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Hi all, It's been a while since I posted anything here but tonight I was working on a watch and I thought there might be some interest in looking at it. The customer said the second hand would move but the hour and minute hands wouldn't. Usually that means the minute wheel assembly has became worn however today that part had became seized onto the center tube. Anyway I took a picture of what is under the dial of a 218 in case there was any interest. Notice the three springs that are laying about. The first time I tried working on one of these I lost every one of those things and maybe some of the other parts as well. I told my wife it was like trying to bait a mouse trap after you had already cocked it. Anyway I have this watch going now and here's what it looked like before. Charles K

Hi RJK, Your Bulova Accutron was the best tuning fork watch. I had an Omega F300 (not as good as the Bulova) I smashed it many years ago when a car pulled out and knocked me of my motorcycle. I escaped with hardly a scratch. Watch and bike were wrecked !!. Speak later.

As someone who takes the view that if it's been assembled, it can be dissembled and therefore fixed, I make occasional forays into clocks and watches and have a reasonable set of tools. I've practised on a few Chinese movements for the skill building and entertainment, but I confess I wouldn't take any of my 'real' watches apart - off to the professional for those. I'm more likely to tackle a clock due to the scale. Strong preference for mechanical, although - putting chronometer definition aside - possibly my most 'accurate' watch is a Bulova Accutron, which I have rated down to around half a second a day over two months. Built an interesting rating circuit based on the usual piezo element, but not sure i'm willing to open a very good watch to do the adjusting! I do get a string of more modest value watches for inevitable battery and/or gasket replacement, case polishing and other minor fettling and maintenance. So, an enthusiastic amateur.

Hi, I'm a newby, so please be gentle! I have an early Accutron into which I need to fit a new crystal. I have a NOS crystal. I understand the principle of fitting a tension ring crystal with a press, but need to make a die to fit the crystal. Does anyone know (or can estimate) the optimum internal angle of the top die please? Secondly, on a slightly different subject, I have seen on this site discussions about recessed crystals and non-recessed crystal, but from what has been said I still don't really understand the difference. Could someone enlighten me further please? Thanks in anticipation. pcuk

I'd like to share a couple of watches I recently acquired ...... The first is a 1961 Hamilton T-403 Automatic . I had been on the lookout for this one for quite a while as they don't come up for sale very often . This one may be only the 1st or 2nd I've seen offered . It was offered by a professional watchmaker with 25 years at the bench , so the movement has been serviced by him . The case is a Gold filled Asymmetric design and I have seen this model referred to as the Shark owing to the fins of the case design . According to the seller , the watch came to him missing the crown so it has a generic replacement . The hour and minute hands are original . but the second hand was gold and "all - over wrong " in his words , so he replaced it with a second hand as close as possible to the original . The acrylic crystal is new . The movement is the same as used in Hamilton's Thin-O-Matic models , using a micro rotor for reduced Thickness . The dial is a gorgeous original finish with , un-noticeable really , a few tiny dots here and there . The Watch : Next is a beautiful 1965 14K and Stainless Steel Bulova Accutron 214 model watch . As soon as I saw it offered I knew I wanted to claim it , so I upped my Max Bid 3 times . It is a 100% original , fully serviced watch that the seller offered as a Solid Yellow 14K and Stainless 2-tone watch . I asked the seller why he offered it as 14K solid gold . His response was that the gold on the bezel is 14K solid Gold ,....So I dunno ?? Anyway ,....I had to have this beauty , and luckily for me , the bidding was not heavy . So here it is....

Hi all, Since I haven't found an Accutron yet, I jumped on this vintage Timex Electric. It's far from a tuning fork movement but it's satisfying me for the interim. It had a neat calendar band with 7 changeable cards for the appropriate month. Runs great and looks sharp. I thought it was kind of unique; can't make out the serial number but I think is a '67 model/style 84. Not too familiar with thier Taxonomy. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I finally latched onto a nice Accutron "Woody " after making several attempts in the past . I can honestly say that I really like this 218 Accutron , probably as much as my 214 Astronaut .

the watch forum has a master accutron servise master. " silver hawk " ( Paul ). vin

The original Accutron batteries were 1.35v mercury cells which have long been off the market. With a 218 movement you can usually substitute a standard 1.5v battery without issues but I believe the 214 models struggle with this. Interestingly, it looks like some suppliers have come up with a workaround for this. I've done two Accutron repairs and in both cases I just plopped in a new battery without thinking about it beforehand. You can adjust the Index finger and pawl so that they are not contacting the index wheel before dropping in the battery but if you do that you'll have have to move them back to get the watch to keep time and getting them just right is the hardest part of the service. Testing the movement of the gear train is a bit difficult too since the wheels are well hidden under the bridge and manipulating the index wheel (driving wheel) is not a good idea. It's an interesting conundrum for sure; hopefully someone more knowledgeable will pipe in with some good advice. There is a woman names Samantha on the NAWCC forum who is quite knowledgeable about Accutron service procedures. I perused all the related threads there and also downloaded the service manual before getting my hands dirty. In the unlikely event we all draw blanks here, I would suggest posting the question over there to see what they may know.

