[davchr]

This is my first post. I am a novice watch collector and have a few Hamiltons. I would like to get a Spaceview to compliment my Hamilton electrics. I like the Alphas without the chapter ring. Did all the Spaceviews after 1961 have chapter rings? Can anyone give me insight into this one on ebay?

1961 Bulova Accutron 214 Spaceview Mint 14k Gold Alpha Mens Vintage Watch | eBay

Is there anything to indicate that it is NOT a factory Spaceview?

thanks
Dave Christensen

 

[Alaskan]

First thing that screams at me is that it is a quartz movement. I did not look any further than that. If you are looking for an authentic tuning fork accutron, stay far away from this one!!

 

[oliverb]

First thing that screams at me is that it is a quartz movement. I did not look any further than that. If you are looking for an authentic tuning fork accutron, stay far away from this one!!

Perhaps the page didn't load properly for you but the watch he linked to is definitely a tuning fork Accutron.

To the O.P., welcome to the forum!

 

[Spaceview M2]

Did all the Spaceviews after 1961 have chapter rings?


thanks
Dave Christensen

My M2 'B' Yellow Dot Spaceview is not a Chapter Ring.

 

[skypilot]

Welcome to the forum. All I can tell you about that watch is that is does appear to be pretty much what it is purported to be. One can't tell if it is an original Spaceview or a conversion but I'm 95% sure that the crystal is not original. That's not unusual.
It is certainly an early 214 tuning fork movement. In my opinion that is a watch that most Accutron collectors would be proud to own. I know I would.

 

[GatorJ]

The seller is the the eBay presence of Old Northeast Jewelers with stores in St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida. They are well established and very reputable. They also happen to be the North American distributors for Ball Watch.

 

[Rob B]

I don't think the crystal is original (not really unexpected), and I am sure the hands are not, or at least have been refinished and relumed. They look like Gary Clark hands, which are fine by the way. Also the case has had the heck polished out of it. Unfortunately this seller rarely if ever has good pics of their watches, usually just not quite big enough to see what you need to see clearly. Are they that trustworthy they don't need good pics?

Aside from that, it is a desirable model of Accutron, but I would take it with a grain of salt that it is factory original and not a conversion, no matter what they claim.

Regards, Rob

 

[Alaskan]

Perhaps the page didn't load properly for you but the watch he linked to is definitely a tuning fork Accutron.

To the O.P., welcome to the forum!

My appologies to all, expecially the O.P. I did go back and look at the entire page. My first go around I saw the "item specifics" stated that the movement was quartz, battery. That along with the photos that look touched up caused me to look away. :blushing:

 

[SAM2]

I don't know about age of the crystal but it is correct for first year production and looks to be an authentic Bulova part. That particular crystal has luminous dots that no longer fluoresce as brightly as do the hands. The bright Luminous hands indicate that they may be more recent reproductions. Early Accutron watches had a "three wire" movement. The movement in the subject watch is a two wire. It is not unusual to see Accutron watches that have had a movement transplant due to issues with some early Accutrons but I would expect that those movements replaced under warranty would have been of the "three wire" variety. Two wire movements didn't come along until 1967.
The watch in question is not "factory original" as it is now but it could have been in 1961. There is just no way to know.
http://www.watchtalkforums.info/forums/bulova-accutron-forum/59373.htm

 

[alton1]

Like the others here, I also extend you my Welcome. It's always good to have new members to weigh in. I'm still learning about how to recognize "authentic" Accutron Spaceviews, however, that is a nice watch. Seems to me that there is a good market for both the authentic (unmodified) Spaceviews and many of those that have been modified in some way, as long as the modifications are slight and professionally done.

 

[davchr]

Thanks for the info on this watch.
What about the chapter ring? Were Spaceviews made without the chapter ring after 1961 or 1962? Would a 1965 Spaceview without chapter ring have to be some sort of conversion?

Sam2 - I looked at the link on 2 wire and 3 wire movements. I looked at the pictures in the link and don't see the difference. Where is the yellow and green wire? I can only see a red wire in one of the pictures.

thanks
Dave Christensen

 

[oliverb]

It is still possible that most of the mvt. is original but for change out of the 3 wire coil set for the newer 2 wire set. Not an uncommon occurrence in the life of early Accutrons. Without a good pic of the mvt. it is impossible to know the date of the mvt. Repairs to a non-functioning Accutron could have consisted of a coil switch or an entire mvt. switch. Depended on what all was wrong with the watch and perhaps even the decision of the repair facility.

 

[SAM2]

Sam2 - I looked at the link on 2 wire and 3 wire movements. I looked at the pictures in the link and don't see the difference. Where is the yellow and green wire? I can only see a red wire in one of the pictures.

thanks
Dave Christensen

Dave,
On a Spaceview there is no need to see the wires to tell the difference between the two and three wire movements. If you look to the top left or right of the movement, you will see a small metal grounding tab with a screw in it. On the three wire movement it will be at the top of the left coil as viewed from the dial side. On the later two wire version, it is on the right coil and usually has one wire of the transistor soldered directly to it.

 

[accutronredux]

Thanks for the info on this watch.
What about the chapter ring? Were Spaceviews made without the chapter ring after 1961 or 1962? Would a 1965 Spaceview without chapter ring have to be some sort of conversion?

Sam2 - I looked at the link on 2 wire and 3 wire movements. I looked at the pictures in the link and don't see the difference. Where is the yellow and green wire? I can only see a red wire in one of the pictures.

thanks
Dave Christensen

The three wires will look like this:001_smile:

 

[oliverb]

A question: Will old lume glow as though new when under a black light? I have purchased a couple vintage watches that were shown in a pic with glowing lume but when I received them there was no way the lume was that bright in the dark - even after subjecting it to bright light.

 

[PeterHBne]

Yeah I don't know what is going on with lume now. I used to have a new Seiko that I had to take off in cinemas because it was like a searchlight in the dark, and people got angry. Now you are lucky if it glimmers mildly.

 

[SAM2]

A question: Will old lume glow as though new when under a black light? I have purchased a couple vintage watches that were shown in a pic with glowing lume but when I received them there was no way the lume was that bright in the dark - even after subjecting it to bright light.

Yes it will but it fades away quickly. When I tried that experiment with the NOS crystal on my homemade Spaceview, I had to keep the black light on while taking the photo.

 

[oliverb]

Sam2,
That's what I thought and I bet some sellers use that to make it look like the lume is still bright.