
Modstok.
Vostok Modding Information & Resources
VOSTOK WATCH & PART SOURCES
Below you will find a list of suppliers that either I have used in the past, or are mentioned as reliable sources in well established forums such as WUS and /r/vostok on reddit.

BUYVOSTOK
UNITED STATES
BEZELS
DIALS
CASE BACKS
CASES
HANDS
MOVEMENTS/PARTS
WATCHES

MERANOM
RUSSIA
BEZELS
DIALS
CASE BACKS
CASES
HANDS
MOVEMENTS/PARTS
WATCHES
SPECIAL EDITIONS
Ships to US

ONE SECOND CLOSER
POLAND
BEZELS
BEZEL INSERTS
CUSTOM HANDS

SCUBADUDE STORE
UNITED STATES
WATCHES

VOSTOKMOD
POLAND
CUSTOM DIALS

SOVIET WATCHER
UKRAINE
BEZELS
WATCHES

RAFFLES TIME
SINGAPORE
CUSTOM HANDS
CUSTOM DIALS

VOSTOK AMPHIBIA
RUSSIA/USA
BEZELS
INSERTS
WATCHES
PARTS
HANDS
DIALS

VOSTOK-POLJOT
RUSSIA
BEZELS
WATCHES
PRE MODDED WATCHES
Ships to US

SHOP IV
UKRAINE
HANDS
DIALS

BORIS_GVB
EUROPE
BEZELS
PRE MODDED WATCHES
WATCHES

FAVINOV
RUSSIA/USA
DIALS
BEZELS
PARTS
HANDS
MOVEMENTS
WATCHES

VOSTOK-POLJOT
RUSSIA
BEZELS
PARTS
CASES
HANDS
MOVEMENTS
WATCHES
DIALS

SOVIET WATCHER
RUSSIA
BEZELS
BEZEL INSERTS
WATCHES
VINTAGE WATCHES

KOMANDIRSKI
RUSSIA
BEZELS
BEZEL INSERTS
WATCHES
PRE MODDED WATCHES
VARIOUS PARTS
CASE BACKS

AM.DIVER
EUROPE
CUSTOM CONFIGURATOR
PRE MODDED WATCHES
BEZELS
BEZEL INSERTS
WATCHES
DIALS

MURPHY MANUFACTURING
UNITED STATES
BEZELS

BANDUKH
UNITED STATES
BEZELS
DIALS
STRAPS
HANDS
WATCHES
FLAT SKX BEZEL INSERTS
(ONLY USE FLAT)
Try to source from list above first- they are invested in the community. Otherwise here are some other great SKX insert sources.
KEY TO LISTINGS
BEZELS
Standard Vostok Bezels (All Metal), Bezels that take SKX sized inserts, Bezels that already have an insert, Custom All Metal Bezels, Bezel Retaining Springs.
BEZEL INSERTS
SKX Sized Bezel Inserts of all materials and types.
WATCHES
New Vostok Amphibias & Komandirskies.
VINTAGE WATCHES
Pre owned or NOS Vostok watches in various conditions. Many are “franken watches”, which is fine as long as you understand what you are getting.
PRE MODDED WATCHES
Vostok watches that have had some level of modification done. Generally this mod is a new bezel.
CUSTOM CONFIGURATOR
Allows you to visually build a watch from a list of cases, dials, and bezels. AM DIVER is the only one at this time.
CASEBACKS
Solid Casebacks, Clear Casebacks, and Caseback retaining rings.
CASES
Bare Casebacks with attached crystal, gaskets, and case specific winding stem/crown assembly.
MOVEMENTS/PARTS
New Movements, Used Movements, Movement Specific Parts and Screws, Movement holders
PARTS
Datewheels, crowns, stems, gaskets, crystals, gilt rings, movement holders, lug adapters. (Kind of a catch all for sites that dont have specific ranges per se)
DIALS
New or NOS vostok dials.
VINTAGE DIALS
Includes Dials that have been removed from doner watches. May also include salvage for parts non working watches (dial doners)
HANDS
Standard New hands, new custom hands, used hands,






