What is your latest watch

[maudoc64]

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Absolutely one of the greatest of affordable divers. 

And if you're really into classic/vintage Seiko divers of yesteryear....look what's coming in January! 

The re-edition of the famous Seiko 6309 diver, this time with 4r36 mov't and 200m WR:

Seiko SRP773 / 775 / 777 / 779:

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Start saving guys! 

Really interesting.

[dks]

As I mentioned to some I have been buying some automatic watches.

This classic diver watch, new, boxed,arrived today from Russia.  Vostok Amphibian.
Automatic, comes in a variety of looks, with the 31 jewel 2416B movement. It is also available in a rare 300m version.



$40 to my door, in a week. I was surprised it actually arrived, as they are usually around $60 + shipping.



SS body, stepless bidirectional bezel, with the right part in red.
200m proper water resistance.

The Vostok Amphibia,  designed 50 years ago for the soviet army, and still being made today.



It has some very clever design features and is designed to use the pressure, becoming more water resistant with depth. The front plastic lens spreads a bit with the added pressure and the caseback pushes the rear gasket enhancing the water resistance. The case back design reminds me of the gasket system used by G-Shocks now, as it sits without rotating on the gasket and then a locking ring is screwed in, around it pushing it down. So the actual caseback does not rotate, and cannot shear the gasket. It just sits on it.

More history here: http://forums.watchuseek.com/f54/vostok-amphibia-analysis-design-methodology-491757.html



OK Lumen



Manual



Interesting and distinct shape







Locking crown



The SS strap is not as bad as people think, and definitely has an old school charm. Nicely polished and easily adjusted. Pulls hair a bit. (I did order a new strap beforehand anyway)





Size comparison.





It has some quirks, like the fact that you need to move the watch forward by 24 hours every time you want to move the date up, but there is hack that makes this faster. The plastic crystal, a design feature, can get scratched, but it can also be polished and can take a beating.
The timekeeping, once the watch mechanism works for a bit, is considered OK for an automatic. Comes in a hard plastic box.

I was told it looks good.

Vostok’s other well known model is the komandirskie which also comes in a variety of looks, but it is not an automatic and the body is not SS. Retails for around $30. To me the amphibian is the better buy.

The amphibian is a solid automatic watch with proper diving credentials and ability, unusual and with a low cost.

With Vostok it is no need to buy used, unless you need an older model, since the new ones are made the same way and cost the same.

[SAK Guy]

Nice diver!!!!!

[lowtech]

You can adjust the date quick by moving the hands past midnight, the nturnig them back to before7 or 8 and back to after twelve, each time you repeat teh cycle, the date should advance one day.
Nice watch, many nice mods to be seen around the web - I´m glad I got rid of mine before I really got into the matter...

[dks]

I adjusted the date the quick way- i saw a video on youtube a week ago, so i just did what you said when I got it. It came with  11th on the date, so I had to go through the whole month. Not pleasant, but for $ 40....
I have been wearing it since yesterday and it seems to keep time OK. I assume it may need adjustment once a week at the most.
Nice, old fashioned, but not cheap, look.

[Grathr]

Nice Amphibia DKS!
I have a very similar one with black face and rubber strap.

[kkokkolis]

I like the Trabants. Shouldn't you use Ladas with it?

[dks]

I have ordered a new rubber strap, but the watch arrived first and the ss strap on it is not bad.
I have been wearing it constantly and it seems to keep perfect time, for me.
Here is a video for anybody wanting more information.

[dks]

Kokkolis, sssssht. Most people can not tell the difference 

[Grathr]

This Sunroad just arrived in the mail.

[enki_ck]

Never heard of that brand. Is it good? Pricey?

[Grathr]

Never heard of that brand. Is it good? Pricey?

It was DKS that discovered them. I think he wrote about them earlier in this thread.


It seems to be decently made. Time will show if it is any good.  It has a pedometer, compass, barometer (swiss), thermometer, stopwatch, alarms, countdown timer and world time, and came with a extra battery.
It was not pricey at all. I bought it on ebay for £21+shipping. (Took over a month to arrive)

It is quite  big.

Heres a link to the manufacturer:
http://www.sunroadtech.com/en/

Comparison pics with a casio dw6600 and a 5610.

[enki_ck]

A bit big for my taste but it does look cool.

[sawman]

That Amphibian seems too good to be true for $40. I'll be keeping an eye out here to see how long yours lasts if you'll keep us updated 

[dks]

Enci, my sunroad has a more ordinary look and size - less like a G-shock.

Sawman, do not let the price fool you. If you follow the links and do a search you will see that it has a solid reputation.
Also, I doubt you will be able to get it for what I paid. Most will be around $70 with shipping. I was just lucky.
I have been wearing it for nearly a week and it works fine and looks good. I will give a report on timekeeping, after a week, tomorrow, but it is pretty accurate so far.

I like the smooth movement of the seconds dial, and the lumen seems to be OK for a whole night.

[sawman]

Enci, my sunroad has a more ordinary look and size - less like a G-shock.

Sawman, do not let the price fool you. If you follow the links and do a search you will see that it has a solid reputation.
Also, I doubt you will be able to get it for what I paid. Most will be around $70 with shipping. I was just lucky.
I have been wearing it for nearly a week and it works fine and looks good. I will give a report on timekeeping, after a week, tomorrow, but it is pretty accurate so far.

