^ Now you have me looking at this! :O) Anyway I’m *trying* to keep this just below hobby status, but being the information junkie that I am it’s hard to resist! Any comments on buying from eBay?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAN-RUSSIA...031?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10#rpdCntId
That's a newly made Vostok Amphibia, meaning it's real and they actively still make them. I could tell by the dial, but there is also the script at the bottom. All mine are from the Soviet Era or shortly after.
The people at the Russian watch forum at watchuseek.com said they thought the new ones were more cheaply made than the old ones, I don't know personally. I do know that the ones I have that were made before the fall have a serial number on the back case where those made after 1993 do not.
Vostok makes a good watch and if you want a new one I'd look on their site to see what kind of selection they have. I've never owned one but have seen people happy with their purchase of one. Above all, don't get too rushed buying off ebay.
There is a whole cottage industry of people in the Ukraine, mostly, with large chests full of watch parts that they assemble into a working watch, but one that was never officially made. (I have friends in the Ukraine so that is not to say everyone there is a crook. This is ebay I'm talking.) It might have the wrong dial, crown, case, etc. and is considered a counterfeit.
I spent many a long, albeit enjoyable, night searching ebay for what a real Russian watch looks like as opposed to a counterfeit and studying sites like the one I referenced. Luckily, I never got stung and the people at the watch forums confirmed it. You can get some nice buys if you're an educated shopper, or not so much. I happened to find a Poljot still in the box with matching certificate and serial number one night.
I bought almost all of mine through one Russian seller and we became friends over time and sales. He would sometime hold a watch for me till I got paid or take one off auction to sell me if I was really interested. His father is a watchmaker of over 30 years, too, and cleaned mine as a favor. If you're interested in an older watch I can put you in touch with him and give you my ebay name as reference. We talked about the fakes, too, so it's common knowledge in those circles. I trust him and he wouldn't sell junk.
The Russian forum at that watch site has a lot of knowledgeable people and if you have a question about the authenticity of a watch they will be able to help you. If you're interested just make a thread with the link and they'll take a look for you. You can see lots of pictures of watches there and learn a lot as well.
You can tell I've worn it a lot.
