Author Topic: Wrist Watch Help: Anyone Familiar with Vostok Europe?  (Read 927 times)

Snowdog

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Wrist Watch Help: Anyone Familiar with Vostok Europe?
« on: May 18, 2012, 09:37:20 AM »
I'm in the market for a for a decent, middle of the road automatic watch.   I've also been spoiled over the past 10 years by the tritium in my Luminox.

I found a company called Vostok Europe that makes a watch called the Gaz-14 that had tritium hands and dial markers. 
I was unable to find much info on this watch, but the little I did find was positive.  It appears that the movement is made by Seiko, but the rest seems to be made in Lithuania.   

I think it's a nice, clean-looking watch without much of the gadgetry that seems so popular today.
I may have jumped the gun, but I bought the darn thing.   I was able to find a fellow located in Germany that was selling them for $400 before a 10% discount and free shipping.  So I just shelled out $360 for it.

Is Vostok Europe considered a decent (but perhaps nothing particular high-end) watch?   I'm hoping I can consider it a 20-year watch.  Nothing I've read so for leads me to believe that's unrealistic, but I just can't find much info on Vostok.

Thanks in advance!



TommyGunn

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Re: Wrist Watch Help: Anyone Familiar with Vostok Europe?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2012, 12:31:06 PM »
Above my paygrade; mine is a Casio. 
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vaskidmark

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Re: Wrist Watch Help: Anyone Familiar with Vostok Europe?
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2012, 12:40:04 PM »
Aren't tritium night sights pretty much "worn out" at about the 10-year mark?  Your watch may still be accurate to less than a nanosecond per parsec* after 20 years but you won't be able to see the hands/dial in the dark to prove it.

stay safe.

*Yes, I know that's not the calibration ratio used for chronography.  It just sounded good. :P
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dogmush

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Re: Wrist Watch Help: Anyone Familiar with Vostok Europe?
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2012, 01:21:11 PM »
Aren't tritium night sights pretty much "worn out" at about the 10-year mark? 

The half life of Tritium is 12.3 years.  So in 24 years, it'l be about 1/4 as bright as it was new.  Depending on the eyes in question and the size of the vials, that could still be bright enough to see.

My 16YO HK sights are still plenty visable.

On the watch, haven't heard of that brand, but I'm a huge fan of Seiko automatic movements (one is on my wrist as I type this). Although, for that price I'd rather have a new Luminox. I like big, tough watches.

kgbsquirrel

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Re: Wrist Watch Help: Anyone Familiar with Vostok Europe?
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2012, 01:50:49 PM »
The half life of Tritium is 12.3 years.  So in 24 years, it'l be about 1/4 as bright as it was new.  Depending on the eyes in question and the size of the vials, that could still be bright enough to see.

My 16YO HK sights are still plenty visable.

On the watch, haven't heard of that brand, but I'm a huge fan of Seiko automatic movements (one is on my wrist as I type this). Although, for that price I'd rather have a new Luminox. I like big, tough watches.

+1 to the Tritium. Have night sights on my Made in West Germany SIG that are still visible at night.