I like the smooth movement of the seconds dial, and the lumen seems to be OK for a whole night.

Sounds like a real winner I will be on the lookout for one when funds permit

[Grathr]

Enci, my sunroad has a more ordinary look and size - less like a G-shock.

Sawman, do not let the price fool you. If you follow the links and do a search you will see that it has a solid reputation.
Also, I doubt you will be able to get it for what I paid. Most will be around $70 with shipping. I was just lucky.
I have been wearing it for nearly a week and it works fine and looks good. I will give a report on timekeeping, after a week, tomorrow, but it is pretty accurate so far.

I like the smooth movement of the seconds dial, and the lumen seems to be OK for a whole night.

A vostok with lume that lasts all night?
Are you sure its not a fake? :p

The lume in mine is poor. Lasts only 30mins or so.

[dks]

I was surprised too 

It has been said that their lumen can be a gamble, but I usually put the lights out around 11 at night, and at around 6 in the morning when I wake up (Dark room), naturally, and check the time I can see the dials reasonably well, and tell time.

[Grathr]

I was surprised too 

It has been said that their lumen can be a gamble, but I usually put the lights out around 11 at night, and at around 6 in the morning when I wake up (Dark room), naturally, and check the time I can see the dials reasonably well, and tell time.

That is pretty good! You got lucky!

[raistlin65]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:



I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

 

[SAK Guy]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:

(Image removed from quote.)

I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

Yeah.....you got it bad.        

Great watch BTW!     

[raistlin65]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:

(Image removed from quote.)

I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

Yeah.....you got it bad.        

Great watch BTW!     

Uh-oh. If you are cheering me on, I know I'm in trouble.

 

[Grathr]

Nice watch!

[SAK Guy]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:

(Image removed from quote.)

I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

Yeah.....you got it bad.        

Great watch BTW!     

Uh-oh. If you are cheering me on, I know I'm in trouble.

 

I need a ride to the SAKaholics meetings Who, me? Trouble? 

[dks]

After 1 week.

It was set to the minute using the phone, which gets the time from the GSM network - pretty accurate.  By the method used, it was set a bit fast.

It seems to be about 1 or 2 minutes ahead now, so it may gain about 10 to 20s per day.  What this means is that you may need to adjust it once a month.

Usually they get even more accurate after working for a month. There are also ways to make them more accurate, but +- 10s per day seems to be the most accuracy you could expect, and mine seems to be there now. (the specs are 20 to 60s per day)

In automatic-mechanical watch terms it is considered accurate and up to par with many more expensive models.

[raistlin65]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:

(Image removed from quote.)

I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

Yeah.....you got it bad.        

Great watch BTW!     

Uh-oh. If you are cheering me on, I know I'm in trouble.

 

I need a ride to the SAKaholics meetings Who, me? Trouble? 

Uh-huh. Roughly how many SAKs do you own now?

I would asked "exactly" how many but I suspect you have so many don't know.

[SAK Guy]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:

(Image removed from quote.)

I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

Yeah.....you got it bad.        

Great watch BTW!     

Uh-oh. If you are cheering me on, I know I'm in trouble.

 

I need a ride to the SAKaholics meetings Who, me? Trouble? 

Uh-huh. Roughly how many SAKs do you own now?

I would asked "exactly" how many but I suspect you have so many don't know.

  My collection is small by this board's standards......it will still fit in a 18gal size storage tub. I would estimate it at 125lbs. 

[raistlin65]

Got a new SAW today, a Victorinox Maverick 241441 watch:

(Image removed from quote.)

I think it's cheaper to collect SAKs instead of SAWs. This is my fourth Victorinox/Wenger watch. What am I getting myself into? 

Yeah.....you got it bad.        

Great watch BTW!     

Uh-oh. If you are cheering me on, I know I'm in trouble.

 

I need a ride to the SAKaholics meetings Who, me? Trouble? 

Uh-huh. Roughly how many SAKs do you own now?

I would asked "exactly" how many but I suspect you have so many don't know.

  My collection is small by this board's standards......it will still fit in a 18gal size storage tub. I would estimate it at 125lbs. 

Too many to count, so now you have to estimate by volume and weight?

[dks]

Continuing with automatics, Jaragar H057M, open heart, day, date, month, 24 hour bezel. $24. All buttons and dials work.

I just liked the look of it.

Jaragar have a decent reputation, regarding overall quality and can be had from around $12. They use reasonably good Chinese movements, and are possibly a real brand. The model I have here has the more complicated movement.

Supposed to have a SS case, but I think it is just chromed, glass crystal, Leather strap, open glass back. 81g



I had to wind it a bit to get it started.



The top left crown is used to rotate the numbers inside the bezel (13-24)



you can see the winding weight and the inside of the watch from the back glass, and there is some nice detail on the movement.





Branding on the strap





The strap is too thin for the watch.



There was a bit where the chrome or the case had some form of pitting, a sign of problematic casting



There also seems to be a tiny dirt mark inside the glass, only visible under the right light/angle.

size comparison



Lumen




It seems to keep time OK, so far.

More information on the brand here:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f72/jaragar-watches-384253-13.html

A good looking, interesting, working watch

[dks]

The new bezel for the DW5700 arrived from Brazil, so here are some pictures to compare the new one with the original one.

The original one is more shiny, and has better finish inside. The new one has visible casting marks, on the inside.