We’re quite pleased to bring in a new line of watches produced by Vostock Europe. Vostock Europe is made up of an alliance of Lithuanian and Russian watchmakers aiming to produce watches that celebrate the biggest and the boldest. All of their watches are designed with that theme in mind, and each has a story. Today I want to tell you the story of the Energia.
The Energia’s design is inspired by the Energia super heavy-lift launch vehicle. It is the most powerful launch vehicle ever built, capable of putting a 100 ton payload into low earth orbit. The watch it inspired comes in several finishes and metals, but all of them use a Seiko NH35 24 jewel automatic movement.
The Energia comes in a large durable locking dry box. Inside you’ll find your manufacturer information and manual. A hex key is included to facilitate changing bands from the beautiful leather strap to the durable water-resistant silicone strap included in the box. In a bit of forward thinking, all of the foam insulation in the dry box is cut to allow you to turn it into a four-watch holder with room for four additional straps and the strap tool, saving you the cost of purchasing something additional specifically for the task.
The Energia watch case comes in stainless steel, PVD plated rose tone over stainless, PVD plated black over stainless, and solid bronze! The particular one we’re looking at is the solid bronze model. It has a great natural tone that is like a dark rose gold. Because there is no plating on this watch whatsoever, the natural surface of the metal will, over time, develop its own one-of-a-kind patina. Given time, no two bronze watches will look the same. Beyond the aesthetics of the case, specific attention was paid to the more useful features. A screw-down crown and helium release valve are incorporated into the case, as well as a unidirectional bezel. The Energia has an excellent water resistance rating of 300 meters. The lugs are designed for easy strap removal and replacement with a hex wrench, not that you would have to replace it often; the leather strap is thick and stitched in all the right places.
Inside the case, the dial is clearly designed for legibility. Oversized bronze-tone dial markers and hands make legibility a nonissue. Each of these markers has a t-25 tritium tube affixed to it. The hands are differentiated at night by not only the length of the tritium tubes, but also by the twin tube arrangement on the hour hand. The cool blue of the dial matches the band, and is an attractive contrast between the warm bronze case and band hardware.
Last, but most importantly, let’s talk about the movement. The Energia uses a Seiko NH35R movement. Unlike lower cost automatic movements, this one is hackable and manual wind capable. It is a durable workhorse movement that offers great timekeeping. It is hard to overstate the quality Seiko produces.
If this brief overview hasn’t quenched your thirst, drop by the shop and see the watch in person. It’s hard to appreciate this scale of the watch until you have it in your hands. We’re happy to show you not only this watch, but the entire range of Vostock Europe watches.
Reviewed by George Black July 11, 2017