Reactor Fallout Chronograph Review

I became interested in Reactor watches after encountering an article about them in Watchtime a while back. The company is run by Jimmy Olmes, formerly of Freestyle watches. Reactor's website states that their goal is to build the best performance sports watch, a lofty goal indeed.

Reactor takes an interesting approach to marketing their watches. As is obvious from the company's name, there is a strong nuclear theme to their products. All of their watches carry names related to atomic power and in some cases, like my Fallout model, atomic power gone wild. According to Watchtime, this was done to highlight the high quality lume that Reactor employs on its products (Including one model that I know of that mixes tritium tubes with a very strong coat of superluminova. That sounds particularly enticing to me as strong lume is something I've come to appreciate).

On to the watch itself. This thing is seriously built. It is the first watch I've encountered that matches (and in some areas exceeds) a Seiko Monster in the brawn category. Everywhere you look there is heavy, solid stainless steel. The bracelet is a particularly well done all solid link design with a heavily built clasp. The bezel, which includes a bright embedded luminous marker, is large and easy to grip and the screw-down crown is well protected. The crown is interesting by the way. It uses a triple seal and will remain water resistant to 100 meters even if left unscrewed. (Why anyone would forget to close the crown before getting it wet is beyond me but, hey, it doesn't hurt to be idiot proof). Additionally, the watch is rated at 200 meters water resistance, the first chrono I've owned that can go that deep. A final detail about the bracelet by the way, it is held on to the watch by a thick threaded bar/screw that I have heard will support 200 lbs. The threads themselves are coated with urethane to keep them from accidentally unscrewing btw. No chance of breaking a spring bar on this one. The crystal is domed and is made of a thick, hardened mineral glass (not as scratch resistant as sapphire but more shatter resistant in keeping with it's intended sports/roughing-it theme).

Internally, the Fallout is advertised as having a Japanese quartz chronograph movement (I'm almost certain it is a Miyota OS20, a very well regarded movement with a long history of reliability). Accuracy appears to be excellent as is to be expected from a quartz movement. The movement is reported to be mounted in a shock resistant housing for extra protection.

Reactor is proud of their lume application technique and it's not hard to see why. Even a brief exposure to the fluorescent lights of my office produced a strong glow. In my personal time test, the lume remained visible on my nightstand after 8 hours. It may last significantly longer for all I know but that was as long as I could stay in bed. From what I understand, Reactor uses multiple layers of superluminova to ensure that low light visibility is excellent.

The Fallout measures 40mm in diameter (not including the crown or chrono pushers-43mm with them) a hair over 13mm in height and has a 22mm band lug width that appears much wider thanks to the reinforced screw bar attachment system. There are some folks who may feel that 40mm is not that big by today's standards. I would take that with a grain of salt when it comes to the Fallout. There is nothing dainty about this watch at all. If anything, exactly the opposite is true. The overall look of the Fallout says precision tough to my eye. It looks like a serious piece of equipment, and I believe that it is just that. Mind you, Reactor does have some larger models in its arsenal if that appeals to you. I used to be a big watch fan too. After two years of serious exercise (and 40 lbs less of me to lug around) anything much bigger than 40mm looks clownish on me these days. By the way, if you are concerned that the Fallout will wear like a steel brick, don't be. Reactor managed to make a solidly made sports watch that doesn't feel like a handcuff on the wrist. The bracelet is attached in such a way as to distribute the overall mass of this model very comfortably. A lot of thought clearly went into this design.

As you can probably tell by now, I'm very impressed with the Fallout. I have little doubt that it can stand up to most anything I can throw at it. Incidentally, if I do find a way to really hurt the Fallout, Reactor offers an amazingly comprehensive 2 year guaranty on all of their watches. The retail price on the Fallout Chronograph is $300 but, as always, it never hurts to shop around.

As an aside, the box that this watch came in is really nicely done. I don't usually get too excited about the boxes a watch ships in but this one, aside from looking like a nuclear reactor, has a hidden, magnetically sealed, compartment on the bottom for spare links. A very nice touch.

Another interesting old Vostok Amphibia Cosmonaut

Fundamentally the same watch as the previously reviewed Vostok Neptune , the Cosmonaut pictured here arrived new old stock in the original box with paperwork indicating a 1991 manufacture date. This one uses the older 21 jewel version of the 2414b movement. The bracelet is slightly different from the more modern Neptune model and the dial graphic is quite rare but, otherwise, it is a Vostok Amphibia in all meaningful respects.

I paid a bit more than I would have liked for this one but they are becoming quite hard to find and this one makes a fine addition to the other two Cosmonaut models that I have.

Adi Model 224 Ana-Digi Diver Review

On an aftermarket Maratac band





The 224 is another of Adi's watches that is marketed to the Israeli Defense Forces. It is in many ways a combination of the best features of the two previous Adi military models that I have reviewed here. The 224 has the Miyota T201 movement of the Ana-Digi Diver housed in the shrouded case of the Model 221. The result is a best of both worlds combination between the feature rich analog/digital movement and a case design that will accept pretty much any 22mm band.

