N6 Bulova Accutron

[mcass]

I just picked up this Accutron last weekend at an estate sale. This is my first and have a question. It is not running and I'm assuming the battery needs replaced of which I have ordered. It is a 218 movement. Am I OK to just install the battery and see if it works or should I completely service it before installing the battery?

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[swordfish]

My advice is to stick a new battery in and see what happens.  If the watch runs well then, close the case and do nothing else.  The apposite proverb here is "Better is the enemy of good enough."

[Ishima]

From what I've read accutrons are not straight forward services, i believe a watchmaking book of mine told me that eyeglasses weren't sufficient, that you needed a microscope for a couple of the pieces including a wheel with 300 something tiny teeth. I'm only aware of one place that commercially works on them in the UK. 

I think minimum intervention is the key here. 

Edited October 6, 2016 by Ishima

[noirrac1j]

I'm with Swordfish and Ishma. Install a new battery. If it works, you're good.

If it doesn't work, place it up to your ear and listen: If you hear a hum, then the coils are good, and it might be worth your while to service. If there is nothing, then the coil(s) will need to be Replaced$.

JC

Edited October 6, 2016 by noirrac1j

[Geo]

If you replace the battery and it doesn't burst into life, hold the watch tightly face up and give it a bump with the heal of your other hand in either the 9:00 or 3:00 position.  This will often get them going as it can start the tuning fork vibrating.

If it starts the watch, it could just be needing a service.

If this doesn't it wil definately need a service and/or repair.  

[StuartBaker104]

Good advice from Geo there. I believe you need a microscope for a 214 movement, but that one will have a 218 where you can just about get by with a 12x loupe.

Remember that the battery goes in "upside down", and should last about 12 months.

 

[ricardopalamino]

   When you put in the battery , [Negative side up ] , and it runs , all is good . If nothing happens , tap it at 9 or 3 o'clock as Geo suggests . It may run , or just the second hand will move , or it may just start to hum ,....all good signs that the coils are good . If it just humms  or just the second hand moves it will require a service  .

It should probably be serviced any way , but not a job for the feint-hearted ....There is a place advertised on ebay that does flat rate service on Accutrons ....Star findings I believe .

Here is the link for the Accutron page which is a plethora of Accutronism .....

http://members.iinet.net.au/~fotoplot/acc.htm

Here is where you would test the coils with a volt / ohm meter ....

 

Good luck......

Edited October 8, 2016 by ricardopalamino

[ricardopalamino]

Some video Info..

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGTI5DLM6gQ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkNxkhODX6I

 

[RyMoeller]

Accutrons are not for the faint of heart.  My father gave me his Bulova which he received as a wedding gift from his parents and it also wasn't working.  I popped in a new battery and it came to life except that the hour and minute hands don't move.  From what I understand, rusty cannon pinions are common which result in a watch that appears to run, the hour and minute hands just won't move.

I've looked under the microscope and there are two jeweled pawls that contact a wheel with the tiniest teeth you will ever see (it really is the most amazing mechanical watch), well long story short, I've had it in my desk now for about six months and still don't have the courage to attempt a service. 

I do have a PDF of the 218 service manual if you need it though.  It's readily available on the internet although I cannot recall the site I located it from.  Also have about fifty Accutron crystals too.  Let me know if you need one and I'll drop one in the post for you.

[mcass]

Thanks for all the excellent input. Still waiting for the battery to arrive....was lost in the mail but I think they have found it. Should pick up tomorrow and Ill update!

 

[mcass]

Battery finally showed up in the mail. She is a runnin and a hummin! Cleaned up pretty nice. Was planning to resell when I bought it but now....hmmmmmm....


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[ricardopalamino]

It's a thing of beauty......

[mcass]

How can I tell if it has any gold? I don't find a stamp but the only cases I have found in this style through my research are all gold.




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[mcass]

Ok in my effort to try and determine the case construction of this N6 Bulova Accutron, I came across something interesting. I was looking at a couple of Seiko 5 Sportsmatics that I have and noticed something. In the pictures, from left to right is a Seiko labeled "EGP" (left), Seiko labeled "SGP" (middle), unmarked Accutron (right).

Now I can tell a difference between the "EGP" and "SGP" Seiko cases. I don't know if you can see from the pics or not. In the "SGP" near where the lugs meet the case, there are small blackened areas that seem to me to be "base metal" beneath a gold plate. This is not the same as the "EGP" which does not have these spots.

Now, I assume for Seiko, "EGP" stands for electro-gold plate while "SGP" stands for Seiko gold plate or solid-gold plate.

The Accutron has these same blackened areas at the lug ends as the "SGP". These areas almost look as if there is a base metal covered by a gold plating. As I said the "EGP" does not have them.

Can anyone confirm?




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[MilTimeCan]

On 10/6/2016 at 6:56 AM, Geo said:

If you replace the battery and it doesn't burst into life, hold the watch tightly face up and give it a bump with the heal of your other hand in either the 9:00 or 3:00 position.  This will often get them going as it can start the tuning fork vibrating.

If it starts the watch, it could just be needing a service.

If this doesn't it wil definately need a service and/or repair.  

Whoa, didn't know about that. Thanks.

[watchwork99]

I have been in the trade for fifty years & I have never seen a gold watch with a stainless steel back.    They are usually a base metal.

[StuartBaker104]

Have you looked inside the case back? I know these sometimes get changed, but I have a gold plated Accutron in my "To Do" pile and it is marked with the plating thickness inside the case back