случайно в един форум попаднах на тази тема и реших, че може да е интересна за някой. Не я превеждам, защото голяма част от линковете са към англоезични източници и ако някой не знае езика, няма да може и да се възползва.
Поздрави, Миро.I've had much pleasure modding my Vostok Amphibias and may have contributed to the spread of the Vostok modding virus around these parts.
I've had quite a few questions via PM on this and other forums, so I thought it might be a good idea to get this thread going as a resource for budding modders. The idea is to collect together links to useful resources and have a place where we can share tips and tricks about this curious affliction.
To get things started...
Where to buy your Amphibia New
There are various sources of new Amphibias online. The most well known are Meranom and the Zenitar eBay shop:
http://meranom.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://stores.ebay.de/zenitar-store" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Both seem to be reliable. Meranom seems to be the only source of the Special Edition “SE” models. Shipping from zenitar seems to be (slightly) faster, although shipping from Russia always takes some time due to customs. There are a number of other sources online, for example:
http://stores.ebay.de/GOODS-FROM-USSR-AND-RUSSIA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://chistopolcity.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
...and plenty more.
Where to buy your Amphibia Used
Ebay is the obvious source with plenty of newer Amphibias on sale as well as older ones from USSR times. As with any purchase from eBay, checking descriptions, photos and the seller's feedback are to be recommended. Forum sales sections are also a good source of used Amphibias.
What mods can I consider?
Bezels and bezel inserts:
The simplest mod is a bezel swap and the majority of mods don't go much further than this. A well-chosen bezel and insert can transform the look of an Amphibia.
There are a few sources of bezels, depending on the desired result. Some of the best-known sources of bezels are:
boris_gvb on eBay: http://stores.ebay.de/VOSTOK-POLJOT-WAT ... SIA?_rdc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Dave Murphy: http://murphymanufacturing.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Pers184: http://www.ebay.com/usr/3-99626" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Am-Watches: http://www.am-watches.com/accessories-b ... 44_45.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Another alternative is to modify the stock bezel, e.g. via sanding off the chrome, dipping in egg or burying in the garden, for example:
here: http://uhrforum.de/vostok-amfibia-moddi ... ost2097942" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
here: http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?3 ... ost3672086" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Some skilled modders make their own bezels, but this requires access to the right tools and the right level of skill to do. Here's an example:
http://uhrforum.de/vostok-amfibia-moddi ... ost2097568" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hands:
Changing one or more of the hands on an Amphibia is a subtle way of changing the appearance.
Hands for a Vostok Komandirskie will fit unmodified on the Amphibia. New Amphibia and Komandirsie hands can be sourced, for example, from the favinov eBay shop:
http://stores.ebay.de/GOODS-FROM-USSR-AND-RUSSIA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I can't confirm this, but there are reports that SE models from meranom use hands with a different specification to the hands on a standard Amphibia (it has been suggested that the SEs have movements also used in the Turbina models) and these are not interchangeable. I haven't been able to find a source for SE hands, other than buying a whole SE watch from meranom.
Dials:
Amphibia dials can be swapped easily, and dials can be sourced from meranom, zenitar, favinov (linked above) and many other sources. Some modders make their own dials, often with stunning effect.
E.g.
here: http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?3 ... ost3672086" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
or here: http://uhrforum.de/vostok-amfibia-moddi ... ost2097942" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
Cases:
Amphibia movements and dials can be swapped between the different case types at will to get the right combination for your mod. New cases, both polished and matte, can be sourced from the shops linked above. The factory matte finish is quite rough. Although this can be fine for a mod, depending on the look that is to be achieved, a much nicer finish can be achieved by bead blasting. Some modders have the equipment to do this themselves and occasionally will do this for other modders active on the same forum. Alternatively, a metal shop can do this for you.
Straps:
A well-chosen strap can make a huge difference to an Amphibia. There are lots of online shops selling straps.
Tutorials and other online resources
Great picture-book guides from Dave Muphy on how to do a bezel swap and how to glue the insert:
http://murphymanufacturing.com/vostok_tutorial.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://murphymanufacturing.com/insert_tutorial.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A detailed description of a bezel replacement:
http://www.webwatchworld.com/vostok-amp ... placement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A picture-by-picture description of dismantling an Amphibia, including removal of the case-back, movement, hands and dial:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f54/anatom ... 68330.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Please add your links, tips, tricks and links.
-wotsch
