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Buying and selling (with a little more buying than selling) primarily vintage watches.
All Feedback (46)
- ncc.inc (7086)- Feedback left by buyer.More than a year agoVerified purchaseDRAIN THE SWAMP! A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reviews (3)
30 Dec, 2017
Great watch and incredible value
1 of 1 found this helpful To anyone considering buying an Amphibia, I highly recommend doing so without hesitation. Before taking the plunge though, you do need to know what you’re getting into. I highly recommend reading up on the history of this particular watch and it’s design, as learning about exactly why the watch was designed in the way it was gives great insight into why exactly the watch is how it is. Yes, the crown feels sort of wobbly, but yes, that is a design feature than contributes to making the watch more rugged in the long term. No, this watch does not have a quick set date or hacking seconds, but look online to find tips as far as how to quickly set the date and stop the seconds hand in non-conventional ways. Many owners of Vostok watches complain about the lume, and I would have to agree. It glows very bright for a short while (by this I mean literally a minute or two) and then slowly disappears by about the 20 minute mark. The green dial on this particular version is very nice, and the green waves are actually higher-contrasting than they appeared to be in many of the online photos. The lines that present themselves as waves are not so much two different colors but alternating matte and gloss areas. The dial printing itself is quite clear, and, in my particular example, the lume is applied fairly neatly. The vast majority of people complain about the bracelet that these watches come on, and I have to agree to a point. The bracelet links themselves aren’t bad at all, but the clasp is absolutely atrocious. If you have a spare 22mm clasp paging around, you could easily swap it in and create a very serviceable bracelet for this watch. I currently have mine on a rustic brown leather band, which suits the green dial and overall aesthetic of the watch very well. Some older versions of these watches have a crown that looks to be stamped from a flat piece of metal, but this example has a crown with attractive concentric machining on the outer face and a sort of coin-edge ridging pattern along the surface. The case is polished solid stainless steel, as is the bezel. I was somewhat surprised to find this, as many of these watches featured chrome plated brass bezels in the past. Upon removing the bezel, however, there are concentric machining marks on the understudied of the bezel that are consistent with it being made of stainless steel. That, the lack of evidence of any plating under magnification, ans the fact that the finish on the bezel is the same as on the case solidified that the bezel is in fact made of stainless steel. That said, I still plan on replacing the bezel on this watch, as the polished stainless steel makes it just a bit too shiny for my tastes. My example has kept excellent time over the several days that I have owned it (literally within 5 seconds a day on the first day, 4 seconds on the second and third). All in all, this is the least you can pay for a 31 jewel automatic movement anywhere, and the facts that it runs amazing, is practically bulletproof, looks great, and is easily moddable makes the Vostok Amphibia a wonderful watch for just about anyone to add to their collection. I normally wear smaller watches than the 41ish mm Vostok, but it fits very comfortably on the wrist because of the cushion case’s downturned lugs. All in all, a highly recommended watch.
13 Feb, 2018
Amazing value in a gorgeous watch
1 of 1 found this helpful The Seiko SARB017 is one of the best values that you can find in watchmaking today, period. The dial is expertly done, as is the finishing on the case, and Seiko's photos of this watch hardly begin to do it justice. The movement has proven incredibly accurate, and the durability of this watch is absolutely wonderful especially considering just how amazing it looks on there wrist. The size is perfect, the lume is great (it's a Seiko, of course), the brushing on the lugs contrasts perfectly with the polished faceted sides of the case. Yes, the band is pretty junky but that isn't why you are buying this... looks great on a bracelet, a rustic leather strap, or even a NATO. I can't recommend this watch enough for someone who loves a high quality timepiece and wants to add a little color to their collection for not that money. For the watch collector that has all sorts of high end timepieces, this hands its own perfectly well with much more expensive Swiss, Japanese, and German examples. Highly recommend.
17 Jan, 2018
Huge upgrade over the stock bezel spring
1 of 1 found this helpful Much easier to work with and make fine bends in to adjust bezel tightness. Works like a charm, well worth the price!