An Accutron per day

Canuck · Feb 29, 2020

Day # 5. Today, it is an Accutron 218 Railroader, from 1967. While the date shown in this image taken several days ago, is several days behind, the watch is on my wrist on February 29. The watch shown is as acquired. All original. The Kreisler “coffin link” bracelet showed up on lots of Accutrons of the era. Case is gold filled. Dial is 24-hour Canadian dial. In this era, Bulova Accutron Railroaders predominated in the market for railroad standard wrist watches. Railroaders were retiring their trusty old railroad standard pocket watches, and acquiring railroad standard wrist watches. I suspect the stringent time service rules legislated by railroads as applied to watches used on their systems, didn’t apply to Bulova Accutron. Replace the cell every 12 months, and no need for the complete service every two years. Besides, the wrist watch was simply more convenient than the pocket watch. At this time, there was still lots of choice for railroaders who preferred a mechanical railroad standard wrist watch. Elgin, Ball RRS, Universal Geneva, and I am sure there were other mechanicals i don’t know about. Did anyone other than Ball offer a railroad standard self-winder? In the future yet at this time, was the quartz railroad standard wrist watch.

View attachment 939559

Canuck · Mar 1, 2020

Sunday, day # 6. Here we have an example of one of the very popular dial and case combinations seen on the Accutron 218 models. This one from 1967. It is 53 years old, and still runs like a champ. This dial was also popular in a silver tone. These last two pictures were taken on February 28, and the date in the picture is several days slow. I’ll re-set them to Mar. 1, put them back in my stash, and choose two more for the next two instalments.

Amid the jumble of dis-assembled Accutrons that I fell heir to, was a case back engraved with the deceased collector’s name engraved on it, and an empty case with a string tag identifying it as having been the deceased collector’s watch. I was able to assemble a running 218 model with the same dial and hands as this subject watch, and I presented it to his widow. The end result is the same model as shown in today’s instalment. She wears his watch proudly. I had it back a week ago for a new cell, and to polish the crystal.

Canuck · Mar 2, 2020

Monday, day # 7. During the 1980s, I managed a jewellery store that carried Rolex watches. One day, a chap came in to buy a steel and gold Rolex Oyster date for his father. This chap was wearing a ceramic Rado, and he wondered why his father would want a Rolex. Later, the father came in to the store for a bracelet adjustment which I did for him. Several weeks later, he came in with an Accutron and a 1930s vintage private label Tavannes wrist watch in a battered 9 karat gold case. He wanted me to have them. He wouldn’t accept payment for them. A day or two later, I sent him a bottle of Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry and a floral arrangement. Next day, he phoned me, and he was furious! He told me had he known I was going to do that, he wouldn’t have given me the watches. Here is the Accutron he wore until he received the Rolex. Excellent condition, considering it is 53 years old. It is a model 214, and the bracelet is original to the watch since new. Excellent runner.

SpeedyPhill · Mar 2, 2020

55 years ago, the first two-men Gemini spaceflight mission launched from Cape Canaveral...
Although the Omega Speedmaster had just passed the NASA-tests done by engineer James Ragan, the Speedmaster wasn't announced until June 1, 1965 as the flight-qualified wristwatch for NASA manned space missions.
We know astronaut Leroy Gordo Cooper compared a Speedmaster CK2998-4 with an Accutron Astronaut tuning fork wristwatch on MA-9 "Faith-7" in May 1963... but in March 1965 during Gemini-Titan III both astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young also wore an Accutron Astronaut on steel mesh bracelet.
More photo's: https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
.

Canuck · Mar 3, 2020

SpeedyPhill
55 years ago, the first two-men Gemini spaceflight mission launched from Cape Canaveral...
Although the Omega Speedmaster had just passed the NASA-tests done by engineer James Ragan, the Speedmaster wasn't announced until June 1, 1965 as the flight-qualified wristwatch for NASA manned space missions.
We know astronaut Leroy Gordo Cooper compared a Speedmaster CK2998-4 with an Accutron Astronaut tuning fork wristwatch on MA-9 "Faith-7" in May 1963... but in March 1965 during Gemini-Titan III both astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young also wore an Accutron Astronaut on steel mesh bracelet.
More photo's: https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
.

