I'll post this article preview also in this pure Accutron topic... as later this year we'll celebrate 60 years Accutron microsonic tuning fork pilot GMT watches
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Wednesday, day # 23. On day # 22 of this thread, I showed two Bulova quartz model railroad standard wrist watches, from 1985 and 1986, and one Accutron 218 model railroad standard watch from 1972. More than a decade of evolution in the life of these watches.

For today, we delve backwards a bit. We have two early examples of railroad standard Accutrons. But with the earlier 214 model movements. These are both from 1963, produced early on in the life of the Accutron, and in the life of Accutron as a railroad standard watch. One dial is marked Accutron Railroad Approved, and the other, Bulova Accutron Railroad Approved. The one on the left has a Canadian 24-hour dial, and the other one has a 12-hour dial. The only railroad standard Accutron or Bulova Accutron out of the 11 shown in this thread with a 12-hour dial.

This thread has not covered the evolution of Accutron, exhaustively. It has been based on discussing the 34 Accutron and Accutron-quartz watches I have on hand. The quartz ones are not directly related to the electronic tuning fork models, but they are part of the evolution. I suggest that the Bulova company had such success with the tuning fork Accutron and Bulova Accutron watch because they took their time in developing it, and made sure it was correct before it was made available to the public. For more information on the success of these watches, check out:

https://doensen.home.xs4all.nl/g1.html

 

While I find the designs of the Hamilton Electrics to be more interesting, the Bulova Accutron was ultimately a better engineered and far more accurate watch for that reason. Hamilton was in a race with Bulova to see who could come out first with their version of an electric watch. Ultimately, Hamilton released a product that wasn't really ready for market in an effort to beat the competition. Their electric watches were fairly inaccurate and unreliable in comparison to the Bulova tuning fork movement.

 

Hamilton was also afraid Elgin and the French firm LIP were going to beat them to the punch, since both were also working on battery powered watches. Elgin and LIP were smart. They gave up! Hamilton spent the years from the introduction of their Electric in 1957, until they finally gave up, flogging a dead horse. The Hamilton Electric. Foolish pride! I have an early 1960s Timex Electric, movement by Durowe of Germany. In my opinion, the Durowe/Timex was a better movement. And it sold for about 1/5 of the price of the Hamilton Electric.

 

I didn't realize that Durowe made the Timex electric movement. I did know that they made a pretty good quality 17 jewel manual-wind movement for the Timex 400 series. It is amazing that many of those cheap Timex Electrics still work today with a new battery.

It's a shame Hamilton didn't put a conventional manual wind or automatic movement in those stunning asymmetrical cases. I love my Meteor and I would love a Pacer or Ventura one day, but they are so horribly inaccurate.

 

The Hamilton reissues are pretty cool.

 

I have thought about getting one of the quartz reissues of a Ventura since they are much more accurate and I can't really afford a real Ventura

 

Hamilton bought the Buren Watch Co. of Switzerland, and used the Buren micro-rotor automatics to replace faulty Hamilton Electric watches owned by dissatisfied Hamilton Electric customers. Hamilton also marketed those Buren watches as Hamilton Thin-O-Matics.

Durowe was associated with Laco of Germany. When Timex found out Durowe was making battery powered watches, Timex bought Durowe specifically to use the Durowe movements in the early Timex electric. These Durowe Electric movements are marked Timex. It was only a matter of time before Timex, in their inimitable fashion, designed and built their own gawdawful electric movement which was nowhere near the movement that Durowe supplied them with.

Hamilton did offer some models of watches that mimicked some of the Hamilton Electric styles, but did use mechanical movements in them. Richard Arbib was hired by Hamilton to design the unusual Hamilton Electrics like the Ventura. Arbib worked with Harley Earl of General Motors to put fins on the 1948 Cadillac!

My original Hamilton Ventura keeps time to within about 25 minutes a day.

 

LOL!

 

Thursday, day # 24. Still more Accutrons! The one on the left was a very popular style for the Accutron 218. This one is from 1976. It was a presentation watch from 1980, celebrating the recipient’s 36 years of employment with Harley Davidson. This same style of Accutron has appeared in this thread, previously. As of 1976, most of the good years for Accutron were behind it. In fact, this one appears to have been in someone’s inventory for about 4 years by the time it was purchased for presentation. By 1980, the Accutron was no longer being made, and Bulova had sold out to Asian interests. The recipient was unaware of how fortunate he was that he had not been presented with one of the trashy quartz models Bulova’s successor firm was selling in 1980!

Next is a day/date model 218 from 1969. The middle one was a presentation watch, given in 1970. Nowhere else in this thread have I shown an Accutron with the Accutron tuning fork symbol on the aft end of the seconds hand. I cannot help but wonder what took Bulova so long to do that. The Accutron 218 model was perfect for use as a presentation watch as the case back was unadorned in the centre, all the printing being around the perimeter. Not so with the earlier 214 models because the case back was interrupted by the cell hatch, and the back set button. The only 214 model I have shown in this thread that has engraving on the case back, was my own.....the very first one from day # 1. There was only room for my two initials, engraved on the case back by Bulova. This was done to prevent retailers from re-selling the watch, because Bulova gave you a deal on the watch when it was bought for personal use.

