Accutron 214 Astronaut

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What behavior do you as see as the battery gets low? Is it possible it could run a bit fast (minute or two in a day) as you get to end of life? Or just runs fine until it stops?

Thanks!
 
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Just set my Astronaut back this morning and noticed that since I changed the battery back I March it was a whopping 36 seconds off from the Naval observatory. Rob Berkavicius sure knows his stuff when it comes to servicing these.

@AustinCambridge my 214s usually go about a year between battery changes, and when it goes down they tend to just quit running.
 
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Just set my Astronaut back this morning and noticed that since I changed the battery back I March it was a whopping 36 seconds off from the Naval observatory. Rob Berkavicius sure knows his stuff when it comes to servicing these.

@AustinCambridge my 214s usually go about a year between battery changes, and when it goes down they tend to just quit running.

Thank you, that’s helpful.
 
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An interesting article from September 1962 issue of the American Horologist and Jeweller.
Same image I posted earlier of the watch, but the article about a late July Bulova meeting mentions the dial of the Astronaut is luminous.




In the close-up, there is faint lettering below 12 o'clock.
 
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An interesting article from September 1962 issue of the American Horologist and Jeweller....


"First introduced on the National market in fall of 1960..."

That's earlier than I have heard.
 
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"First introduced on the National market in fall of 1960..."

That's earlier than I have heard.

Accutron timepieces yes, Astronauts, no.
 
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I know there are several threads about the astronaut and comrade pdx is very knowledgeable and thinks this one is original. As I wrote in another thread I picked it up for 75 bucks at a watch store. He has a number of other tuning forks including a gold one I might pick up now that I know where to repair them. I’m just a little suspicious although this is not a rare more coveted early 1960’s it’s a 67 (no original bracelet) but I’m not sure it should be in this good of shape so I’m questioning it’s originality. I’d like to see it under a UV lamp. I’m not saying it’s NOS just curious what people more knowledgeable than myself think of my new to me astronaut. A new battery and it was running damn near spot on but I left the timing paper in my car.
 
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Sorry don’t know why pics are flipping. I’m trying to get closer to the dial but having trouble focusing. I had kind of an annoying day I think I lack patience
 
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Here is straight on a little closer up. By my comparisons online it seems ok
 
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Yours looks like an honest example to me. Here are some of my 63 Astronaut.
Ah, thanks for the response. I was just noticing quite a few have different colored gmt hands but I noticed the variations seem to be all over the place on the various models I was using to compare. I think I can but it to rest. I think I was just a bit paranoid as it’s been a while since I’ve had time to look for watches in little shops and I forgot these deals are still out there and you can run across them it doesn’t mean you bought something

That is a really nice earlier one you have
 
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Yours looks like an honest example to me. Here are some of my 63 Astronaut.
Ah, thanks for the response. I was just noticing quite a few have different colored gmt hands but I noticed the variations seem to be all over the place on the various models I was using to compare. I was a little paranoid as I don’t have much time to go watch hunting and I forgot legit deals still can be found doesn’t mean it’s not original
 
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AFAIK it was only added on the S901-E version of the aluminized outer layer David Clark pressure suit !
.
 
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Well holy shit, that is cool!
That was my very first Astronaut watch and the owner didn't disclose who he was until after I bought it. We had a nice exchange of emails with more backstory details. At that time he never mentioned wanting to write a book. He bought the watch while flying helicopters in Vietnam. Funny that we both were working at the same airline when this transaction all went down.