Tuesday, day # 8. Since @SpeedyPhill has introduced an Accutron Astronaut to the thread, I have brought this one forward. It was waiting it’s turn. This one wears a Kreisler “coffin” link stainless steel bracelet. Memory dims, but I believe that this watch/bracelet combination was popular, back in the day. This one from 1967. There is lots of information on the MB re: Accutron and its place in the world of astronauts and outer space, so I won’t try to summarize the topic here. (I don’t understand the matter, any way). I have heard that Accutron had its place in outer space, owing to the need for unmanned space vehicles that needed timers that didn’t have to be wound. I m certain the place of the Speedmaster in outer space is unarguable. The Accutron Astronaut is a form of GMT watch. On the Accutron Astronaut, the 24 hour hand cannot be individually set as the 24 hour hand on so many GMT watches can. The bezel isn’t indexed, and it turns both ways. It was most useful as a watch that would give 12-hour time in one zone, and 24-hour time in another time zone. Not perfect, but pretty good for a 53 year old watch.

Canuck · Mar 4, 2020

Wednesday, day # 9. Here’s another artifact that came to me in pieces. An Accutron 214 model from the mid 1960s. I am uncertain about the year, because the case was in pieces, one lug cracked, and one lug bent. Why do people abuse watches like this? Just an “old watch” to some could be a treasure to someone else. I gold soldered the cracked lug myself because my goldsmith declined to do a gold filled case. I straightened the bent lug once the case was annealed. I collected all the movement bits, dial, case back, etc., and serviced the movement. The dial is decent, though damaged (there is a dent from behind located inboard from the 2 position). This is typical of the damage done by amateurs who are re-casing an Accutron 214 when they tighten the case back, and the hand setting mechanism is not fully engaged. Applied indexes on Accutron dials of the era are riveted on, and almost never fall off. The current trend on dial markers on many watches is “peel and stick”, like a peel and stick address label. Sad how things like this have come about. Good runner, this one.

SpeedyPhill · Mar 4, 2020

Let's mention in the same breath that's 60 years ago since the first X-15 flight during which the hypersonic rocket aircraft carried the NASA logo for the very fist time.
X-15 flight 9 on March 25, 1960 was Joseph Walker's first free flight and Walker was one of the seven, out of 12 X-15 testpilots, who 1961 onwards started to wear the Accutron Astronaut tuning fork microsonic wristwatch during hypersonic flight testing!
.

(Photo: MoonwatchUniverse & Time4aPint)

Canuck · Mar 5, 2020

Thursday, day #10. Regular followers of this message board who also check this thread once in a while, will not be surprised by today’s Accutron. This is one that was acquired in bits and pieces from the estate of a deceased collector who loved to dismantle Accutrons, but had no clue about putting them back together. The case was incomplete. No movement, crystal, back, or chapter ring. The chapter ring was located, loose in the jumble. When @DaveK approached me about fixing his Accutron and fitting a new crystal, all of a sudden, I had a model number to go by, and my supplier was able to supply a crystal. Having run out of useable parts to make up a 214 model movement, I re-purposed the movement from a 1964 Accutron from my collection. I had a loose case back which was fitted, to complete the job. Voila! My own Accutron Spaceview.

Yesterday, I serviced the Accutron Astronaut from day # 8. It ran reasonably well, but not well enough to suit me. I acquired it about 30+ years ago, and probably serviced it at that time. So it was overdue for another service. It is on my right wrist right now, and running beautifully. Today, it is back to my stash to pull a couple more Accutrons for future inclusion in this thread.

wagudc · Mar 5, 2020

Loving this thread, keep 'em coming.

🍿🍿🍿

Canuck · Mar 6, 2020

Friday, day # 11. Here’s another refugee from the trove I inherited from the deceased watchmaker. This one was a bit of a different challenge. Ran fine out of the case, and in the case with the back off. But put the back on and button it down? Dead! Accutrons came in a wide range of models, both in the 214 models and the 218 models. There was not a lot of difference in basic movements, but there was a lot of variety with dials and cases. Some dials were flat, and some were domed, and there were variances with regard to the calendar discs, model to model, depending on the dial. The style of this 218 model is unlike any Accutron 218 I had ever seen before. This one had been monkeyed with, and the case back that was on it was not original to the watch. Comparing the case back with other stray case back that came with this batch of dis-assembled Accutrons showed me that the back was not original to the case. It was about one mm shallower. I replaced this foreign case back with a deeper one, and voila! It is a good runner. The case back it came with was contacting the tuning fork when in place! So I can only guess at the vintage of this one, but I am going to say it is likely early 1970s based on the dial colour, and the shading of it. Bulova Accutron had aspired to a position of prominence in the ten years (approx.) between 1962 and 1972. The advent of quartz watches which happened along in the market place in the late 1960s had advanced by about 1972-73, and the prices had dropped substantially. People bought the style of the new LED digital (more on that in a future submission) because they were accurate, and cheap. Some of us have been around long enough to remember the era of the Texas Instrument LED era when you could pick one up for about the price of lunch. Bulova was struggling to stay afloat. They lost gobs of market share because the Accutron was expensive to produce, and they couldn’t compete in the market place. They offered some styles like the subject watch, trying to appeal to a demographic that was looking for something “different”, style wise, with price a secondary consideration. Can only last so long,

Canuck · Mar 6, 2020

wagudc
Loving this thread, keep 'em coming.

