Vostok's Exclusive Interview for WUS Russian Watches forum

15242 Views 76 Replies 30 Participants Last post by Seele, May 18, 2010

Dr Watchmaker

Discussion Starter · Jan 19, 2010

Dear All,

in order to clarify many important for all of us issues and stop spreading wrong information and rumors, we decided to organize an interview with the manufacturer of famous Vostok watches, Chistopol Watch Factory.

We just got an agreement of Vostok representative, Mr. Vitaly Podyachev, Director of VOSTOK INTERNATIONAL LTD., to give an exclusive interview to WUS via us, official distributors of Vostok watches in Germany.

Please, post your questions here. Depending on the number of questions and content, we will group them, if necessary, translate and communicate to Mr. Podyachev. We will translate his/their answers and, after approval, post them here. Please, be patient, as this could take some time.

Boris

61 - 77 of 77 Posts

Dapper

· #61 · May 15, 2010

Excellent, well done. Thanks for posting this :-!

pwalsh21

· #62 · May 16, 2010

FINALLY. This was magnificent! Thank you so much for getting this out! I've done my part--I bought a Ministry Amphibia not 2 months ago from Zenitar. Everyone get off your butts and get yourself a new Vostok!

Silversen

· #63 · May 16, 2010 (Edited)

Sodiac said:
Very interesting, and thanks so much for doing this!

I find this very interesting also, it is the question I posted and the response:

"If Vostok needs help, how the collectors and fans of your watches worldwide would be able to help? We would appreciate to receive the recommendations and suggestions of how to improve the design of the watches."

I guess it isn't the response I thought we would get! I assumed it would be something like "buy more Vostok watches".

But now I am wondering, how would/could we actually go about providing "recommendations and suggestions of how to improve the design of the watches"? :think:

Dear, Sodiac!
The situation would be much simpler, if the whole problem were only in the field of economy and marketing, but unfortunately it's not like that. :think:

Rumors are floating that the bankruptcy of Vostok is not as clear as it was presented. The debt for amount of 45 million rubles is not a too big one. For example the debt liabilities of the car produser AutoVAZ (the brand Lada), are 44 milliard / billion (US) rubles including bond loan.

When Vostok is under the threat of full stopping of production and discharge of all the employees, having no funds (there are some accounts of 101 thousand rubles, €693 and $187 plus some of them are under arrest) we can't talk about improving of design.:-(

We must wait for August 31 and hope that the situation will be a lesser of two evils. As for all of us the only right recommendation is buying new Vostok watches. This is the only thing we can do to help Vostok guys pay off the debt.:roll:

jefnando

· #64 · May 16, 2010

pwalsh21 said:
FINALLY. This was magnificent! Thank you so much for getting this out! I've done my part--I bought a Ministry Amphibia not 2 months ago from Zenitar. Everyone get off your butts and get yourself a new Vostok!

ordered 2 a few days ago and influenced a bunch of friends to buy! Done my part too!

kmj1966

· #65 · May 16, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

As an authorized agent of Boctok there is no need to go to an exclusive interview....simply ask I own [link removed] and choose the models I wish to carry, yes they have been through some financial difficulties but they are still here and committed to making their products and expanding into international markets. They feel they can do to the US market what Fossil did in the early 90's. I am Russian I speak Russian and have a quarterly conference call with the company.

Kevin

kmj1966

· #66 · May 16, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

Victor is awesome he is my partner in [Link removed] whatever doesnt sell on ebay goes to the website and usually goes for more money and Vostok gets a percentage so thanks for your help keep buying from zenitar a.k.a Victor Goulebuev and I we really do appreciate it very very much

Vaurien

· #67 · May 16, 2010

Sodiac said:
Very interesting, and thanks so much for doing this!

I find this very interesting also, it is the question I posted and the response:

"If Vostok needs help, how the collectors and fans of your watches worldwide would be able to help? We would appreciate to receive the recommendations and suggestions of how to improve the design of the watches."

I guess it isn't the response I thought we would get! I assumed it would be something like "buy more Vostok watches".

