Repair or no?
I picked up this 1970s Poljot from a Ukrainian seller a while back. He doesn’t know much about it, specifically, he sells flea market watches. It’s probably an export version of a pilot watch, as the date wheel is in English and he told me at least that he sees that from time to time.
He told me up front — so no aspersions — that the date change button wasn’t working. It runs and keeps decentish time. I don’t “love” the watch but i have kept it out to see how my reactions develop and it’s grown on me a lot.
Nevertheless a repair on a vintage Poljot movement is probably hard to find. Curious of others would get it repaired.
I need to buy fewer watches so I can afford to buy more watches. The four rules of Watch Collecting, stolen from @JaeBust: 1. I can resist anything except temptation. 2. It is easier to beg forg...
It's more that the average watchmaker has less accessibility to Soviet parts and it's more of a hassle. I just scoured the net for a balance staff for my Pobeda because the poor watchmaker was trying to find something to work that he had on hand every time I called.
Get a local estimate and offer to provide parts necessary would be my advice.
It's more that the average watchmaker has less accessibility to Soviet parts and it's more of a hassle. I just scoured the net for a balance staff for my Pobeda because the poor watchmaker was trying to find something to work that he had on hand every time I called.
Get a local estimate and offer to provide parts necessary would be my advice.
That’s a great suggestion. Thanks!
Servicing a vintage watch is question of passion or emotion for that watch.If it is on your wishlist of watch collection…don’t listen to anybody and get it serviced.
It’s not an export version, export versions have English faces. It’s not a model I’ve seen if you can repair it I’d repair it I think it’s a very attractive watch. I didn’t notice the English day wheel it’s probably just a parts bin watch. But I still like it I would definitely put a Russian day wheel back in it though. Finding a cheap running watch with the same movement and just swapping the movement would probably be easier than even fixing it.
It’s not an export version, export versions have English faces. It’s not a model I’ve seen if you can repair it I’d repair it I think it’s a very attractive watch. I didn’t notice the English day wheel it’s probably just a parts bin watch. But I still like it I would definitely put a Russian day wheel back in it though. Finding a cheap running watch with the same movement and just swapping the movement would probably be easier than even fixing it.
It is English tho, the day wheel is. Or do you mean the brand, that makes sense. Why the english day wheel then, do you know?
It is English tho, the day wheel is. Or do you mean the brand, that makes sense. Why the english day wheel then, do you know?
I expect it’s a parts bin watch. Pretty common in Soviet watches these days. Export models generally had English on the faces they will say JEWELS instead of KAMHR and USSR instead of saying CCCP. People in Soviet Russia often liked to try and get the export models because there was a belief that they were finished better. No proof that it’s true but that was the prevailing wisdom.
I have several vintage overseas watches that need repairs. Its just the cons of the vintage watch game. Limited parts, limited know-how from the artisans fixing them, its a tough one that then turns into higher costs to repair. That said, I elect not to fix them unless I'm dying to get it working again.
I expect it’s a parts bin watch. Pretty common in Soviet watches these days. Export models generally had English on the faces they will say JEWELS instead of KAMHR and USSR instead of saying CCCP. People in Soviet Russia often liked to try and get the export models because there was a belief that they were finished better. No proof that it’s true but that was the prevailing wisdom.
Yes he did tell me that part, about the preference for export models. Maybe scare sheep salvaged from one? Hard to say. It’s a nifty piece tho
Yes he did tell me that part, about the preference for export models. Maybe scare sheep salvaged from one? Hard to say. It’s a nifty piece tho
I collect Soviet watches. And these days most of the ones you’re getting come from parts bins. It’s been a long time.
I collect Soviet watches. And these days most of the ones you’re getting come from parts bins. It’s been a long time.
That’s all true. I have a redialed Big Zero, at some point i’ll find a real dial and remarry them
I collect Soviet watches. And these days most of the ones you’re getting come from parts bins. It’s been a long time.
It’s a very good redial tho. Hard to tell, unless you look closely.
I got an old vostok repaired. Cost more than it was worth/what I bought it for. If you want to go for it, go for it. If you ever wanted to sell it one day having it being in good/working condition would make it eaiser to sell (not saying you’d make your money back but still). Wear it in good health!
I got an old vostok repaired. Cost more than it was worth/what I bought it for. If you want to go for it, go for it. If you ever wanted to sell it one day having it being in good/working condition would make it eaiser to sell (not saying you’d make your money back but still). Wear it in good health!
Yes, I have no intent to resell this for a profit at any point, if ever I do. But I appreciate the perspective! I
I got an old vostok repaired. Cost more than it was worth/what I bought it for. If you want to go for it, go for it. If you ever wanted to sell it one day having it being in good/working condition would make it eaiser to sell (not saying you’d make your money back but still). Wear it in good health!
