[time-nuts] Watches

[Daun Yeagley]

Hi Tim

Actually, the Accutrons aren't that expensive to repair.  Typical costs are
around $100, to maybe $200 if it is in bad shape.
I still have the Accutron Spaceview (the one where you can see the movement)
that my wife bought me on our first Christmas in 1967. I had it put back in
"like new" shape a year or so ago, and it cost $100.  I've also bought a couple
of "junkers" on Ebay for less than $50, and got them going myself.  They are
actually quite simple, with few moving parts.
Indeed, the name "Accutron" has really been cheapened IMHO by Bulova's marketing
of rather cheap quartz watches that they brand as Accutron.  The true Accutrons
(with the tuning forks) ceased manufacture around 1977.  The sad thing is that
they destroyed all the tooling used to make them. 

Daun

-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf
Of Tim Shoppa
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 11:48 AM
To: time-nuts at febo.com
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Watches

"Didier Juges" <didier at cox.net> wrote:
> I am not sure if my son's watch is crystal controlled or some other system,
> I know some Bulovas used to use a mechanical tuning fork resonator
> (Accutron?) His watch is only 2 or 3 years old.

The original Accutron was indeed a mechanical tuning fork (hold it
up to your ear and hear a high-pitched hum) and while they still use
that trademark, they are now "just" quartz crystals.

I'm guessing the mechanical tuning fork model went away in the 70's for
most purposes. Some lab instruments used Accutron mechanisms for
timekeeping.

The mechanical tuning fork ones are quite collectible, and there's
no way in hell you'd ever get one repaired for $600!

Tim.

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