design on the Silverwave (their first water-resist sports watch that was the father of the 62mas)
Here is an animation of the caseback consutruction. https://modstok.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/watch0001-0250_3.mp4
Sorry for the info dump, I have volumes of knowledge and no one to tell. My wife yells "NO" when I turn to her with a watch in my hand...
When I saw the watch and the request for some information I thought to myself he has come to the right place to ask: certainly this great community will be able to put a couple of interesting information pieces together. But you knocked out the park! Thanks for that, man. Very much appreciate it!
This is a mid 80's Vostok Komenderski a Ref# 333xxx (Case #333 - 33=shape, 3=gold color) (with xxx being the unknown dial code) made in the Chistapol Factory, which was opened during WW2 when the Soviets moved the Moscow First watch factory there to be farther from the front. The factory still produces watches on basically the same machines used back in the day. You case came in two versions, onewith a 3'oclock and one at 1 o'clock which in much less common. your caseback is original to the watch, as are the hands, bezel and dial. It is in really great shape. I have handled several 100s of vostoks, and seen tens of 1000's, but have never seen this dial. It is absolutely genuine, but incredibly rare. Vostok under soviet rule was beholden to the Party, so If a party official wanted to gift 20 watches to someone in the middle east, Vostok would make them toot-sweet, no questions asked. As a result, there are many many lots of <50 pcs for special commissions out there. I collect Soviet Era Vostok Ambhibias, so I dont know much about the Koms from the same time period. But to an interested collector this has abnormally large value, if it were an Ambhibia in its condition I would have no problem offering $250-500 due to the fact that it could likely be the only surviving example of this reference. It is by far the rarest watch in your excellent collection.
Good news- the movement is very common and parts are not an issue. A new movement is <40 quid.
Bad News, odds are the watch has not been serviced in 40 odd years, and likely is in desperate need to be re-lubed.
Good News again- The movement is so low tolerance, that it does not give a shit about its old gummy lube and will keep ticking for another 20 years.
The crown is supposed to wobble.
Your caseback has two pieces, the caseback itself, and the retaining ring. IMHO, this is a more elegant and effective way to waterproof a watch. It allows for a thick and wide gasket that experiences no sheer forces when the caseback is secured as the 14mm piepan bottom of the caseback is pushed straight down on the gasket vs twisting on to it which deforms gaskets. Also as the caseback is free floating between the gasket and the ring, the more water applies pressure against the back, the more the caseback presses into the gasket. Seiko used this design on the Silverwave (their first water-resist sports watch that was the father of the 62mas)
Here is an animation of the caseback consutruction. https://modstok.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/watch0001-0250_3.mp4
Sorry for the info dump, I have volumes of knowledge and no one to tell. My wife yells "NO" when I turn to her with a watch in my hand...
Wow that is incredible. I cannot thank you enough!
‘Bismallah al Rahman al raheem’. This is the starting of any Islamic prayer said throughout the world. Literal translation is ‘in the name of God most gracious most merciful’ the central picture is of the ‘Ka’aba’ the large black cubic building that Muslim pilgrims visit on their ‘Hajj’ in Saudi Arabia. An interesting piece.
This is a mid 80's Vostok Komenderski a Ref# 333xxx (Case #333 - 33=shape, 3=gold color) (with xxx being the unknown dial code) made in the Chistapol Factory, which was opened during WW2 when the Soviets moved the Moscow First watch factory there to be farther from the front. The factory still produces watches on basically the same machines used back in the day. You case came in two versions, onewith a 3'oclock and one at 1 o'clock which in much less common. your caseback is original to the watch, as are the hands, bezel and dial. It is in really great shape. I have handled several 100s of vostoks, and seen tens of 1000's, but have never seen this dial. It is absolutely genuine, but incredibly rare. Vostok under soviet rule was beholden to the Party, so If a party official wanted to gift 20 watches to someone in the middle east, Vostok would make them toot-sweet, no questions asked. As a result, there are many many lots of <50 pcs for special commissions out there. I collect Soviet Era Vostok Ambhibias, so I dont know much about the Koms from the same time period. But to an interested collector this has abnormally large value, if it were an Ambhibia in its condition I would have no problem offering $250-500 due to the fact that it could likely be the only surviving example of this reference. It is by far the rarest watch in your excellent collection.
Good news- the movement is very common and parts are not an issue. A new movement is <40 quid.
Bad News, odds are the watch has not been serviced in 40 odd years, and likely is in desperate need to be re-lubed.
Good News again- The movement is so low tolerance, that it does not give a shit about its old gummy lube and will keep ticking for another 20 years.
The crown is supposed to wobble.
Your caseback has two pieces, the caseback itself, and the retaining ring. IMHO, this is a more elegant and effective way to waterproof a watch. It allows for a thick and wide gasket that experiences no sheer forces when the caseback is secured as the 14mm piepan bottom of the caseback is pushed straight down on the gasket vs twisting on to it which deforms gaskets. Also as the caseback is free floating between the gasket and the ring, the more water applies pressure against the back, the more the caseback presses into the gasket. Seiko used this design on the Silverwave (their first water-resist sports watch that was the father of the 62mas)
Here is an animation of the caseback consutruction. https://modstok.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/watch0001-0250_3.mp4
Sorry for the info dump, I have volumes of knowledge and no one to tell. My wife yells "NO" when I turn to her with a watch in my hand...
Christ almighty. Or should I say allah almighty. What an answer!
Wow that is incredible. I cannot thank you enough!
Absolutely my pleasure. I was excited to see it. It is also an important piece as it was likely part of a wider diplomatic effort on the part of the soviets to solidify a vital relationship with one of the oil producing states.
Do not assume it is still water resistant, the gaskets likely dried out 20 years ago.
Here's a more common version of your watch from the same era.