But now I am wondering, how would/could we actually go about providing "recommendations and suggestions of how to improve the design of the watches"? :think:

First of all, come back to the old bezels!!!:roll:

Seele

· #68 · May 16, 2010

Vaurien said:
First of all, come back to the old bezels!!!:roll:

Hear hear! The "compass" bezels are a bit cringe-inducing; the ones on the early Amphibias (such as the Tonneau), the "combs", and the black are great. Better still, make them stainless steel so the edges won't show brassing, and somehow less prone to getting stuck after a number of years.

Also, some sports watch users don't really use the bezel at all; the option of a plain one with no markings might be a thought? Member Dave Murphy turned one out of stainless steel for his custom Amphibia and it looked stunning.

jefnando

· #69 · May 16, 2010

Vaurien said:
First of all, come back to the old bezels!!!:roll:

Secondly, Black Bezels!!!

Stone Hill

· #70 · May 16, 2010

Yes it was good to read all this. The fourm should make next month a buy a Vostok watch month.

RusUhr

· #71 · May 17, 2010

pwalsh21 said:
I bought a Ministry Amphibia not 2 months ago from Zenitar.

I'm sorry, but after this

---------------------------------------------
Does Vostok produce the watches „Troika"? No.
Is it true that Vostok is in difficult financial situation? Yes, and the reason is the non-payment by russian consumers.
What is more advantageous for Vostok as a company, the drain abroad of the watches manufactured for the domestic market or direct deliveries abroad? Direct deliveries.
---------------------------------------------

do you still think it is wise to support Vostok in such a way?

Seele

· #72 · May 17, 2010

RusUhr said:
I'm sorry, but after this

---------------------------------------------
Does Vostok produce the watches „Troika"? No.
Is it true that Vostok is in difficult financial situation? Yes, and the reason is the non-payment by russian consumers.
What is more advantageous for Vostok as a company, the drain abroad of the watches manufactured for the domestic market or direct deliveries abroad? Direct deliveries.
---------------------------------------------

do you still think it is wise to support Vostok in such a way?

I think getting any new Vostok would go some way to help the company, but it also means Vostok needs to establish an official sales network in various countries, and that would be a bit of a job too.

pwalsh21

· #73 · May 17, 2010

RusUhr said:
I'm sorry, but after this

---------------------------------------------
Does Vostok produce the watches „Troika"? No.
Is it true that Vostok is in difficult financial situation? Yes, and the reason is the non-payment by russian consumers.
What is more advantageous for Vostok as a company, the drain abroad of the watches manufactured for the domestic market or direct deliveries abroad? Direct deliveries.
---------------------------------------------

do you still think it is wise to support Vostok in such a way?

Yes, and I'll tell you why. I think Vostok is happy to move product in any way they can, especially internationally. Further, I know Zenitar/Victor gets his watches direct from Vostok, and I doubt seriously that he could have been in business with Vostok long enough to move 10,000+ watches on eBay (not to mention what he sells in his physical shop) without paying Vostok, so he almost certainly doesn't fall under the second point.

In any case, my ultimate goal is to purchase a watch. If I can help Vostok, terrific, but that is absolutely secondary. Zenitar/Victor fulfills my needs as a consumer--his prices are competitive and his customer service is excellent. As I stated above, I cannot IMAGINE he's a nonpayer, but even if he is, that's *his* problem with Vostok, not mine. I order the watch, I get the watch, and I'm consistently satisfied with the transaction, which fulfills my ultimate goal.

Silversen

· #74 · May 17, 2010 (Edited)

RusUhr said:
I'm sorry, but after this

---------------------------------------------
Does Vostok produce the watches „Troika"? No.
Is it true that Vostok is in difficult financial situation? Yes, and the reason is the non-payment by russian consumers.
What is more advantageous for Vostok as a company, the drain abroad of the watches manufactured for the domestic market or direct deliveries abroad? Direct deliveries.
---------------------------------------------

do you still think it is wise to support Vostok in such a way?

