Accutron Spaceview - Genuine Or Conversion?

[Lee]

Can anyone clarify if this is a genuine or conversion? I'm thinking of buying it.....

 

serial number 1-714271 M9

 

I have no reason to doubt the seller, it all seems legit but someone might say otherwise!

 

Lee

[bobm12]

Hi Lee, I'm not an authority on anything much less in watches authenticity but it looks like a regular Accutron to me. One thing is certain, it is beautiful and very well preserved! Even if you decide not to get it, I congratulate you for such a nice find!

 

Cheers,

 

Robert

[Lee]

so you saying its a converstion, not a spaceview? if so (just curious, as I've brought it now anyway!) what makes you think that?

 

Lee

[bobm12]

No Lee, sorry, I probably didn't say it right. I said I'm not an expert and much less in this type of watches but I've seen this model -- which is not normally in such a great shape by the way, for what I've seen -- but I wouldn't be able to tell either way: spaceview or conversion.

 

Accutrons are fairly rare in my circle of watches -- maybe not so much on this side of the pond as more like in my region so to speak -- so to me every time I see a well kept, exhibition type like yours, meaning showing the circuits and all, I really enjoy them. I haven't simply researched much on them yet. Sorry if I made you believe it was one thing or the other and pardon my ignorance on the subject. I wish I could help more.

[Lee]

I found a great website this afternoon ( http://www.accutron214.com/ ) which makes be believe

 

• Due to the case back not having “waterproof” or “water resistant” it is a late 1969 version.
• In 1969 Bulova introduced a new series of Spaceview watches due to sales lagging behind more popular 218 models which included wide gray chapter rings, they where very popular and sold well in 1969 & 1970.
• In 1969 the orange second hand was introduced
• The Case#770 was a swiss spaceview only.

 

So to the best of my untrained ability I believe this to be genuine.. can anyone back that up for me?

 

And by the way 1969 is my Birth year & my chosen preference for watches I buy!

Edited August 29, 2014 by Lee

[Vich]

Hello Lee,

The dating for the Bulovas is quite easy the first ones were A9 - 1949, then L was 1950 with a number ie L9 = 59, M -1960 ie M6 = 66 and N - 1970 ie N5 = 75.

 

In my experience cases and Movements are often swapped out especially with the price of gold currently. 

For a proper check refer to http://members.iinet.net.au/~fotoplot/accspace.htm

 

Cheers,

 

Vic

Edited August 30, 2014 by Vich

[CKelly]

Hi,

   Thought I would jump in here for a bit. Your spaceview does appear genuine. The converted one typically do not have the chapter ring. The ring is made to fit the case and will not fit into a regular 214 case. Some people have taken to cutting the outside part of 214 dials off to make chapter rings but you can easily tell the difference. On these when you remove the movement from the case the ring also will come out. A factory spaceview ring can only be removed by removing the crystal. The original spaceview case also does not need a spacer ring installed to make up for not having a dial.

    Now that I have said all that I would like to include that many of the converted spaceviews actually came from the dealer that way. To keep up with the demand for the spaceview Bulova developed a conversion kit so that their dealers could build them in their stores. This kit typically consisted of a mr 401 spacer ring to allow removal of the dial, a crystal with chapters printed on it and a set of white alpha hands.

Charles 

[DirkvanKampen]

Hi Lee, I think this combination is not original. I have the same as you have, but on this site you see that the golden cushion model watch has this kind of interior to view. the steel cushion model has the T model interior. So I think the interior of a golden cushion model is placed in the steel case. 

https://www.accutron214.com/accutronspaceviewhistory.htm