[Magnetchief]

Recently been trying to help my father in law get his watch serviced.
Unfortunately he took it to a jeweler at the mall and had them replace the original movement with a modern day quartz movement.
I asked him to go back to the jewelers and ask for the old movement.
This he did but produced the item below.

Any thoughts? He obtained the watch a couple of years ago so I assume it could have been converted in the past.

The old movement reads Swiss 22 jewels.

 

[skypilot]

Hmmm, my guess would be the same as yours. Does he care if it has a real Accutron movement ? If he wants one, there are zillions of them on Ebay for good prices.

 

[Magnetchief]

I think he is not bothered either way.
Myself I would rather it was as it was meant to be.
One day I will inherit the watch. At that time I will return it to an Accutron watch.

In the mean time I will look out for a working movement.

 

[SAM2]

You are correct in assuming that the movement had been previously replaced. According to my parts catalogs, the original movement for case #2662 would have been a 2181. Railroad Approved 218 watches with a black date wheel frequently sell on eBay. All of those fall into a date range between 1972 (N2) and 1976 (N6). What is the date code on your father's watch.
I have also seen that case with a 219 movement but those had a white date wheel and I have no idea if one was actually made by Bulova.
You will also need to find the correct set of hands.

 

[Magnetchief]

The case has the date code M9 stamped into it.
1969 I assume..

 

[SAM2]

Case 2662 was used in more than one model. It was the same case used in the Model "AF" that was the subject of another recent posted by Gmcohen and it appears in 1969 advertising but not with a railroad dial. The 218D and the 2181 movements are basically the same. The 218D was the older of the two movements and I doubt that anyone knows the exact date that Bulova made the change. From the scarce information available, the oldest example of a 2181 with the black date wheel would date to 1970 (N0) but a year more or less is not surprising.
If I were restoring one like yours, I would use the excellent photos of the watch sold on eBay (Item number:370790367740) as a guide. Unfortunately, the $209.00 sale price for a similar watch in running condition would seem to make the idea of restoration somewhat impractical.

 

[Magnetchief]

I tend to agree.
If it had a strong sentimental value I may have restored it.
As it is I will just have to wait and see.