🍿🍿🍿

Lots to come yet. Stay tuned!

Engee · Mar 6, 2020

Thank you for this thread. Accutrons have not really made an impression on me. I just thought of them as pre-quartz battery watches and therefore not very interesting but your thread had just got me snooping around a bit.

I guess there were quite a lot made given current prices on eBay so if one were to be on the lookout for something historically interesting -not necessarily rare, valuable or expensive - what would you recommend? 1960s is an era of interest to me so an Accutron might be a nice piece for me to add to my small collection.

Is there anything Accutron one should avoid for any reason?

Also is there any advice you can offer regarding battery types? Are there any models that are difficult to get batteries for, for example?

Canuck · Mar 6, 2020

I collect them because I have been involved with Accutrons since they hit the market in the early 1960s. The first Accutron in the thread is one owner (me) since 1964. I don’t go looking for them in the usual places (eBay, etc.) I have one major advantage over most who might consider collecting them. I repair my own stuff. If you aspire to collecting them, you need two things. Access to someone who can service them, and deep pockets! The majority of the watches you have seen and will see in this thread are the result of a significant salvage operation by me. After I acquired a trove of dismantled Accutrons from the estate of an acquaintance who fancied himself as a “watchmaker”. About 95% of watchmakers today will not look at an Accutron! In terms of encouraging anyone to embark on a campaign of collecting Accutrons? If you get lucky and find a good one, one is likely all you need, unless you don’t mind ending up with an accumulation of donor watches that don’t work. An inexpensive mechanical watch might be returned to health. An inexpensive Accutron of any sort, not likely so.

As to cells? These watches were originally fitted with 1.35-volt mercury cells. No longer available. Some of them will run fine on 1.5 volt silver oxide cells, and some gain like crazy. Those that want to run fast on the 1.5 volt cells often can be re-phased to run well. But once in a while you have to resort to a specialty cell called an Accu-Cell. This is a 1.5 volt cell adapted to yield 1.35 volts. They are rather expensive, but when the embedded 1.5 volt cell dies, the Accu-Cell components can be re-used on a fresh 1.5 volt cell (usually a Renata 394 or equivalent).

Collect Accutrons? I hope you are ready for a challenge! Collecting Accutrons is unlike collecting regular watches. It works for me, but I wouldn’t be collecting them if I had to find someone to service them, and to have to pay to have them serviced.

Engee · Mar 6, 2020

That’s all I need to know! Wasn’t thinking of collecting - just picking up one for interests sake, but I can see it’s a minefield so I will just enjoy your thread and stick to automatics instead.

DaveK · Mar 6, 2020

Engee
That’s all I need to know! Wasn’t thinking of collecting - just picking up one for interests sake, but I can see it’s a minefield so I will just enjoy your thread and stick to automatics instead.

You can also check out the AccutronDoctor on Instagram. Daily doses of eye candy there.

Canuck · Mar 7, 2020

Saturday, day # 12. @Engee indicated in a recent post in this thread that he become interested in Accutrons. And that he might like to acquire an Accutron or two. The subject watch today, might be indicative of what he might encounter if he were to actually look for an Accutron to acquire. At a popular on line auction site presently, most Accutrons seem to be priced between $150.00 to around $550.00. Like the majority of watches on that site, anything you might pick up will likely need servicing......or worse! Parts may be needed.

The subject watch today is one that came to me a long time ago, for service. When I quoted the owner a price, he told me to keep it. It surfaced recently, so I decided to check it out. It ran, but not reliably, and I was unable to phase it properly. So earlier this week, I stripped it and serviced it. Prices for servicing one of these will vary depending on what needs to be done, and where you live. But I am astonished at the prices quoted on this MB, for servicing regular watches. I don’t see prices quoted for servicing Accutrons. But let’s say about $300.00 for a first rate service on an Accutron 218 day date model, assuming no parts are required. Had this watch been offered for, let’s say, $200.00. on an on line auction, how palatable would it be for a new owner to have to spend $300.00 servicing it? Most would say it would not be worthwhile. My total investment? Nothing but about three hours of my time.

