Jump to content

Bulova Accutron Astronaut.....

ricardopalamino

By ricardopalamino
in Your Watch Collection

 Share

Recommended Posts

ricardopalamino Distinguished Member

ricardopalamino

Posted
Posted

 

Hi All . 

 

  Well I finally got an Astronaut !!  I had been searching for a while , and bidding once in a while , but just missing on closing the deal at the last seconds a couple of times . I had this one in my Ebay watch-list and decided to pay a little more for one that had just been serviced by a watchmaker that specializes in accutrons , in New York . I made an offer that the seller accepted . The seller lives in Virginia .

 

When I got the watch I could not set the hands so I contacted the seller . He in turn contacted the watchmaker who said he guarantees his work , so send it to him and he would take care of the problem . The seller paid for the postage and $500 insurance to New York and the watchmaker paid for the postage to get the watch back to me . 

  It was delivered today and runs great . I had a new crystal waiting for it and I Installed it this evening .... I'm stoked .

The attachments are the sellers pics ....... The watchmaker installed an Accucell 1.35 volt battery , which is the original operating voltage for the Accutrons .

  The actual watch with new crystal and the watchband look much better than the pics .

 

 

 

post-808-0-58167700-1446178636_thumb.png

 

 

post-808-0-15667900-1446178669_thumb.png

 

 

post-808-0-75925200-1446178692_thumb.png

 

 

post-808-0-14996900-1446178724_thumb.png

 

 

post-808-0-80278700-1446178751_thumb.png

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
ricardopalamino Distinguished Member

ricardopalamino

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Howzit ramrod , Happy Holidays to you and all the members .

 

I really do like and wear my Astronaut .  Since I bought it I have installed a new crystal and changed out the watch band to a coffin link bracelet that I had on a vintage Seiko DX . I swapped the deployment clasps also .

 

post-808-0-39491800-1450846314_thumb.jpg

 

post-808-0-70182200-1450846337_thumb.jpg

 

Believe me when I say that I would not dissuade you or anyone from getting a watch that they had their sights on . ...But as far as the Accutrons go , they ARE a different breed . If you decide to get one I suggest that you read up on them first , get one that is running , and know that they are not as easy to work on as say ,  a mechanical watch or even a Quartz . If you need to get one serviced there are sites [even advertised on Ebay ] , that do a flat rate service for a little under $200 .

  I am still learning to service them , starting with the 218 model . I have bought and am still buying watches , movements , and parts ,  running and not , the tools and meters to service them , the tech manuals ,  and even a new stereo microscope with a camera port and camera so I can see them on my monitor .

  So far I have about 10 complete working watches , and 2 or 3 works in progress . I even have a Citizen Hisonic which is the same tuning fork movement .

 

  FYI , there is also a Bulova Astronaut Limited Edition with a Swiss ETA automatic movement . That one is on my wish list . It has a crystal presentation back and is signed by the Astronaut Buzz Aldrin .  A little pricy , but very nice .

 

post-808-0-65268700-1450847546_thumb.png

 

post-808-0-54531200-1450847566_thumb.png

 

 

I hope I shed a little light about these beautiful Accutron movements....

Edited by ricardopalamino
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ramrod Super WRT Addict

ramrod

Posted
Posted

very nice stuff, RP. the buzz aldrin watch has got to be a grail for you. 

this is probably something i should back off of only because i don't have the proper tools and diagnostic equipment to do them justice. if i ended up with one, it would probably end up sitting for years until i got over my mechanical watch obsession.

you're on the right track with all of the tools that you purchased to fix these things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Waggy
      Movement holder made with 3D printer

      By Waggy · Posted

      hmmmm.... maybe there is a way to skin that cat 🙀 let me think on it... unless anyone else has any ideas? I left the opening in the side of the base and ring quite large to maybe allow you to grip the crown, but appreciate this may not always be possible, especially for small movements where the crown will not extend past the outer wall of the holder. I noticed this also, but after using the holder for a while I noticed that the ring/holder began to wear into shape (rough edges/bumps worn off) and the size became closer to the desired movement OD. Maybe with some trial and error we could add 0.5 mm (??) to the movement OD to allow for this initial bedding-in?
    • Mallard
      Vintage pocket watches from e-bay (winding stems needed)

      By Mallard · Posted

      Hi nickelsilver, thanks for the great explanation and the links! I'll take a good look in the article.  Especially this is great news to hear! Looking through forums and youtube videos I was informed to 'fist find a case and then fit a movement for it'. But seems that's not the case for pocket watches at least?  I guess I should be looking to find some 'male square bench keys' for now. I was thinking of winding the mainspring using a screwdriver directly, but I found a thread that you've replied on, saying that it could damage the spring. 
    • Waggy
      2813

      By Waggy · Posted

      Murks, The rate and amplitude look OK, and the amplitude should improve once the oils you have used get a chance to move bed-in, also I notice that you are using default 52 degrees for the lift angle, if you get the real lift angle (assuming it's not actually 52) this will change your amplitude - maybe higher, maybe lower. I notice that the beat error is a little high, but not crazy high. At the risk of upsetting the purists, if the balance has an adjustment arm I would go ahead and try and get this <0.3 ms, but if it does not have an adjustable arm then I would probably leave well alone. Just my opinion.
    • Murks
      2813

      By Murks · Posted

      Hi everyone on my timegrapher it showing this do a make anymore adjustment someone let me know ?    
    • Waggy
      Epilame / Fixodrop

      By Waggy · Posted

      Maybe I'm over simplifying this and I'm a little late to the discussion, but just by my looking at oil when I use it on a treated cap jewel  the oil stays in one nice bubble, but when I don't it spreads out to the edges of the jewel. I'm not sure (but could well be wrong) but the analogy of a waxed car and rain is accurate in this case, the wax is very hydrophobic and repels the water, however, the process epilame works by is a different physical process based upon cohesion/adhesion (oleophilic) not repulsion (oleophobic)  at least as far as I have read/observed. If one were to use a oleophobic substance equivalent to wax (hydrophobic) then one would need to create a donut shape to fence in the oil, however if one used such a strategy with a epilame which is oleophilic then the oil would sit on the ring of the donut and not in the 'donut hole', exactly where you don't want it. Even if the oil is smeared then the oleophilic epilame should pull it back to the center (see diagram below). Reference For interest the chemical in epilame is 2-(PERFLUOROHEXYL) ETHYL METHACRYLATE, CAS NO: 2144-53-8
×
×
  • Create New...