Hi gang, it's been way too long since my last post. Been a busy Summer! I have mt grandfathers Accutron and it looks like the original or maybe second battery is as long as he wore it (circa 1970). The movement looks very clean and free. I'm a little hesitant to just plop a battery in without cleaning as Im reading that any abnormal resistance in the gear train could damage the ratchet wheel or even knock the tiny pawl and pusher jewel into oblivion when the fork starts. I have not serviced one of these but I did watch some factory videos. Interesting movements, but that ratchet mechanism makes me nervous, yikes! Chad Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Hi all, It's been a while since I posted anything, I retired a year ago and have been busy working on our house and keeping busy with watches but haven't really had anything worth sharing until this week. Anyway I put an ad in the local paper looking to drum up a little business or maybe even buy some interesting watches. Yesterday I bought a box of assorted watches. Got two 18s Elgin pocket watches, one accutron, a handful of other watches and this Wakmann. As soon as I saw it I knew I was going to have it. I offered the guy who owned them $300 for the lot and he said $350 and I said Ok. The Wakmann doesn't run yet because the hairspring looks like a birds nest. I know Mark has a video about how to straighten out hairsprings and I have done a few but this is beyond me so I have ordered a balance complete from Jules Borel at what I thought was a very reasonable price. Hope you enjoy the pictures. I did take a close up of the movement ring because it looks as if someone used tar as a seal. I have put the movement back in the case just to show what the watch should look like when it's finished. Also see the tangled hairspring. I'm not sure what happened but the regulator arm was pushed into the center wheel so I'm guessing the wheel caught it.

Beautiful watch. I have always enjoyed BULOVA watches, collecting and repairing them. I have probably 50 in my collection and hundreds of parts movements and thousands of individual parts. A BULOVA accutron was the first watch I ever purchased myself at 10 years old, and I also have both my grandfathers watches that are BULOVAs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A nice watch with a long name . Automatic , 19 jewels , day / date with the day in Kanji at 6 o'clock , 38mm w/out crown , the standard Orient date change push button , and a scuba dude emblem on the caseback . A friend and acquaintance from the Seiko Citizen Watch Forum and regular seller of hard to get Seikos and Citizens on Ebay , that goes by the username of Seikocitizencollector , emailed me and asked If i could look at his NOS CitizenHi-Sonic for a few repairs . On a normal mechanical watch the repairs are minor , but the Hi-Sonic has the same movement as the Bulova Accutron tuning fork 218 model . The stem would not stay in the watch so he took it to a watchmaker for the repair and when he got it back the stem was still out and now the watch would still hum but not run . He sent the watch to me and I discovered that the setting lever screw was broken . To replace the screw you have to remove the train wheel bridge ,which on a regular mechanical watch isn't a big deal , but on an Accutron you start sweating bullets because you have to deal with the tiny index and pawl jewel fingers , and the VERY delicate 320 tooth index wheel . To make a long story short I asked for a watch in payment . He was awaiting a lot from Japan and he gave me several good choices , and I chose the Orient . When I got it I found the tightest case back in the history of the world . It was tight , had dirt and was rusted to the case . It took me a couple of weeks to finally loosen it . I found a very clean movement inside . It came with an expansion watch band which I changed out with one I had in my stash as well as install a new crystal ........... The Gentleman was also kind enough to include a bonus watch . A Seiko 5 , with a 5126 - 7040 movement and case . The 5126 movement is a little more complicated then the standard Seiko movements in it's autowind mechanism . Gears instead of the normal "Magic Fingers "

+2.5 cheapo eyeglasses from poundshop, and another pair with 20X loupe stuck on with Rodico for setting up pre-position of Accutron fingers. I found using loupe as designed it steamed up all the time causing irritation and annoyance, just when you get the damned things aligned--you couldn't see 'em anymore. All normal dissassembly and reassembly done with just the eyeglasses. Parts examination done at 20x For Indexing I use a £5 cheapo Chinese microscope 100x I modded for the job. Indexing jewels look like two house-bricks on a circular sawblade Works for me!

Ive found a trick that may work with other watches, but works great for Accutron 214,--which is basically most of what Ive been doing lately.... bung all four wheels in, lay bridge carefully in place, lined up with dowels and screw-holes, then gently tap movement holder at 45 deg angle with tweezers they all just fall into place, bung screws in after confirming train free--job done. --It took longer for me to write this, than to refit the four wheels and bridge to the 214, but as I say--it may not work for other movements. poking round inside Accutron with a pin or summit to line wheels up is Not an option due to delicate nature of index-wheel--one touch on the teeth of that, its stuffed.

