Watch Wednesday (2/24/10)

 

Can you stand one more Bulova product? I hope so. (I do have a couple more.) This is my only other Accutron. I bought it about ten years ago from an online dealer somewhere in the midwest, but that was at least two computers ago; I neglected to save the bookmark, and I can't remember the name of the place. I do remember that their site was kind of primitive, with all the watch info was laid out in table grids that grew hard to look at after a while.

This is a 1967 watch, with the second generation Accutron movement. One of the biggest shortcomings of the original movement was that it did not offer a date function. The Bulova people were kind of hoping that everyone would be so impressed by the scope of their technological achievement that they wouldn't notice the lack of a date, but after a while they had to offer it in order to remain competitive.

The dial on this watch is a champagne color that did not photograph especially well, but I think you can get the idea. I also like how the "Accutron" is applied to the left side of the dial. Some watch manufacturers were starting to experiment with asymmetrical dial elements at this point in time, opening the door for the increasingly outlandish designs of the 1970s. This watch is not currently running, but all it needs is a fresh battery. I need to take it in to get one installed.

As with the Accutron Deep Sea I featured back at the end of September, the crown is at the 4 position. I have no idea if this served some mechanical or technological purpose, but it looks cool, and quite a few Seikos of the same era also have the crown at 4 (though those have automatic movements and their crowns are more recessed into the side of the case). I've been after a Seiko Sportsmatic of this vintage for a while, but I haven't found the right one yet.

This watch also has a signed Accutron strap and buckle. It's not original to the watch; I found it on eBay shortly after purchasing the watch. Most Accutron straps from this period were lizard grain and had a very glossy finish. This style took a little more searching, but it's more subdued and more to my taste. It may not be exactly like the one it left the factory with, but at least it's close in terms of age, and it may add a little to the value if I ever decide to sell it.