The watch measures 42 mm in width (not including the crown and pushers) 13 mm in height, 43 mm lug to lug and uses a 22mm band. Like the previously reviewed model 221, the 224 wears smaller than it's dimensions would suggest thanks to the short lug length. That makes it quite comfortable on the wrist.

In all other respects, the 224 is identical to the previously reviewed Ana-digi diver. It boasts the same 200 meter water resistance (again accomplished without a screw down crown) and it's movement has the same feature set as the other model too. The lume is superluminova that is quite visible in darkness and the digital display pane has a small backlight. The alarm function works well enough to remind you of an appointment or the like but is not loud enough to use as an alarm clock.

I think that this is my favorite of Adi's military watches so far. I particularly appreciate that I can change watchbands easily. The stock rubber diver's band is just fine but I think a Nato or Zulu would work well with this watch too. I feel pretty comfortable recommending the 224 as a good beater. I gave the model 221 to my 13 yr old son about a year ago and he has 't managed to destroy it yet. That suggests that the 224 with it's similar case design should hold up well too.

The 224 isn't the easiest of Adi's watches to track down. The one retailer that I found who had it was israel-shop.net. Their price was reasonable but their shipping time at three weeks could have been better. Still, it arrived with no problems so I can't really complain. All told, the 224 is a fine field watch that should give good service. I think it's a keeper.

Ostwok Vostok Generalskie Review

On a Hirsch Trapper for a change of pace


On a Nilsen Bund




Here's a question for you. When is a Vostok not a Vostok. The answer-when it's an Ostwok. For those of you who are now scratching your heads, I'm quite serious. It seems that back in the mid 1990s a Swiss company was formed for the purpose of selling rebranded Vostok models to western customers. (See this thread on Watchuseek for more discussion). The company was named Ostwok and was in business from 1995 until roughly 2000. Their products were otherwise ordinary Vostok Komandirskie and Generalskie models except that the logo on the watch face was changed (See images above. That's not a Vostok logo). Otherwise, the Ostwok is a Vostok in all other respects. This particular model uses a Vostok 2414A stemwinder movement. It shipped with a typical Vostok leather band (which is to say a terrible watchband that I swapped for this leather bund strap). The packaging was a little nicer than a typical Vostok's and included a small catalog of the company's available selection (see above). All in all, the Ostwok is an interesting footnote in Russian watchmaking history. FYI, I got this one on ebay. Examples turn up there from time to time.

The Recession Bracelet

Update-I found a bracelet on ebay that really looks quite similar to the original. It is not a solid link design but for a whopping $16 shipped, I wasn't going to argue :) Tag should really be ashamed at the price they try to get for these bracelets. There is really no justification for it in my opinion.





After five years of fairly regular wear and abuse, the stock bracelet on my Tag Formula One was looking a bit pooped. It had gotten loose and some of the links appeared to have been stretched and laterally twisted a bit. Under ordinary circumstances, I would have just sprung for a new factory bracelet and let that be that. However, at well over $200 for an OEM bracelet, the economy and the wreckage of my portfolio ruled that option out.

My poor man's solution to this problem was to very carefully Dremel down the end links on an old Hadley Roma bracelet that I got a few years earlier. It is a well made Breitling style solid link bracelet whose heft nicely balances the beefy Formula One.

I'm quite happy with the results of this project. For no out of pocket cost, I was able to put an old favorite back into the rotation.

The Ministry Amphibia "Scuba Dude"

On a Modena rubber diver's band



On a Maratac Nato "Bond"




I was very pleased to find this edition of the Ministry Amphibia. Mechanically, this watch is the same as the previously reviewed version. The design on the face of this model though is, in my humble opinion, the best looking version of this line of watches. The raised markers are unique to modern Vostok divers. They somehow give the watch a more sophisticated look to my eye. Despite appearances though, the raised markers are not luminous. (The lume is standard Vostok btw-terrible, that is) The band in the photos above is an aftermarket Nato Bond. I think it works well with this one. I got it here. The stock bracelet was better than most Vostok bracelets but nothing to write home about. Still, for a staggering $64/shipped (Ebay seller-Zenitar), its hard to argue with this big 200m automatic diver. Like most Vostoks, it is solid, well made and easily affordable.

More Interesting Russians

Another pair of old Vostoks. The upper one is very unusual. It is a Komandirskie with a chrome plated brass case and a 31 jewel automatic movement. It is in NOS condition and arrived in its original box with the stock strap (which I swapped out for the nylon band you see). What makes it so unusual is the dial graphic. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. Given the historic tension that existed between Israel and the Soviet client states of the Middle-East, the existence of this model strikes me as remarkable.

The watch on the bottom is a Soviet built Amphibia with a stainless steel case. Unlike most of these diver watches, this one was equipped with a 17 jewel Vostok 2409 hand-wound movement and an iron anti-magnetic shield inside the case over the movement. It too is in NOS condition and is pictured on a period Soviet made stainless steel bracelet.