The Reed is Stronger than the Oak
When trying to counter a force, there are two approaches- brute and finesse. The western approach to water resistance uses the brute force method- thick elements and very fine tolerances. Because 1950’s USSR manufacturing lacked the machines and patents, they had to plot a different plan of attack. Enter the two-part case back. By having a wide based pie pan case back held in place with an inset retaining ring, they were able to create a dynamic system that used the very water pressure itself to fortify the watch against water pressure. As pressure builds up on the free-floating pie pan it is free to compress even tighter against the beefy, wide, flat gasket below it- sealing more and more as the pressure increases. And because the base of the pie pan does not twist as it is tightened, there is not torsion force against the gasket.
NEVER ASSUME ANY USED WATCH IS WATERPROOF




















AUTOMATIC VOSTOK MOVEMENTS
ALL MOVEMENTS WILL FIT ALL COMMON CASES. THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO MATCH IS THE HAND DIAL COMBINATION. YOU WILL STILL NEED TO BUY A WINDING STEM TO MATCH YOUR CASE.
The only other variable is the date window- for a 6 o’clock date window, you will still use the same movement, but may need to supply avertical datewheel.
If you install an automatic movement into a case that formally had a hand-wound only movement, you may need to buy a new caseback.
Date Wheels



2416B
12 HOUR
3 HAND
CENTRAL SECONDS
HORIZONTAL DATE WHEEL

2415
12 HOUR
3 HAND
CENTRAL SECONDS

2431.01
24 HOUR
3 HAND
SMALL SECONDS

2426.12
12 HOUR
3 HAND + GMT
SMALL SECONDS

2416.02
12 HOUR
3 HAND
SMALL SECONDS
WITH HORIZONTAL DATE WHEEL

2415.12
12 HOUR
3 HAND
SMALL SECONDS

2431B
24 HOUR
3 HAND
CENTRAL SECONDS
HORIZONTAL DATE WHEEL

2426.02
12 HOUR
3 HAND + GMT
SMALL SECONDS
HORIZONTAL DATE WHEEL
Bezel Modding


The Vostok Bezel
Height 3.7 mm.
Outer Diameter 39.7 mm.
Inner Diameter 31.2 mm
Outer Base Size 38,3 mm.
Inner Base Size 33.7mm.
- Bezel insert accepted: Inner diameter of 31.5 and an Outer diameter of 38mm.
- The Retaining Spring is made of brass or spring steel and had a diameter of .5mm.
- The bezels on the standard, non-SE Amphibia models, are chrome plated brass. The chrome is fairly durable and evenly applied. SE models have stainless steel bezels.
- All bezels are bi-directional: they will turn both ways. They turn freely with no clicks.
- The friction can be adjusted by slightly adjusting the shape of the thin wire which holds the bezel in place
- Aftermarket bezels made for Amphibia will also fit the Komenderskies.
WHAT FITS WHAT
Most bezels will fit most cases. The exception:
Vostok factory bezels made for the larger cases (# 090 , 100 and 110) are slightly wider, and will not allow enough space for the crown on the smaller cases because these cases are slightly larger and are sold with a slightly wider bezel. ANY bezel will fit these cases, but the bezels sold with these cases WILL NOT fit the smaller cases (060, 100, 120, 420, 710 / SE cases 150, 960) Any bezel not from a #90, 100, or 110 case will fit any other Amphibia or Komenderskie.