I never buy old Soviet stuff unless it’s been serviced. It’s just not worth it.
Ex-Soviet ⌚ do have a number of repairmen who emigrated from 🇷🇺 and 🇺🇦, especially in the Greater New York area.
I am sure that people who know how to fix Vostok camd fix Poljot.
The question, though, comes down to cost and intended use.
If the cost is prohibitive, then maybe it is not worth the effort.
Similarly, why fix the ⌚ if you do not plan to wear it often.
Personally, I have never had luck with ex-Soviet timepieces.
The Vostok submarine wall clock that I had ran alright, albeit loudly.
The wristwatches, though, were utter trash.
The watch isn’t all original. This is a domestic model, so date wheel should be in Cyrillic to match the rest of the dial. I also wouldn’t be shocked if other things aren’t original as well, but the only way to tell would be to check the catalogs, whitch I don’t have access to at the moment.
I’d honestly buy a new one that’s all original and has no issues. It would save you a ton of time and money.
Ex-Soviet ⌚ do have a number of repairmen who emigrated from 🇷🇺 and 🇺🇦, especially in the Greater New York area.
I am sure that people who know how to fix Vostok camd fix Poljot.
The question, though, comes down to cost and intended use.
If the cost is prohibitive, then maybe it is not worth the effort.
Similarly, why fix the ⌚ if you do not plan to wear it often.
Personally, I have never had luck with ex-Soviet timepieces.
The Vostok submarine wall clock that I had ran alright, albeit loudly.
The wristwatches, though, were utter trash.
if they have been serviced they are fine, if not no.
I never buy old Soviet stuff unless it’s been serviced. It’s just not worth it.
Dana, I'm a bit cynical when a Ukrainian vendor states "serviced by a watch master", but the watch is sold with no reserve.
OK, so the date change button doesn't work. When the hands are turned past midnight, does the date change?
Dana, I'm a bit cynical when a Ukrainian vendor states "serviced by a watch master", but the watch is sold with no reserve.
Well I take the back off and take a loupe and look at it it’s not that big a deal. I haven’t gotten burned yet on a movement that was supposedly serviced in Ukraine, but I check the feedback a lot. I’ve only been burned once from a Ukrainian seller. the movement was serviced but the rest of the watch was a filthy mess.
OK, so the date change button doesn't work. When the hands are turned past midnight, does the date change?
The day and date both change, yes. Watch runs and keeps good time.
The day and date both change, yes. Watch runs and keeps good time.
The pusher to adjust the date, usually presses against a lever to set the date. Be interesting if you could take the caseback off, and take a photo. Apart from that you could see if there is anything obviously wrong.
The pusher to adjust the date, usually presses against a lever to set the date. Be interesting if you could take the caseback off, and take a photo. Apart from that you could see if there is anything obviously wrong.
Yeah I will take a look. I don’t want to void the warranty tho! 😝😀🤣
There’s a #poljot specialist in Munich who repairs them:
https://www.poljot24.de/en/repair
I just sent him two watches to be repaired.
There’s a #poljot specialist in Munich who repairs them:
https://www.poljot24.de/en/repair
I just sent him two watches to be repaired.
Thanks! I appreciate that! I actually opened it last night and the date change lever actuates quite well and changes the date, but the pusher seems to not be long enough, which probably means 40-odd years of changing the date slowly deformed the lever? Postage to München probably is comparable to what I paid for the watch sadly. But I appreciate it!
Thanks! I appreciate that! I actually opened it last night and the date change lever actuates quite well and changes the date, but the pusher seems to not be long enough, which probably means 40-odd years of changing the date slowly deformed the lever? Postage to München probably is comparable to what I paid for the watch sadly. But I appreciate it!
I paid $47 for the flat rate USPS shipping with tracking and $200 of insurance (from Austin to Munich). Not cheap.
I get how ~ $100 in round trip shipping may not be worth it.
In my case, I’m repairing a couple of heirloom watches. My grandfather used to buy Russian movements from the 1950s to the 1970s, and used them in his own watch brands.
These Russian movements are bulletproof. Classic Soviet-era engineering. Both of my watches have never been serviced. One still runs well!
I paid $47 for the flat rate USPS shipping with tracking and $200 of insurance (from Austin to Munich). Not cheap.
I get how ~ $100 in round trip shipping may not be worth it.
In my case, I’m repairing a couple of heirloom watches. My grandfather used to buy Russian movements from the 1950s to the 1970s, and used them in his own watch brands.
These Russian movements are bulletproof. Classic Soviet-era engineering. Both of my watches have never been serviced. One still runs well!
Oh i totally understand and if this had not been a late night impulse buy I would be willing. But it was just kind of an interesting looking piece. That sounds very cool about your father and I’m glad you found a repair specialist!