Vostok Komandirskie Review - The Curious Case of the Vostok ‘Fifty Fathoms’
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The most popular Blancpain Fifty Fathoms homage is probably the Seiko SNZH57. It looks fantastic and provides the performance you’d expect from a Seiko 5, for a fraction of the price of the watch it’s imitating. Chances are you’ve probably heard of that watch before.
However, I’d be willing to bet that you’ve never seen this one. Believe it or not, the Russians have had a crack at the famous Swiss design, producing some interesting results. Is it as good as it looks? Keep reading to find out.
The title gives away one secret. Indeed, it’s Vostok that are responsible for this low-cost effort. This brand dates way back to the 1940s and had a close association to the Soviet military until it’s dissolution in 1991. These watches were often a go-to for troops, due to their surprising durability and water performance.
Language
You’ll notice what appears to be the word ‘Boctok’ on the simple black box. This is simply Russian Cyrillic for the word ‘East’, which is pronounced in English as ‘Vostok’. This particular model appears to be one intended to be sold to the Russian domestic market, hence it’s inclusion. Funnily enough, I also have a vintage watch from this brand which is different again, this time with ‘Wostok’ appearing on the dial. Supposedly, this version was used when exporting to several Eastern bloc countries, including what was then East Germany, where the letter ‘w’ is pronounced like a ‘v’.
On the dial, you’ll see a different unusual word. That’s because this watch is part of the popular ‘Komandirskie’ line of military dive watches, with that text literally translating to the word ‘commander’s’.
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Watch Size
Many Komandirskie watches are smaller, with sub-40mm diameters; though this 030787B is a tad bulkier. The dimensions sit at 41.7mm across, with a 15mm depth and 48mm lug to lug, making it wear extremely similarly to its Seiko counterpart. You’re certainly going to notice it on-wrist, although the short lug length makes it wear better than you might expect. Admittedly, it’s too thick for my skinny wrists, but should suit the majority of you out there; given that a portion of the depth is made up by the domed crystal.
A weighty feel is provided by the dense stainless-steel case, which is brushed throughout. The scalloped bezel is the only area other than the crown to feature a polished finish, which contributes to it lacking any resemblance of grip. It’s really tricky to adjust, rendering it all but useless for practical purposes.
Crown
Fortunately, the same cannot be said for the signed crown. This is large, extremely grippy and has some unusual properties. Not only is it screw down – to aid the water performance, but also has the signature ‘wobble’ found on Vostok watches. While this may feel far from confidence-inspiring, it’s actually a conscious decision, designed to protect the movement and stem from excessive lateral forces that may accidentally occur when winding the watch.
This is an unusual feature that adds to the personality of these Russian watches. I think I’d probably prefer it if it were around 10% smaller, though beggars can’t be choosers.
Case
The rear of the case also has a beautiful engraving that you wouldn’t expect from a watch at this price point. It certainly looks very Soviet, but I like it. With the screw-down case-back and large rubber gasket, you’ll easily be able to go swimming or diving in this watch, as it boasts a 200m water resistance rating. I’d go as far as to say I’ve never felt so confident in a watch when it comes to aquatic performance, as this really does feel like a tank.
Glass Type
Another choice, which is supposedly there to aid this subversive ability is the domed acrylic over the dial. This distorts when under high pressure, further sealing the watch from the elements. Whilst the piece of plastic here is thick, it is still plastic. Therefore, it is going to scratch very easily. My preference is certainly with other materials, though I can’t deny that the domed crystal looks fantastic; especially from steep angles. I also can’t expect too much, considering I only paid £95 for this watch.
Dial
I’ll tell you what, it doesn’t look like a £95 watch. Ok, it doesn’t look quite like a £15,000 Blancpain; though I reckon this still looks at home next to many watches at double or triple its price point. While the scalloped black bezel is slippery, it looks gorgeous and features a lume pip at the 12 o’clock position.
The dial is a slightly lighter tone, more of a deep matte grey, maintaining the gold tone numbers at each hour. You’ll notice the original fifty fathoms has a slightly different arrangement, so this Vostok clearly isn’t just a copy and paste job. At each hour, you also get tiny applied oblongs and chevrons, which provide some mild luminescence.
There is also a small dark date window, which blends in perfectly with other areas such as the logo and chapter ring. This is pleasing to see on such an inexpensive watch. The simple silver handset also features some moderate lume and looks good albeit rather plain. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of the printing too, which is very precise; especially the Cyrillic text near the 6 o’clock position, which looks very neat even at a macro level.
Watch Movement
With low-cost watches, I think the presence of a sweeping second hand tends to make the watch look more premium; whether that be in the form of a mecha-quartz, or in this case mechanical, movement.
Remarkably, Vostok have packed in their in-house 31-jewel automatic movement; making it one of the most affordable ways to acquire a mechanical watch, alongside the likes of Seiko, Orient and some lesser-known Chinese brands.
This is far from the smoothest tick out there, with a relatively low 19,800 beats per hour (or 5.5 beats per second). Nevertheless, this lower beat rate will help prolong the lifespan of the movement, potentially resulting in less servicing requirements over time. I think it still looks nicer than a typical 1 tick per second quartz and the mechanism also adds a good amount of weight to the watch that makes it feel like a higher quality product. For the price, it’s impressive that this is achievable at all.
Strap
These Komandirskie watches come on a variety of straps and in a range of colours; I opted for one with a stainless-steel bracelet. I was surprised to discover that it contains solid links, outside of the end links, along with a strong butterfly deployant clasp. Unlike many watches I’ve covered before, it’s obvious that this bracelet prioritises function over form.
It feels very strong and durable, but doesn’t integrate very well with the case in my opinion. The polished flanks and vertical brushing clash with the horizontal brushing on the main body, which is a shame. You’ll also notice that some areas around the lugs don’t sit flush with the case and a couple of the links are particularly tight; which I guess are other compromises made to fit the low price point. It’s up to you how important those factors are.
Is the Vostok Komandirskie Worth It?
Despite the mediocre bracelet, I still think the watch is great value for money. It looks attractive, feels durable and is well-priced. It’s no surprise to me that these quirky watches are so collectable, though do be prepared for slow delivery.
While this is available on Amazon in the US, in Europe this particular model is only available on eBay (update - no longer available) directly from Russia or Ukraine; meaning you can expect to wait several weeks for your parcel. I’ll link the Meramon store, where you can find a close match of the watch, again this is a Russian store so expect longer delivery times.
Personally, I think the watch is worth the wait. It’s a little rougher around the edges than something like a Seiko; but is better in some regards and has a bit more punch and personality. I’d certainly rather spend £95 on this than over £10K on a Blancpain.
