Endeavor

Only the first few post, to shift out the one-day-flies or the hit-and-runners. The end result is very much noticeable. A few pictures, front, back and movement are good starters. You can add more later if asked for. Anyway, it's all up to you Suc6 and thanks .....

I happen to be a mechanical engineer with an electronics/electrical background. Of course it can be done, but I thought you wanted something more simple ?

How do you control the current? How much current do you need to heat up a strip of 15mm very well conducting material to over 200 degrees C? Where do yo get all that current from; a welding machine? How do you control the heat? How do you measure the heat? All sounds not so eezy ........

Here some pictures of a bit more convincing Amphibian if found on eBay. For as I know, it has the correct Amphibian hands, on the old cracked dial it says 21 jewels = automatic (they didn't count the 10 jewels in the reversing wheels of the automatic-works, which were in the beginning steel rollers), the movement is a SU with the correct color anti-shock springs and the back-cover has all the right inscriptions. I'm not sure about the bezel, looks new. Your watch has a bezel of the correct time period. The lume at the hour-markers is questionable as well. Your dial seems to be in a much better condition and the color of the lume on your dial represents more correct the age of it. Not clear to see, but it looks like your dial also says 21-jewels (?). Experts on WUS may spot something more "off" (like the font of the date numbers?), but to me it's more in the direction, however still not 100% convincing and questionable. If I had any interest in this watch, I would for sure present it on the WUS forum and see what they have to say.

It seems an automatic movement in a 020 hosing with the correct (old numbered) case case-back for a 2409 or 2414 movement. What's missing on this case-back is the word "automatic" (which should be present on your new diver); To be honest I never measured the differences between the two, but by eye there seems to be some differences and that may be your problem. Of course your rubber-gasket can be out of shape and new come cheap, but they don't compress a lot and therefor I don't think a new casket will solve the problem of having the incorrect case back in the first place. Try the case-back of your new diver to confirm proper working. eBay is cramped full with cheap Vostok parts. Of course with caution and with many escape clauses, but it seems a Franken. Having said that, you have many good parts; the dial, the hands are special, a good 020 case with an original numbered case-back and an automatic movement which may or may not belong to the dial. In the transition period a lot of Vostok watches were made out of parts available, sometimes a mix of old & new. From that period dials often don't carry a "made in" print on the bottom. Your dial is CCCP, so no confusion there. In time, and when gained more knowledge, you can try to make it all original or ...... with the correct case-back just enjoy the watch. After-all, there is already a story attached to the watch which is, or may become, more valuable than a "correct" watch. You know where to be if you like to learn more ....... Suc6 .....

Of course the remark is off topic, but perhaps this may be of some help as with the right technique I don't perceive them as a PITA, more on the contrary

Whether it's a Franken or not, that's not so important. If the dial is good, that's already a good starting point, all the rest can be sorted out. The housing appears to be a 020 or 420, which I can't see from your pictures and the bezel seems original. Provided the experts say different, but for an automatic movement the housing should be a 420. Here is a picture to determine the differences between the two housings ..... both obviously should be Stainless Steel, otherwise it's a 92 Komandirskie housing. Is the bridge of the automatic works stamped with RUS or SU? If you provide a picture of the case-cover, I can tell you whether it's the proper one ..... it should be the same lid as on your new diver, with the identical cyrillic inscriptions, preferably with additionally a serial number stamped in it. So not to worry ..... everything can be sorted out. The dial is your starter, provided it's good ! On WUS there are real experts, knowing many of the common features ..... https://forums.watchuseek.com/f10/

@Paumanok Nice starter collection ........ There aren't many Vostok fans on this forum, but for learning how to repair- / service-watches in general (this will include your Vostok movements) you came to the right place ! As for your two divers; it is hard to see from your pictures, but one seems a CCCP dial in very good condition. These are very sought after ! However, from the pictures it is hard to tell whether the rest of that watch is fully original. The back seals are very hard to compress. You also describe that the old one had a considerable thinner case than the newer automatic. This isn't the way it supposed to be and therefor it has either the wrong back-lid or the automatic movement sits in the wrong housing, even though it appears to be a 020 or a 420. I'm not sure about the hands either, but that is something worth checking. For the CCCP diver (since they are so sought after) it is worth to dig deeper. I would recommend to become a member of the WatchUSeek (WUS) forum, the Russian "department". There are truly experts in the "Q&A Expertise thread: Is this watch legit or a franken? Part 2" who can tell you what is original, what's not and how it supposed to be. Here is a direct link to the last page of that Q&A thread: https://forums.watchuseek.com/f10/q-expertise-thread-watch-legit-franken-part-2-a-4514699-240.html The more detailed pictures you can provide, the better they can provide you with information & help ...... and very helpful they are !! I'm there too, learning every day more about these amazing watches with their rich history Looking forward to see your watch featured on WUS and learn more about it !!!

