Vostok Amphibia 710 Ministry

I thought I would share my collection of Vostok Amphibia watches with the 710 “Ministry” case. This is probably my favourite Vostok Amphibia watch case. To me, it is very easy on the eye, the best looking of the Vostok Amphibias and it is just about the right size for my wrist.

Personally. I would say there are three “classic” Vostok Amphibia cases – the round-shaped 420, the tonneau-shaped 090 and this, the cushion-shaped 710. It is commonly known as the “Ministry” case because, when it was first produced, it featured dials commemorating various government ministries. My first Vostok watch was a Vostok 420 Blue Scuba Dude, which I soon replaced with a  710 Blue Scuba Dude, and I immediately fell for the larger case. That it why I have quite a few 710s, they are what I first started out buying. However, I think that the 090 tonneau case is rapidly becoming my new favourite.

So, how do the Vostok Amphibia 710 and 420 cases compare? The 710 is on the left, the 420 on the right.

Amphibia 710 Case

Diameter Excluding Crown = 41
Diameter Including Crown = 45
Lug to Lug Length = 45
Lug Width = 22
Thickness = 15

Amphibia 420 Case

Diameter Excluding Crown = 39
Diameter Including Crown = 45
Lug to Lug Length = 46
Lug Width = 28
Thickness = 15

Measurements in mms

Both watch cases are stainless steel, house the same Vostok 2416B automatic 31 jewel movement, with a screw down crown and both models are waterproof to 200m. The Ministry case is noticeably squarer and wider than the rounder 420. I have a quite large, nearly 8 inch wrist, and I find the larger Ministry sits better. Additionally the larger lug width, 22mm compared to the 18mm lug width of the 420, means that there are a lot more watch strap options, and I prefer a slightly larger strap. Sometimes I think a 420 and an 18mm strap just looks a bit too weedy on my wrist. Both have the same chunky, domed plexiglass crystal. Overall the Vostok Amphibia 710 Ministry case has a much chunkier, solid feel to it.

Here is my current collection of Vostok Amphibia 710 Ministry watches (April 2015)

Left to right

Model 710615 – 0n a brown leather, 5 ring zulu watch strap – the Vostok Sailboat or Yacht model. This looks great on a red, white and blue nato or zule for a summer watch.

Model 710059 – on a black, with blue stripe, 3 ring zulu – a blue “Scuba Dude”.

Model 710XXX – black dialed scuba dude on an orange zulu.

Model 710059 – another blue “Scuba Dude” this time with a Dave Murphy bezel and a Dagaz Pepsi bezel insert. This is on khaki / green 4 ring canvas zulu strap. I wish I could remember where I bought this I would really like to pick up another couple of these. The only problem was the open end was too thick to thread through the lugs. I has to take lug pin out and put it back on top of the strap, but I think they look good.

Model 710634 – A black “Scuba Dude” on a 5 ring black zulu strap.

Model 710405 – I call this one my “Springbok” mod. You can read more about it here. Features a bezel that I stripped back to the brass (not too cleanly thought), aged using the boiled egg treatment (and a bit of oven cleaner!). It sits on a green with gold stripe nato strap.

Model 710331 – a nice blue dial that I intend to use as a donor watch to fill an empty Amphibia 960 Neptune case that I picked up on Ebay. This was my second purchase from komandirskie.com and they included the sky blue and black striped nato strap free of charge. Thank you guys. I am just not sure I want to take it to bits yet!

Model 710439 – I call this Vostok dial the “Rally” dial, I think it has a motorsport feel to it. I have it on a really big, chunky leather watch strap that I bought from Sectime. They have some great value watch strap. I have never really been happy with this watch / strap combo and I have a feeling this might look cool on a rally type leather strap.