The Istok watch factory was founded during World War II when one of the Moscow-based watch factories was moved further east in the face of the advancing German army. After the war, the factory stayed there and began to manufacture wristwatches for the Soviet army. What makes the Komandantskie wristwatch special is its crown which is designed to screw on like a bottle cap, the beveled crystal made out of the same flexible material used in Soviet space shuttle windows, and the way the rear case cover screws on which prevents the gasket from twisting. This makes the watch very cheap to manufacture and maintain while allowing it to remain watertight in depths of up to 200m (660 ft). In fact, due to its flexible crystal and the rear cover mechanism, the deeper the watch is submerged, the more watertight it becomes!