This Accutron was made in 1965, during the hey day of the Accutron. To the best of my knowledge, it had never been serviced. The blue dial is decorated in a pattern called “tapestry” by some manufacturers. The watch (now) is it excellent condition and performs beautifully after servicing. I quite like it.

Canuck · Mar 8, 2020

Sunday, day # 13. Every watch in our collections likely has a story. If only we knew it. This one in my collection has a story, and I know it. In 1969, I was working in a chain jewellery (spelled the Canadian way, eh?) in my home town. We carried Accutrons, and many other brands. A fellow came in, and he was wanting to buy a watch. He ended up buying today’s subject watch from me. This model, Bulova got a lot of mileage out of in 1969, as that was the year of Apollo XI, and Bulova featured this model in a lot of their advertising, associating it with the landing on the moon. So that makes this watch 51 years old! This chap and his wife were loyal customers of mine for all the years I was in retail, here, and I looked after all their watch, clock, and jewellery needs for decades, even after I got out of retail. Of course, I looked after the subject watch for all of those years. Fast forward to about 2010 or so. His wife had passed away, he was in his mid-80s, and was in a senior’s lodge. He phoned me one day, and asked me to visit him, which I did. He gave me his Accutron. It suffers a bit from some of the characteristic problems of a 51 year old gold filled watch, but it is a fine performer. I have to be a bit careful about how and where I wear it (which isn’t often). The watch runs like new, and it looks as good as that day in 1969 when I sold it to him.

Canuck · Mar 9, 2020

Monday, day # 14. Hard to know what to say about this model 214 submission from 1964. This one was assembled out of parts from the jumble of Accutron parts that I acquired. It’s hard to think that a style like this one would help the Accutron become the iconic watch that it was, from the early 1960s to about the mid 1970s. I don’t know if it should be called “understated”, or just homely. What do you think? This one is like all the watches in this thread......a good runner.

Earlier in this thread, @DaveK asked me to upload a sound bite of two dozen Accutrons, all in one place, running. Actually, as it stands right now, with the 14 Accutrons that belong to my partner in this upcoming exhibit, I’m looking at about 36 Accutrons, and one tuning fork Accuquartz (not 360 hertz, so a different pitch), all running. Surprisingly, 36 Accutrons, all running, and all clustered together, isn’t all that noisy. I don’t think I have a sound recording device that would turn a faint 360 hertz hum into an impressive audio experience. On to today’s Accutron submission.

wagudc · Mar 9, 2020

Canuck
Monday, day # 14. Hard to know what to say about this model 214 submission from 1964. This one was assembled out of parts from the jumble of Accutron parts that I acquired. It’s hard to think that a style like this one would help the Accutron become the iconic watch that it was, from the early 1960s to about the mid 1970s. I don’t know if it should be called “understated”, or just homely. What do you think? This one is like all the watches in this thread......a good runner.

Earlier in this thread, @DaveK asked me to upload a sound bite of two dozen Accutrons, all in one place, running. Actually, as it stands right now, with the 14 Accutrons that belong to my partner in this upcoming exhibit, I’m looking at about 36 Accutrons, and one tuning fork Accuquartz (not 360 hertz, so a different pitch), all running. Surprisingly, 36 Accutrons, all running, and all clustered together, isn’t all that noisy. I don’t think I have a sound recording device that would turn a faint 360 hertz hum into an impressive audio experience. On to today’s Accutron submission.

I imagine many of the watches with this dial get converted to a Spaceview.

Canuck · Mar 9, 2020

wagudc
I imagine many of the watches with this dial get converted to a Spaceview.

Astute Accutron collectors are often able to sniff out a conversion Spaceview, and wouldn’t give you h**l room for it! I have a legitimate Spaceview (see it earlier in the thread), so it would not be a thrill to me to convert this one to a Spaceview. Since this watch is a bit of a “foundling” (made up of assorted parts), it may not be an actual factory model either. But I’ll leave it as it is. Stay tuned for Tuesday, day #15. In the meantime, I’ll choose the example for #15.

An Accutron per day

Canuck

Canuck

Canuck

SpeedyPhill

Canuck

Canuck

SpeedyPhill

Canuck

wagudc

Canuck

Canuck

Engee

Canuck

Engee

DaveK

Canuck

Canuck

Canuck

wagudc

Canuck

Similar threads

The Channel crosser: a Speedmaster’s tale

Meditation on an ‘accidental’ watch - a luminova Ed

REDUCED 1967 Accutron Astronaut GMT, All Black Bezel, Swiss, Serviced

Can an Accutron 214 work without the battery spacer?

Zénith's A386 Manufacture Edition - A pictorial

Something you don't see every day (week, month or year) – over $4k for an Accutron!