[Luckyme]

Hello!

I got my 1st Accutron Spaceview when at 13 (1961) I begged my parents for it as I along w/ every other kid was excited about the "space race" and tech. in gen.
Because it was expensive, I was allowed to wear it for sp. occasions. As I grew up in the 60's and 70's my love turned to music/R&R and my parents kept the watch in their vault. When my mom died in the 90's I got the watch and put it in a safe deposit box, as I wasn't into watches then. My wife and I switched safe deposit boxes a couple of times, and last year did an inventory. Among other items was another solid gold watch I got for college grad. but no Accutron!!!
My wife thought I sold it, but I distinctly remember seeing it a few years back when we were in our box at a former bank, and had no thoughts of ever getting rid of it.
After much thought, I could only conclude that we never fully emptied out the prior box, and the watch along with so other items were still there! After a long search, we found a safe box key that did not fit our present box. So...we went back to our former bank which had changed ownership, armed with e key. HERE is where it gets interesting..

The bank said we were the last reg. renters of the box, but they have no record of cleaning out the box, contacting us, or sending to unclaimed prop. CA state. they finally let us use the key as it did have the box number. The key went in, but didn't open the box. I begged them just to look inside for us, but they wouldn't. They also said because the lock had been changed, they could not re-rent out the box, nor open it without drilling. So, the box, which may or may not have my watch inside (Where else COULD it BE??) just sits while we contemplate suing the bank to open the box, since it cannot be rented, nor opened.

Of course, all of this rekindled my MUST HAVE THAT WATCH!!! And now that I AM into watches again, I wanted the Accutron more than ever...

So, I went on eBay and just bought a nr. mint GF Spaceview M7 from a seller called Accuwatch.. I am very pleased with the watch even though I know it is restored using spare parts, and not "factory". It looks new, runs well, and wasn't that expensive....I am happy!

Now to the "newbie" part....

I was quite surprised that the Accutron crystal was made of plastic...for such an expensive watch in those days...Even cheap Chinese replica ROLEX and others have mineral or sapphire crystals!!

Q. Since I am quite hard on watches, though not accurate, does anyone make a replica Accutron Spaceview crystal in a scratch proof or mineral crystal??? (other than the 50th Ann, repro)

Q. What battery is best to use in my Spaceview? Does it need any modifications??

Q. If I SHOULD get a minor scratch or two on the crystal, I hear they can be buffed out.. Can I do this at home (and how) or can a gen. watch repair person do this?

Q. I see all sorts of replacement crystals both new and NOS on eBay etc. Which one should I get for a Spaceview 214 M7 round bezel? and how does one install it?

Sorry about the long winded 1st. post...

Thanks in a advance!

 

[oliverb]

Welcome to the forum and I certainly do hope your original Accutron turns up. What a story!

To help with a couple questions, almost all Accutrons had plastic crystals but for a few. To my knowledge, no aftermarket mineral crystals are available. If your watch is a converted Spaceview, I can just about guarantee it has a repro crystal. These are not generally known for their quality, with some being pretty good and others poor. So, you don't have to worry about damage if you will wear the watch and get scratches on the crystal.

I use PlastX plastic auto headlight polish for both my crystals and cases - good for SS, GP and solid gold. It is a very mild polish and leaves a protective film on the plastic. I am certain you could also pay a watchmaker to polish a crystal but no real need. Use microfiber cloths for polish application and shine.

Crystal replacement requires a special tool. IMHO, I would pay a watchmaker for that procedure but other do it themselves.

As for a battery, you need a 387s - the replacement for the original mercury battery no longer available. The silver oxide battery voltage is slightly higher but your watch movement will tolerate it. If it runs fast, it can be regulated to slow it. Any name brand will do fine. When that battery is exhausted, just keep the spacer ring and buy #394, which is the actual battery in the 387s kit. I buy from eBay, the cheapest place to get them and with free S&H for most listings.

 

[skypilot]

Thanks for the great story and I hope you eventually get your original watch back.
It appears to me that OliverB pretty much answered your questions except about the battery. The original battery was 1.35v but they are no longer made so the most common replacement is the 1.55v 387S which is available about anywhere.
Once in a while one won't be accurate using the 1.55v battery so a battery called an Accucell is needed. I have several model 214 Accutrons and only one of them requires the Accucell.

 

[oliverb]

A comment about your seller: I thought that name sounded familiar so I checked my "Saved Seller" list and sure enough he was at the top. Reason I have him saved is that my friend bought a GP Railroad from him. The watch looks nice but when you turn I t over, the entire case bottom is SS! Looks like he gold plated it himself but didn't do the bottom of the case. He says he services the watches himself and my friend's watch does run well and keep good time. Just saying, don't expect the watch to be original but you probably are already aware of that.

 

[alton1]

Welcome to the forum, Luckyme. I hope you do get the issue resolved with the bank. If it is a branch office of a major bank, perhaps you can make your request in writing to a higher-level official of the bank (e.g., district manager). That said, it looks like oliverb and skypilot have answered the battery question. I don't have firsthand knowledge of how the 1.55v batteries affect the timing of the 214 movements but I've been told that they usually don't speed a 214 up like they have a tendency to do to a 218. I've got a 218 and when I first put a 1.55v in it, that thing took off like a rocket!! :scared:

 

[skypilot]

Hey, in addition to SAM2 we also have ALTON1 back !! GOOD !
Interesting experience you had with the 218. All of my 218's run accurately on 1.55V batteries and all but one of my 214's does.

 

[oliverb]

Alton1, I think you have the rare turbocharged model of the 218! :biggrin:

 

[PeterHBne]

Welcome LuckyMe.

I thought at the very end you were going to say that a watch you bought turned out to be your watch now lost!!!!

 

[Luckyme]

No such luck...(Luckyme is meant to be a bit sarcastic)

Anyway..THANKS GUYS for the all the replies...

I am sure to have more questions as time goes on....

I am pleased with my eBay purchase considering I paid only $350. for a watch that looks new...I am not (yet) a stickler about it being pure factory...If is says Accutron, hums, keeps reasonable time, and looks cool I'm fine... Also, most Accutron spaceviews on eBay range in nr. mint from over $400. to some just under $1,000. so i don't think i got ripped off by amy means.

I wore it work yesterday and with out saying a word, about 4 co-workers asked me about the watch..boy were THEY sorry when I pretty much bent their ears off telling my tale of woe, and then added the complete basic history of the Spaceview watch!!!
Yes, about my org. watch...I will try to seek legal advice before pursuing any action, but it is the not knowing that kills me...most likely, if i do get them to open it, it will be like that TV show in the 80s when Giraldo Rivera opened Al Capone's crypt....and found nothing!!!

Then it will be off the the forensic hypnotist to find out what really happened...One thing I do know.. sometime in the last 5-7 years I saw that watch in the vaulI...trouble is, all those little rooms they put you in to give you privacy...look the same, so who knows what bank I last saw it in!!!

 

[thumbs]

Hi Luckyme, and welcome to WTF.
Concerning polishing plastic/acrylic crystals, I use a fine (1200-1500grit) wet&dry paper, use it wet or dry to polish the crystal in circles. This leaves the crystal looking foggy, but if you then polish with Brasso, you will be left with a sparkling clear crystal. PLEASE NOTE, this method does NOT work on mineral/sapphire or normal glass, only plastics.