Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

No, the watch is perfectly fine. After a quick temperature change it might happen that you will see a mist on the inside of the glass. This does not mean that water leaked into your watch but rather that the air within the watch contains water molecules which condense on the glass surface. Depending on the ambient temperature and the size of the case the fog will disapper within a few minutes.

No. GTLS (gaseous tritium light source) or trigalights are widely used by the watch industry. Little GTLS tubes are the ideal, longlasting and durable illuminants on small parts like dials and hands. Although Tritium is a radioactive element, the internal coating of the tubes absorbs almost 100% of the radiation and make them absolutely harmless to the watch carrier. Just imagine: The radiation which comes from a trigalight is just 1:2000 (0,05%) compared to the amount of radiation we receive from our environment each day. Above that, GTLS are produced at highest quality standards and permanent inspection. Vostok Europe watches are equipped with trigalights made by the Swiss company mb-microtec - a leader in its field.

The helium valve is a critical part to a diving watch. People who dive or work in deep waters have to go through a pressure compensation (decompression) in a special chamber upon surfacing. During this process the human body loses helium and, thus, adapts to the pressure above water. Watches that are designed to be fully operational in depths of up to 300m also need a way to decompress. As the process takes much longer than within a human body the case needs a helium valve to release the helium surplus. Without the valve the glass would burst from the case - destroying the movement or even hurting the carrier in worst case.
Lunokhod and Energia are famous series by Vostok Europe designed for divers and include a helium valve.

K1 crystal is a synthetic, elaborately manufactures mineral crystal with stunning characteristics. Looking at the Mohs scale of mineral hardness (which consists of 10 grades) diamonds are the hardest minerals (grade 10). Regular mineral crystals are located on grades 4-5, depending on the mineral used. K1 is located at stage 7, which is not simply harder than mineral crystal, but also has a higher break-proofing, is more durable and more scratch-resistant. Sapphire crystals are located at stage 9 on the scale and are considered the best watch glasses by many watch enthusiasts. It needs to be pointed out, that sapphire crystal has some disadvantages, though.
If a watch falls on a solid surface (e.g. concrete) and the sapphire crystal breaks you will find countless small pieces and fragments. These grains are likely to not only damage the dial and hands of the watch but also enter the movement of the watch destroying it completely. K1 would also break in such a situation, but it won't burst into so many so little pieces which can destroy the movement. Usually quite the opposite happens, if the crystal is mounted correctly: it stays in shape and can still have the ability to somewhat protect the inside of the watch against dust etc. until repair.
Additionally, K1 has a lower light refraction than sapphire crystal. The lower the refraction, the lower the light reflections which are especially unwanted in the water while diving.
The benefits of using K1 in watches made for extreme situations and outdoor activities are obvious, especially when thinking of Vostok Europe watches that all include K1. Customers profit from durable and reliable watches and a cheaper price as sapphire crystals are very expensive.
This course in manufacturing watches has proven itself even in tests and real hands-on experiences.
 

The independent watch blog Chrononautix tested various watch crystals in May 2022. A hands-on break and scratch test of sapphire, K1, mineral and plastic crystals was conducted. The results from these testes are fairly exceptional - especially for K.

Additionally, the Lithuanian rally driver Benediktas Vanagas has been wearing Vostok Europe watches during his participation at the Rally Dakar since 2013. During these extreme conditions neither the build of the watch nor the K1 crystals have ever failed, all watches operated flawlessly:

Yes we do. Please get in contact with us to check, if wholesale purchase in your country is possible through our company. In countries which have own distribution of certain watch brands we do not offer wholesale of corresponding watch brands.