Bezel Inserts & How to install them onto your blank
Aftermarket vostok bezels are made to accept a FLAT bezel insert that has an inner diameter of 31.5 and an outer diameter of 38mm. This opens up your choices of insert immensely as that is the size that the Seiko SKXxxx uses, and therefore there are a huge amount of aftermarket inserts from a huge number of outlets.
Bezel inserts can be made from aluminium, ceramic, steel, and sapphire. Some have lume, some don’t. I could take you down the rabbit hole of all the different bezel markings and their functions, but I will spare you.
My favorites are One-Second-Closer.com, dlwwatches.com, and namokimods.com but a quick web search for “Skx bezel insert” will return pages of results. Also Aliexpress have a bunch of inexpensive options, just make sure they’re the right size and that they are flat.
Adhering and Removing Bezel Inserts
To adhere the bezel insert to the bezel blank you can use a sticker made for SKX bezels, or any type of adhesive that works with metal. I prefer the stickers because they are easier to remove later. Using superglue works, but you are making your life harder down the road when you have to remove it.
Be sure to clean the mounting surface of the insert and bezel with acetone (nail polish remover) and wipe dry before installation. It is best practice to install the bezel onto the watch, then apply the insert. This way there is no chance of damage to the insert while you are forcing the bezel back to the case. The nice thing about friction spring bezels is that you never have to worry about misalignment of the insert so the pip does not exactly line up with the indices when turned. Vostok bezels always line up.
If the bezel you are removing was applied with a bezel sticker, you can use a hair dryer for a couple minutes to weaken the adhesion. Then gently work around the bezel with a flat tool to pry it out.
OR- Better yet…
Rather than prying at it with a blade, (risking damage to the insert) simply soak the bezel in a solvent like Goo Gone for about an hour and it will come off easily with a simple fingernail pry. Always remove the bezel from the watch prior to exposing it to any solvents as the acrylic crystal will be damaged with prolonged exposure.
Tips:
If this is your first time, the very first step you should take is to watch the videos in the video section at the bottom of this page.
Here’s some lessons I have learned about bezel modding:
- Be careful. Pry away from your other hand.
- I tend to use the bezel spring from the bezel I am replacing in the new bezel. Seems to snap into place the on the first try most of the time.
- When installing the new bezel, twist slightly while pushing down.
- If the bezel does not want to go on with a reasonable amount of force- don’t try to force it- there is something that needs to be adjusted or tucked in better. If this happens click here for a trouble shooting guide from Dave Murphy.
- If the bezel is too loose or tight when you spin it, remove and adjust the angles of the bezel spring.
- You should be able to give it a healthy tug and have it stay in place. If it pops off too easy- adjust the angles of the bezel spring.
- Buy a few extra bezel springs.
DIALS AND HANDS