I use these for small parts like Accutron index-wheels in the ultrasonic-- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2ml-test-tube-sample-vials-container-with-snap-cap-x-25-Freepost-/120916343579?hash=item1c272cfb1b:g:8VkAAOSwPe1Tz5aQ The advantage is--being a sorta softish plastic, parts bouncing round due to the ultra dont get damaged as could be possible using a glass bottle/vial/beaker, being semi sealed you can use any cleaning fluid you like in them with just water in the ultrasonic tank keeping cleaner fluids costs down --Yup. I'm a cheapskate!

The post office just delivered this Astronaut ll . I got it to compliment my collection of my two other Bulova Astronauts . Bulova has seen to install three different types of movements for each . My first Astronaut is a vintage Accutron with the 214 Tuning fork movement . My second is the Automatic Buzz Aldrin signed limited edition version . And my latest is the Astronaut ll with the Very accurate Precisionist movement ,...what a smooth second hand . Here's a look at the second hand's sweep...... I chose the economical blue model with the blue textured leather strap because of its simplicity that seems to highlight the smooth second hand's sweep . Not a bad price at all.... And you have an option . Black dial and SS coffin link bracelet ,...at yet another deal.... From 2014... And the Watch...

I repaired a Accutron a year ago but I don't own one yet. All of my own Bolova's have Swiss movements. So I still want a older American made movement Bolova. Accutrons seem to fall victim to "free" battery changes. The one I fixed was a mess of corrosion from a busted gasket.

Wow , If you are ready to attempt a service on a bellmatic my hat's off to you and I wish you good luck . I have never really been a Bellmatic fan , but it just so happens that I picked up a free donor yesterday that has broken parts but a beauty blue dial and the original band . This watch has seen better days , but i picked up a running watch, head only , that is the same case as the non-runner . I hope to get one nice runner from the 2 watches . I guess I was on a Bellmatics roll because I also picked up this Nice running specimen for a good price . It needs a new crystal that I am in the process of getting , but it has a coffin link Bracelet that I'm a sucker for . I have a coffin link on my Bulova Accutron Astronaut and I love it . Do you have the Bellmatic / 4006 tech sheet ? It's quite long and involved and you may want to study it before you start your project . If I'm not mistaken , the Seiko 66 morphed into the 6602 which tech sheets are also available . You can go to the Seiko Citizen Watch forum and find those tech sheets and many other things Seiko and Citizen .

Howzit ramrod , 10 running and about 3 or 4 for in the works . I need complete balances with good coils for the 505 and complete contact springs for the 500's .Hard to get parts .There are donor movements for sale , and not cheap , but there's no guaranty on the parts being good ....Similar to Accutron donors . There are a couple more electrics I want to get and a few mechanicals of similar design . The problem is I started out with the more available , less expensive models . It's an uphill climb from here .

Make me appreciate my accutron even more.

Great video! I was given an Accutron recently and now I have a much better appreciation of its historical significance and technology.

jdrichard ask how to clean an electric watch . I am going to start this thread by posting from the Hamilton Electric watch manual.... And from the Accutron 218 Service manual.... With the Hamilton electrics it is a normal service cleaning procedure , EXCEPT for the Balance wheel . The balance wheel has a coil attached that should not be subjected to harsh chemicals , alcohol , or petroleum based solvents . I am speaking of the coil itself . As for the rest of the components on the balance staff I use a hairspring cleaner applied with an eyedropper directly on the hairspring and a fine cosmetic or watercolor brush to clean it and then lay it on absorbent paper and use my blower to dry it . I also use the brush to clean the the other parts on the balance shaft ,...and there are quire a few little goodies on it , and use the hairspring cleaner or 91 percent Isopropyl alcohol .

Howzit Shirley , Thanks for the kind offer of the service manual . I have a couple of versions . Some I found online , some in some watch repair books I have , and one really good one I bought online . Both the 500 and the 505 are pretty hard to get parts for . You can find donor parts for sale on ebay , but they are heavily sought after and expensive ., Most offerings say that the balance turns freely which is something you would look for in a mechanical watch , ...but the balance assembly has all the other parts on the shaft that have to be good to be usable . Also the 500 needs the plate with delicate trigger and contact springs . They get broken or knocked off very easily . I saw one of your posts where you mentioned you had Accutron parts . I will get around to sending you a PM to inquire about those parts soon , if that's OK ? Here is a pic of what the Everest looked like with the black band.... And here's a pic of what the Pegasus Model looks like . I just noticed that the pic didn't make it to the party in my original post .... Cheers , Louis