The one on the right is from 1971. This one is rather unusual in that it is the newer 218 model, but most 218 models were equipped with a calendar, day, or day/date. This 218 model is not equipped with calendar. I don’t see many 218s without the date.

 

Friday, day # 25 in this thread. My object was to show an Accutron per day until the amalgamated Accutron and Accuquartz watches that belong to two of us have been shown. This started on Feb. 25th, and today in March 20. I have shown my 21 Accutrons, and we have seen 8 of my friend’s 11 Accutron and Bulova tuning fork models. Today we see the last three of his watches.

This all started as we were preparing to exhibit 85 pocket watches comprised mostly of railroad standard pocket watches, several railroad standard station clocks, and 32 Bulova and Accutron wrist watches (1/3 of them railroad standard). Things have proceeded hummingly, you might say, until the organizers of the huge model train show pulled the plug on the show for reasons I am certain I needn’t relate to you. Bummer! We have exhibited at this show for about 25 years, and it is an annual highlight for us.

The fine example on the left is (obviously) a diver’s model Accutron with the 218 calibre movement. He doesn’t wear this diving. This one has a dedicated bracelet which, should it ever have to be replaced, could present a problem. With the narrow lugs, no other bracelet or strap would fit it. This one is 50 years old, and still performs well.


The one in the middle is a 218 model from 1974. Toward the end of the reign of the Accutron over the rest of the watch market. Not a favourite style of mine.

The one on the right comes with a bit of a story. I can only tell part of the story. I have had his watches now for several weeks, preparing them for the exhibit. This one is from 1969. When I laid eyes on it, I knew it was going to need work to prepare it for the exhibit. It had a fugly water stained dial on it, the date ring was white, and the day ring was black! Aside from that, these dials were not right for this movement, and the calendar simply didn’t work! I went through my stash and came up with two date rings that are a close match, and the calendar now works. And I replaced the grotty dial with the one you see.

I’d like to thank two message board members for the two contributions to this thread, in the form of one Accutron 214 Railroader model, and the presenter of one Accutron Astronaut model with associated archival material. Also, thanks go out to the reader who presented the great ad showing the Spaceview model. Accutrons forever! Luv’ ‘em!

 

While not up there with Speedmaster threads, this has been a very interesting journey.
Not only photos (which seem to form the basis of most communications to do with watches ) but also nostalgic and informative background information which adds so much more to this story.

Well done Doug!

Here, have a gold star from the Rebus Puzzle Committee

 

Aw gee, guys! Thanks for your interest.

 

You forgot to mention that tomorrow you will be starting a Railroad Station Clock thread

 

Not hardly! A friend of mine would be the guy for that. He has a Seth Thomas railroad standard clock collection to rival any collection. He has about half a dozen Seth Thomas World 15-day models in a variety of wood types, several Seth Thomas World 30-day models in a variety of wood types, several Seth Thomas # 2 regulators, a S T # 3 regulator, a # 17 regulator, and a # 18 regulator. Oh, and about 80 Brotherhood Hamilton pocket watches. I have two Seth Thomas World 15-day models, and that’s it.

 

I don't want to make this the Hamilton Electric thread haha. Although, that might be a cool idea for a thread. There is a watch called the "Pacermatic," which was a Pacer fitted with a swiss-made, automatic movement by Hamilton, and the famous "Flight I & II." I always wondered if these were intended to have electric movements, but upon seeing he disastrous results, were retrofitted with mechanical.

Richard Arbib was such an interesting man and an important designer in the retro-futuristic design sensibility of the mid-20th century.

 

Jeff Hess interviewed Richard Arbib a number of years ago. He came away from the interview with a wealth of information and archival material.

http://electric-watches.co.uk/makers/hamilton/richard-arbib/

Hamilton set out to present watches that were a total departure from the offerings of any other watch company. Both technically, and styling-wise. Their styles were more successful than their technology! In order to portray this new line of watches as being “different”, the styles had to be visibly different from anything on the market. Arbib was their man. Hamilton persisted for about ten years, trying to make a success out of the Electric. I am fairly certain had they had in mind putting battery movements into some of the models that came with mechanical movements, they could have done it. But the far out styles of some of the mechanical models might have been aimed at a market that liked the styles, but had heard of the bad reputation of the Electrics. Just my opinion.

 

Next to the X-15 test pilots, we cannot forget the A-12 Oxcart "Cygnus - Swan" CIA-pilots wearing the Accutron microsonic hummer
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/b...cia-for-pilots-of-the-fastest-plane-ever-made
1962 illustration:
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Though you all might enjoy this ad which ran in the December 1969 issue of Esquire... pretty much Bulova's greatest hits! I love how collectors today like these in almost exactly an inverse ratio to the original prices.

 

I have a NOS accutron dial if anyone needs one, send me a pm!