Dials
There are many different standard dial designs for Vostok Amphibias and Komanderskies, there are hundreds of non standard Vostok produced dials out there too. During the Soviet era, many companies and organizations commissioned watches with custom dials for events or special awards. Then you add in the military branches and government agencies who wanted specific dial designs, were looking at maybe even thousands of unique designs.
The standard size is 28.5mm, which also happens to be the same size as many Seiko dials. (Seiko dials anchor feet and date windows DO NOT match, so you can really only use the non-date versions and will have to remove the dial feet and replace with adhesive dial dots or attach new .75mm dial feet at the correct position) There are also tons of generic 28.5mm non-date dials on Aliexpress and ebay that will work with proper preperation.
On the 24xx movements, dial feet are positioned roughly at the 4 & 10 positions on the underside of the dial where they are anchored by pinch screws on the side of the case. I have used also used dials from older 22xx Vostok movement’s dials by removing the dial feet and attaching with dial dots. I have been know to buy lots of old Amps and Komms just to harvest the dials. If you are cleaning an old dial use a soft brush, a bit of water and q-tips. DO NOT use any cleaners that contain any acetone or other thinners as this will remove any paint or varnish on the dial.
NOTE: If you find a really old dial where the the lume is super muddy brown and there is a lot of pain damage around the lume areas, there is a chance that it is Radium. Do not fuck with these dials, throw them away. The radium dust can be inhaled, which is radioactive and highly toxic.
Vostok “Lume”
The standard lume on a factory Vostok dial is not the brightest or longest lasting. In fact, after the ‘chocolate kiss foil wrap’ grade metal bracelets, Vostok lume is the weakest aspect of the watch. Ebay user FAVINOV offers classic style new dials (and hands) that have been re-lumed with Superluminova in both Green and Blue lume colorways. These are done by hand but are crisp, thick, and glow very bright. Highly recommend.
You can also relume the dial (and hands) yourself using aftermarket lume, a toothpick and a steady hand. A good idea is to record your proportions of powder to medium mix as you practice on a dummy surface. Having the right viscosity is key, you will see what works best as you experiment.
If you want to repaint a dial, use acetone to remove all paint, give it a quick sand with 1000 grit sand paper, degrease and clean with more acetone untill water sheets on the surface, then use a self etching or metal specific primer coat before any cutom paint is applied. It is better to do several light passes with the spraypaint than all at once.
Custom Graphics
If you want to add your own applied graphics, there is a great laser printer waterslide decal product by Sunnyscopa that you simply apply, heat with a hair dryer, and then remove the substrate only leaving the ink on the dial. Once again, practice on a dummy dial before you commit to your final application, there is a bit of a knack to getting the balance of heat, application gel (in the kit) amount, and timing to get a flawless application- which you really only get one chance at if you are applying it to anything painted. (I have painstakingly chipped a bad decal off once, I do not recommend unless you have no other options) I have tried to do super small text but have not had success getting anything crisp enough to be useful smaller than 1mm.
Hands
Replacing hands requires a bit of patience but pays off. I suggest only buying hands that are specifically designed to fit the specific movement in your particular watch. The vast majority of newer vostoks out there use a variation of the 24xx movement and therefore almost all aftermarket hands will fit this movement. If you have an older watch with a 22xx movement there is different size needed that is way harder to find.
For great instructions- watch the video below by THE VOSTOKAHOLIC on hand replacement. Please go to his channel and watch all his videos, if we bump enough subscribers and likes, maybe he will start making videos again.
Start Here:
If you are new to Vostok watches, this is a great introduction. Youtube’s Newrach Horology gives you a lot of good info in a very short video. He covers everything about the watch’s history, design, engineering, and model types.
Modding Videos
The Vostokaholic
Roy goes hard. Acid baths, blow torches, bead blasting, and many other extreme case and dial modding techniques are explored.
24h
Movement conversion, lume application, and other Vostok modding how-to’s.
Watch me...
One off video on modding a vostok bezel,dial swap and hand replacement.
24 Hours at a Time
One off video bezel swap and case brushing
Blanchy Talks Watches
One off video showing two full builds from parts. Great start to finish of all key mods covered.
Meta Vostok
Amphibia Design Analysis by Seele
Really great essay discussing the design philosophy and methodolgy used by Mr. Novikov and Mrs. Belova that rewrote the book on how to build a hardy dive watch.
TWBS Kaz
Kaz of TWBS is one of the best authorities on SOVIET ERA Russian watches. Here is chapter three of his Russian Watches Essay which focues on Vostok.
/R/vostok
All things Vostok- SOTC, Modding, ID help, Tech Support, etc. PLUS Smart & Handsome mods…
Pro Chasy
Russian with Eng subs. Vostok factory tour. Channel also covers lost of Vostok and other Russian watch brands.
WUS Russian Watches Forum
Down the rabbit hole you go. See you in 3 weeks.
Vostok Collectors & Modders FB
Very active FaceBook community. Photos, Q&A, Sales, Tips. No Drama.
Maranom FB
Meranom OG Dmitry Buyalov’s Facebook showcases his Vostok and other offerings.
Vostok Visual Service Guides
Keyless Repair
Reset/Repair
24xx Movement Keyless works. (this is the winding and setting functions) Courtesy of EndeavourDK via WUS
Spring Barrel Replacement
Repair/Replace
2409/2414 (hand-wound) main spring replacement Courtesy of EndeavourDK via WUS
Date Wheel Replacement
Repair/Replace
Date Wheel Replacement for 2416, 2431, and 2426 movements.
Courtesy of EndeavourDK via WUS
960 Solid Link Bracelet DIY
Great guide on how to source and convert a SS Solid Link bracelets to fit the Neptune 960 case.
Dave machines beautiful Vostok Bezels. Dave is the OG of vostok modding.
2416b Full Service
VERY detailed instructions on servicing a 2416b movement. Also applies to 2415 & 2414 – just skip automatic module section.
Dave machines beautiful Vostok Bezels. Dave is the OG of vostok modding.
Dial and Hands Replacement
Repair/Replace
24xx Dial and Hand Replacement
Courtesy of EndeavourDK via WUS
Mod Gallery
Most Imaged by @watchmodding on Instagram and https://vostokamphibia.com. Others are from the OneSecondCloser.com.

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