Thought it may be worth to share; I received a pretty beaten up, none-running 1890-1900 cylinder-escapement pocket-watch. It had all sorts of problems, a list too long to go into details. Among those problems was a bend/broken minute hand. It inevitably broke off when trying to straighten it. The center-hole diameter of the minute-hand was 0.5mm and the length was 15mm. The hour-hand had a hole diameter of 2.0mm and the length was 10mm. Searching the internet to find an identical set proofed futile. The watch is a heirloom so originality was a priority. The hands turned out the be made of bronze, a copper-tin alloy. Therefor it made sense to attempt soldering but the part that had to be soldered had a thickness of only 0.3mm. Both parts had to be fixed in place with a sort of clamp capable to fixing both parts, being heat resistant and "none-sticking". A soldering iron, even with the smallest tip, would be far too big for the job and to avoid touching the parts, I choose to use a hot-air gun used in electronics for soldering SMD-components to a circuit-board. A few test were made which tin to use and at which temperatures. 300 degrees C with tin used in electronics seemed to work fast and made the tin to flow nicely. I used a soldering flux-paste. The clamp consisted of two metal rails, slightly diverting from each other to give many clamping options, bolted on a plate of gypsum. Pulling over a #1000 grid sand paper, I made two 45 degrees chamfered edges on either end of both parts; The two parts were clamped in; Applied some soldering flux, heated it all up to 300 deg.C and applied a tiny bit of tin. Once cooled down, I removed some excess tin with a small diamond file. Here a picture of the back side of the minute-hand; And here the front; the tin didn't flow further away from the soldered joint or around the edges Most likely not the strongest repair in the world, but when not touched it should be strong enough to do the job. On the picture the hand color looks black, but that's due to the lighting. In reality the hand hasn't lost any of its shiny patina at the front ...... Anyway, I thought to share this repair as one of the many different possibilities

@AndyHull; seems like a very sensible advice you have given ! Quartz isn't my "specialty", but what you suggest makes sense and seems a very good start

Interesting that you have seen it; Collectors on WUS are claiming that they searched high & low for the 2010, without any suc6 so far. Here an quote from a WUS answer: "I've not seen this one before and there's talk on this thread if such a dial was ever made: https://forums.watchuseek.com/f10/ko...791366-75.html" Also, the 2005 WWII, which is a known issue, looks a bit alike ..... but for the collectors the numbers are "wrong" for the 65 years If you see the 2010, yes please let me know As for my journey to Vostok; I was more thinking in the lines of via internet ...... but one never knows !!??? That would be something to go over there !! For sure, my wife won't join, so unless you wife joints, it will be the two of us

Even though the dial is still not exactly to my taste, it has become indeed very fascinating. Now I'm on a quest to find out what happened? Are there more of these dials? If ever existed, how did the watch look like? Can I find the watch or perhaps reproduce one with the, while still available, original parts? A journey which most likely brings me in 2019 to the Vostok HQ in Russia and who knows after that? Talking about "connecting" to a watch ..... It's amazing to see & to learn on the WUS forum about Russian watches, how passionate they are and how much knowledge there is, but also how much isn't known ...... nearly every day a Russian watch "surprise" surfaces. This dial was one of them and the "story" is far from over......

@Mattaphysics @patard: I find it interesting to see that you use somebodies else's quote, which in my opinion is taken out of its context. What are you trying to say? The way I perceive your post (please correct me if I'm wrong), I like to post the following questions with it: - When buying a nice & more rare watch from the 1980's or early '90's, from an era which never comes back again: how great do you estimate the chances are that such a watch needs TLC: a nice clean, a thorough inspection and new lubrication? - Does giving it TLC, taking care of it and preserving count as "connecting" ? - Does searching for hours & hours, for days, weeks/years long to find that one particular right piece you search for and finally have a chance to acquire it as "connecting"?

Added two more A CCCP Albatros in near mint condition and a rare Barcelona 1992 Olympic games. Both authentic, with 2409 movements and 200 mtr WR I guess these were my combined X-mas present & birthday present ...... and this for many years to come !

Added this Vostok "Cadet", or also called "Junior" or "Mini". It has a 32mm case (ex.crown) and nobody is quite sure whether it's a man- or a woman's-watch. Some suggest that these were issued in the '80's to the woman serving in the Russian Navy, but then again, they were also available to the civilian market, product number 461285 and powered by a 2409 movement. Often these dials are full of aging cracks, but this one, even-though used, has a mint dial. These Cadets are, for one reason or another, not much beloved in the collectors world and therefor cheap to get. Regardless, they are still a piece of the CCCP history and aren't produced anymore ..... I like this "dolphin" issue