To kick off the inaugural GUG article, I thought I'd focus on a watch that I've already written about, the Vostok Maxim Gorky. This is not only because I'm lazy, but also because this is the watch that made me realize that there are some very cool gens under a grand out there that most people would have never heard of. OK, it's mostly because I'm lazy.
I first read about the Vostok Maxim Gorky in International Watch magazine. They had a really interesting article about Vostok, a Russian watch maker that has recently been making some real strides. You can read the original article here:
http://www.detentewatches.com/images/sh ... MTJBRP.pdf
The watch that got my interest is a new one (just released in late August of this year) called the Maxim Gorky. Here's what the Vostok website has to say about the derivation of the name:
As the largest plane of its day, the Tupolev ANT-20 Maxim Gorky dominated the Soviet skies in the 1930s with eight powerful engines.
The plane carried an impressive array of equipment, which included a powerful radio called "Voice from the Sky", printing machinery, radio stations, a photo lab, a film projector with sound for showing movies in flight, a library and much more. For the first time in aviation history, this aircraft was also equipped with a ladder, which would fold itself and become a part of the floor. In another first for aviation, the aircraft used not only direct current, but alternating current of 120 volts.
The giant aircraft set a number of world records for payload carrying capacity.
The Maxim Gorky is a big ol' thing-- about 44mm. It's limited to 999 pieces, and it's got some pretty cool features as well. Here are some pics of all the different models:
Here are some of the specs:
Precision automatic / self-winding mechanism
Decorated 2432 Vostok movement with blued parts and black rotor
31ruby jewels
Central second hand
Day and Night disc
Mineral crystal
Two colour day and night indicator
Power reserve minimum: 31 hours
Shock resistance balance
5 atm water resistant
Date calendar
All stainless steel 44 mm case, bicolor: stainless steel black-pvd-plated
See-through dial with exposed winding rotor
Engraved serial number
Superluminova
Stainless steel bracelet
Vostok 2432 (RU) Mechanical lever movement
32 jewels
Frequency: 19800 vph
Daily rate from -10 to + 30 s/day
One of the coolest, and most unusual, things about this watch is that the dial is see through, and you can actually see the rotor as it spins on your wrist.
And here's the best part. You can pick one of these up between $400 and $500 (although full retail is about $700). Best place to go is http://www.russia2all.com/maxim-gorky-- ... -delivery/ They're an AD for Vostok in the US. What's more, if you input the code GORKY15, you'll get an immediate 15% off. What's more is that you can talk directly with the AD himself (his name is Craig) at the BDWF forum here: http://www.bdwf.net/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=42231
The Maxim Gorky isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. But for the price of a new mid-range replica, it's a really cool piece. And you don't have to worry about anyone calling you out.
I first read about the Vostok Maxim Gorky in International Watch magazine. They had a really interesting article about Vostok, a Russian watch maker that has recently been making some real strides. You can read the original article here:
http://www.detentewatches.com/images/sh ... MTJBRP.pdf
The watch that got my interest is a new one (just released in late August of this year) called the Maxim Gorky. Here's what the Vostok website has to say about the derivation of the name:
As the largest plane of its day, the Tupolev ANT-20 Maxim Gorky dominated the Soviet skies in the 1930s with eight powerful engines.
The plane carried an impressive array of equipment, which included a powerful radio called "Voice from the Sky", printing machinery, radio stations, a photo lab, a film projector with sound for showing movies in flight, a library and much more. For the first time in aviation history, this aircraft was also equipped with a ladder, which would fold itself and become a part of the floor. In another first for aviation, the aircraft used not only direct current, but alternating current of 120 volts.
The giant aircraft set a number of world records for payload carrying capacity.
The Maxim Gorky is a big ol' thing-- about 44mm. It's limited to 999 pieces, and it's got some pretty cool features as well. Here are some pics of all the different models:
Here are some of the specs:
Precision automatic / self-winding mechanism
Decorated 2432 Vostok movement with blued parts and black rotor
31ruby jewels
Central second hand
Day and Night disc
Mineral crystal
Two colour day and night indicator
Power reserve minimum: 31 hours
Shock resistance balance
5 atm water resistant
Date calendar
All stainless steel 44 mm case, bicolor: stainless steel black-pvd-plated
See-through dial with exposed winding rotor
Engraved serial number
Superluminova
Stainless steel bracelet
Vostok 2432 (RU) Mechanical lever movement
32 jewels
Frequency: 19800 vph
Daily rate from -10 to + 30 s/day
One of the coolest, and most unusual, things about this watch is that the dial is see through, and you can actually see the rotor as it spins on your wrist.
And here's the best part. You can pick one of these up between $400 and $500 (although full retail is about $700). Best place to go is http://www.russia2all.com/maxim-gorky-- ... -delivery/ They're an AD for Vostok in the US. What's more, if you input the code GORKY15, you'll get an immediate 15% off. What's more is that you can talk directly with the AD himself (his name is Craig) at the BDWF forum here: http://www.bdwf.net/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=42231
The Maxim Gorky isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. But for the price of a new mid-range replica, it's a really cool piece. And you don't have to worry about anyone calling you out.