Diving watches

[Eric802]

If I was going to get a Tudor for a dive watch (and I'd like to), it'd be the monochrome Black Bay 41. Very much like the two-line, no date Submariners.

 

[old frogman]

My Vostoks' bezels are bi-directional also.


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Interesting looking watches. Noted the red star and the name Vostok. Are they Russian or perhaps East European origin? What is the depth rating?

They have the 1950s Art Deco look. The one on the right reminds me of the Swiss Blancpain 50 Fathoms watch circa 1953.

The bidirectional bezel is interesting.

 

[mr_v]

@old frogman,

Vostok is a Soviet-now-Russian watch brand. Originally, these and similar watches - known in general as "Kommandirskie" although the generalization is not entirely correct - were issued to officers. The design and movement have always been what you'd expect from a Soviet watch: poor precision combined with odd styling. Over time these watches entered civilian market. As the Iron Curtain shut off most of the imports, these watches were some of the best in the local market. Then the Iron Curtain fell.

Today I would not buy any of these -- too grotesque by my standards. Seiko offers a much better choice in its affordable line up. Seiko Prospex is even better. And if you want a desk diver, do what every junior analyst does with the first bonus - Rolex Submariner.

 

[rx7diver]

Just to be clear, the reason a dive watch’s bezel only turns counter-clockwise is because if it’s bumped, and the bezel moves, it will show more bottom time, not less. Bottom time is set from the time you leave the surface, until you leave the bottom to start your ascent. ...

@John C. Ratliff,

The first dive watches predate the SPG. It makes sense to me that a diver would want a bumped bezel to indicate that his/her elapsed dive time is greater than it actually is, in order to protect him/her a bit from running out of gas even for no-deco dives--since his dive plan likely was based on his not running out of gas. So, he'll begin his ascent from this planned no-deco dive sooner, rather than later.

Thoughts?

rx7diver

 

[old frogman]

@old frogman,

Vostok is a Soviet-now-Russian watch brand. Originally, these and similar watches - known in general as "Kommandirskie" although the generalization is not entirely correct - were issued to officers. The design and movement have always been what you'd expect from a Soviet watch: poor precision combined with odd styling. Over time these watches entered civilian market. As the Iron Curtain shut off most of the imports, these watches were some of the best in the local market. Then the Iron Curtain fell.

Today I would not buy any of these -- too grotesque by my standards. Seiko offers a much better choice in its affordable line up. Seiko Prospex is even better. And if you want a desk diver, do what every junior analyst does with the first bonus - Rolex Submariner.

They do look a bit kitsch. Would be a cool accessory for a heavy metal rock band. Then everyone would want one.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

@John C. Ratliff,

The first dive watches predate the SPG. It makes sense to me that a diver would want a bumped bezel to indicate that his/her elapsed dive time is greater than it actually is, in order to protect him/her a bit from running out of gas even for no-deco dives--since his dive plan likely was based on his not running out of gas. So, he'll begin his ascent from this planned no-deco dive sooner, rather than later.

Thoughts?

rx7diver

Actually, the air situation was mostly guided by use of the J-valve. Most recreational divers could easily ascend by simply using the J-valve warning. There were other reserve mechanisms prior to the SPG, such as the automatic reserve, or the sonic reserve (Healthways).

SeaRat

 

[ROUS]

They do look a bit kitsch. Would be a cool accessory for a heavy metal rock band. Then everyone would want one.

If Vostok watches were good enough for Steve Zissou, they're good enough for me.

 

[Chris H]

Not sure I’ll dive with it, but I just got a Tudor Pelagos. Who doesn’t need a helium release valve?

 

[Eric802]

Not sure I’ll dive with it, but I just got a Tudor Pelagos. Who doesn’t need a helium release valve?

Not watch-related (although I love the Pelagos), but is your sig line a reference to Red Granite?

 

[DirtFish]

Not sure I’ll dive with it, but I just got a Tudor Pelagos. Who doesn’t need a helium release valve?

I agree, and you never know when you might need to descend to 1000 ft. when out to dinner.
My new Omega Seamaster.