I had always assumed that synthetic watch lubricants were not available at the time of the Accutrons but I recently read something in a Bulova ad for the Accutron about them using the most expensive lubricants available. Had synthetic lubricants just appeared on the scene when the Accutrons were introduced or did they become available sometime during the production run?
Accutron lubricant question
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Good question, maybe Blue92 would know.
When OFT serviced my 218 in 2011, they put Rolex lube in it that will supposedly last for more years than I probably have left...
When OFT serviced my 218 in 2011, they put Rolex lube in it that will supposedly last for more years than I probably have left...
Yes, I know there were synthetic lubricants as far back as WWII. Germans also used them. Wonder about Bulova?
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At Bulova at the Dallas Service Center in 1974 we used PML 92 red oil, I still use it in the Accutrons I service today.
...the service literature calls for two lubricants: a 'Moebius Special Lubricant OL-207' (moly grease) and a 'Moebius OL-219 Synta Visco Lube'. Both of these products still exist; the 'OL-207' is now 'Moebius 8201' and the 'OL-219' is 'Moebius 9020' and still carries the 'Synta Visco Lube' name. Of course, in the 40-50 years since these manuals were written, perhaps better lubricants have been developed...but those are the 'original' lubes...
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To my understanding the question was what did Bulova use in the service centers, not what was in the Accutron booklets that were handed out by the one week Accutron courses that were conducted in the late 60s early 70s. When I was in watchmaking school I took that one week course and received those booklets too. But when Bulova decided to move me to Accutron repairs the 1st thing they told me was to forget everything I was taught before because now they were going to really teach me how to fix Accutrons. The oiling charts that I received when I got my Rolex certificate were different than what the Dallas service center taught me too. So the service centers aren't telling the general watchmaking public all their secrets even if it's printed in a pamphlet Rolex or any other watch company printed out.
For an example Bulova taught me there are certain parts in a 218 that aren't supposed to be ran threw an ultrasonic cleaner because they are charged with a special graphite material (which isn't mentioned in the Accutron 218 service pamphlet). The graphite material charged in these parts are so they will never rust or need lubricating. Bulova never told us what the name of the graphite material was we were just told to never clean those parts that were charged. I did learn how they charged those parts were in a special tumbling machine.
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Wow that is so cool to know, do you have any other examples you could share ?
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