NOS ORIGINAL Vostok Operation Desert Shield 2416b Amphibian Watch USSR Soviet 1990

Operation Desert Storm – invasion of two European, three Asian and one African country led by the United States into the territory of Iraq and annexed Kuwait, under the pretext of liberating Kuwait, which led to the defeat of the Iraqi army in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War.

Watch were made in the Soviet Union, but were intended for American soldiers who participated in the Persian Gulf War, to be precise, in Operation Desert Shield. Actually, Desert Shield is just the “Shield of the Desert“, the same inscription is emblazoned on the dial of the watch produced by the Chistopol factory Vostok.

There is only one copy left, in NOS quality, there are barely noticeable traces of time, scuffs. A box is included. The steel strap has signs of wear, as it fits perfectly with the kit, but still not exactly from this kit. Once again, a strap with traces of socks, but theirs is a set. I thought it would complement the collection perfectly.

Vostok company story starts back in 1942, when one of the Moscow watch-making plants has been evacuated from Moscow to a little town Chistopol located on the Kama River. Defense equipment was the only company output during war years, but as soon as the war was over Vostok started to make mechanical wrist watches – the main production item ever since. In 1965 Vostok company was appointed an official supplier of watches for the Defense Department of the Soviet Union. This year marks the creation of the world-famous “Komandirskie” (“Commander”) watch. Military watch grew very popular even with people who were unaware which end of the gun bullet comes off, mainly due to high precision, excessive reliability and durability. The appearance of the watch also contributes to its appeal – functional and clear-cut design invoked the feeling of belonging to the tough world of combat professional. The experience which Vostok gained through development of the army watch was the foundation of our next special watch – “Amphibian”. This impressive timepiece in stainless-steel case endured the depth of 200 meters – kind of a wrist submarine. Success of the professional watches determined the company’s present philosophy – to create mechanical watches maintaining precise timekeeping at any temperature, in any environment, surviving heavy pressure and blows. The viability of the chosen strategy is now time-proven. A vast multitude of people both in Russia and abroad boasting “Vostok” watches and various international prizes awarded for high quality and commercial success testify to this.

The first Amphibia watches were manufactured in 1967 in the USSR by Chistopol watch factory «Vostok». Professional seamen, divers and submariners gave their preference to Amphibia watches because of their simplicity and reliability. Non-failure operation on depth up to 200 m in conditions of significant temperature drops, in any excited environment – mechanical watches Amphibia stood extreme overloads and impacts. Those were the requirements of soviet government. Under the order of the Navy of the USSR was made the military modification of Amphibia watches, and tests had passed during exercises of the fleet on the Northern Sea. The submarine had lain on a bottom on depth of 120-130 meters, simulating a failure. A brigade of the divers, who had taken part in rescue of people, was equipped with the new Amphibia watches while they were participating in rescue. Both, tests and exercises had passed successfully.
In 1975 Amphibia watches had been in the space by the spaceship Souz-17 and to the station Salute-4. Amphibia watches were also tested by less exotic, but not less evident ways. They were run over the trucks, hammered, but they continued to show an exact time. An accuracy of Amphibia watches is obliged to the Vostok movements, and reliability to the shock-proof device of balance unit which is a heart of mechanical watch. Organized in 1942, Chistopol watch factory «Vostok» continues to follow the traditions – all the in-house made movements based on so-called Swiss escapement system, steel wheels and forks, a support on ruby stones, a watch spring made of special precision alloys. Having collected all world best experience of watch manufacture, Chistopol watch factory «Vostok» makes the items which can be called by right the true Russian watches.