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OTHER
VOSTOK VOLNA PRECISION 2809
This is a Vostok Volna Precision in it's original box and all the papers that came along with it. Only the strap is new and attached for the photography of the watch. The watch looks the same like it left the factory in 1968. This Vostok is one of the third generation and was produced after 1964 with the gold-plated movement and the "B" sign on the bridge.
(*) In the late 1950s, the Soviet Union sought to jump start it’s expanding watchmaking industry, through the acquisition of modern watch manufacturing capabilities. While it had already achieved the ability to mass-produce mechanical movements, mostly through the First Moscow Watch Factory (later Poljot), and Vostok (the military contractor), it lacked the ability to manufacture high-end precision movements. In particular, one of the most sought after technologies was the ability to manufacture chronometer-grade wristwatch movements, which were capable of being adjusted to within COSC specifications. It is to be noted that almost all of the COSC capable watches of the era were Swiss in origin.
The Soviets “acquired” Zenith’s caliber 135 technology, and started to manufacture their own “version” of the same movement, albeit with some significant changes. While it retained the exceptionally large balance wheel, and the overall layout of the movement, it sought to improve the Swiss design, by adding 3 additional jewels, to arrive at the current 22-jewel movement. Additionally, the placement of the second-hand was moved from the sub-dial position to the center position. Typical of Russian manufacturing, the highly decorated nature of the movement was erased, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the manufacturing process. Soviets cared first and foremost about function over form.
The 22-jewel movement was manufactured by Vostok and used exclusively for the Vostok Precision line and Wolna series of watches.
(*) Monochrome watches/Ilias Giannopoulos
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