Dear, RusUhr and other colleagues!

I'd like you to look at my previous post a little above and to read about the issues on Russian market Vostok and other Russian watchmakers face which I described in my thread "New information from Tchistopol."

With all my due respect, you shouldn't simplify the situation.

I'm Russian. I live in Russia. I have some understanding about running business here. And I have read all that I was able to find about those Vostok issues. And that's what I say: the situation with Vostok will be clearifed only after August 31.

There may be some power which is seeking to shut down Vostok.
Try to analyze those facts:
1) About new Заказ МО
The management of Vostok had made reconstruction and re-equipment, gotten credits from banks. The management of Vostok won the tender from the Ministry of Defence. The New Commanders` watches were ready for a Заказ МО. But the Ministry of Defence itself didn`t seem to purchase those watches. The Заказ МО is apparently cancelled. Vostok was prosecuted for arrears and had to pay off its debts. Fortunately, it managed to do that.

By the way MakTime also was supposed to make watches based on the new automatic 30644 chronograph caliber for the officers of the Ministry of Defence.

2) The management of Vostok was building a multistorey building for its employees but the building was temporarily stopped for want of money. The flats in that building were supposed to go only to the Vostok employees but some other people having no relation to Vostok turn out to be listed as claimant to some of the flats and those people, not the Vostok employees, brought an action against Vostok with a request to freeze the accounts of Vostok. Of course, Vostok can't finish building that house if its accounts are under arrest and to continue its work the management of Vostok has to initiate the procedure of bankruptcy and to agree on external administration.
That request appeared right after Vostok paid off its arrears. (Two actions on end!)

Why did those people want the action which contradicts their interests? :think:
A possible answer may be: their real goal is to make the management of Vostok do the things which have been done.

3) Retirement of Tsivilina the same time also seems to be strange.

So we can see only what we have been given. The other part of the Iceberg is covered under water.:-(

But for all of us everything is simple: we can do nothing to help Vostok but to purchase new watches.
Why do that? Because most of us are real enthusiasts. And it`s illogical.

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RusUhr

· #75 · May 18, 2010

pwalsh21 said:
Yes, and I'll tell you why.

OK, may be you are right, but what about the Troyka watches?
They are legit?

pwalsh21

· #76 · May 18, 2010

RusUhr said:
OK, may be you are right, but what about the Troyka watches?
They are legit?

I wasn't referring to the Troika watches, but to expand on that, I guess we would have to define what you mean by "legit". If "legit" means "manufactured by Vostok", are VE watches "legit", considering they use Vostok movements but are assembled in Lithuania by a different company? If they ARE "legit", then I guess Troika watches are too, because they seem to use Vostok movements. For me, I don't know much more about Troika, but I'm not a fan of their watch designs, so that would keep me from buying one (though if I did, I'd still be supporting Vostok by buying a watch with one of their movements inside). I do like a lot of VE stuff, though, and own one VE watch. I don't consider it Russian, though it does have a Russian heart, and I love the watch either way.

Seele

· #77 · May 18, 2010

Vostok has been supplying movements to other makers for some time, and often the Vostok name also appear on the dial too. Off the top of my head, these makers include Vostok-Europe, Cardi-Vostok, Troika (in Belarus I think), but I am not quite sure about the Partner series, where it may or may not be in the Vostok catalogue.

This side of the business is of course facing a huge challenge from the Chinese makers who, together, offer a huge selection from very ordinary fares to quite high-end ones. Compared to them - even with ETA's imminent exit, Vostok's movement portfolio is actually very small and would not be able to cover as much ground.

However, all is not lost. Consider Lum-Tec who used what's basically a single batch of Slava movements to produce a series of well-liked watches, the fact that they have a Russian movement (albeit misrepresented as "military") is a selling point that appeals. Vostok can take advantage of this, as long as quality and consistency can be assured. In addition, adding hacking function - and getting 2434 to hack properly - would make them even more attractive to the other watch makers. But of course, I am speculating a little here.

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