Hi, New to forum first post. Just received my dad's Accutron 214 Spaceview. I put a new battery in it. It runs most of the time but stops once in a while, and needs a tap to get going. The hour hand is also off a little. Is there a decent place to get it serviced? Thanks
New to forum. Need service recommendation for Accutron 214
edweather
21 - 39 of 39 Posts
Joined
·
1,049 Posts
Rob has contacts in the Thai postal center that watch out for him. Think about how many watches go through the system coming and going to Rob. Don't worry, it may take a few more days before he gets it. I worry more about the USPS because our carriers for the most part just don't care and mail left in a street side mailbox can get stolen.
Joined
·
212 Posts
I will never worry about sending anything to Thailand ever again. I just watched a package I sent to Rob last month make over 36 different stops, mostly inside the CONUS before finally getting routed through Japan for Thailand last week.
Rob said he has seen this before, if a package gets misdirected to the wrong vehicle, it takes it a good long while to get back to the route it was supposed to take.
USPS record is still flawless with me, and I have literally shipped hundreds of packages worth millions of dollars in my lifetime. Never a loss. Long delays, seemingly inactive for weeks at a time, but USPS eventually gets it there. No, not expensive watches, the millions of dollars were loose diamonds I shipped back and forth all over the world back in my jewelry days.
Rob said he has seen this before, if a package gets misdirected to the wrong vehicle, it takes it a good long while to get back to the route it was supposed to take.
USPS record is still flawless with me, and I have literally shipped hundreds of packages worth millions of dollars in my lifetime. Never a loss. Long delays, seemingly inactive for weeks at a time, but USPS eventually gets it there. No, not expensive watches, the millions of dollars were loose diamonds I shipped back and forth all over the world back in my jewelry days.
Update: Rob is finished with the watch. He said the hands had been repainted and relumed at some point, and that it would improve the look of the watch to either replace the hands or repaint them. Replacement is $12, and repainting is $25. Which should I do? In the mean time I am asking him if the replacement hands are OEM. I wouldn't mind new hands if they are exact originals. Thanks.
Joined
·
6,253 Posts
I looked over all the posts and you haven't posted a pic of the watch. That would be very helpful in determining the thoughts on the hand painting or replacement issue.
* In my experience, if you hear of a set of Accutron hands for only $12.00, I really doubt they are OEM unless Rob has a set he's willing to give up but my guess is he is talking about an aftermarket handset.
Joined
·
6,253 Posts
Well, those hands generally look better as aftermarket than some other handset types for other Spaceviews. Also, if you paint the old hands, there is more of a chance of that paint not lasting as long as new aftermarket painted hands. The painting process is probably better on new hands but the downfall is the hands are not factory. It's really your choice. I have painted a couple of sets of hands and after many years now, they look fine but I prefer factory parts on my correct-appearing watches but the hands I painted really had no equal in the aftermarket. But I don't own a Chapter Ring spaceview and those aftermarket Dauphine tapered hands look pretty good as aftermarket hands go. It's a coin flip if you ask me.
Joined
·
6,253 Posts
Actually, I'm quite good at repairing Accutrons. Over 500 repairs per year but there's always a couple who are unhappy and they are typically the most vocal and like to take shots at me on various sites when the problem they experienced would have been rectified if they just gave me a chance. It hurts when they complain so I would always do everything possible to ease their concern if they gave me a chance. There's a reason why Henry Encarnation and Bulova themselves have recommended me for years. I'm friendly, helpful, and accutrons mean the world to me and I will always make them right if given the opportunity. 99% are always good from the get go once I service them but an ocasional accutron is tempermental and needs additional work, which I am always glad to do. My name is Bob Piker from Mybob.net.
Joined
·
212 Posts
Hey guys,
Rob Berkavicius (aka Rob B.) contacted me earlier today. His ISP decided to cancel their hosting services as of 2 days ago, without telling anyone. So, his website just disappeared from the internet, and likely won't show up in Google or Bing. His old email address is still functioning, but that could change!
The new site seems to be a mirror of the old, so happily all that good information was not lost!
The new site:
New email:
rob.b@accutronwatchpage.com
Thanks everyone!
Rob Berkavicius (aka Rob B.) contacted me earlier today. His ISP decided to cancel their hosting services as of 2 days ago, without telling anyone. So, his website just disappeared from the internet, and likely won't show up in Google or Bing. His old email address is still functioning, but that could change!
The new site seems to be a mirror of the old, so happily all that good information was not lost!
The new site:
New email:
rob.b@accutronwatchpage.com
Thanks everyone!
Joined
·
212 Posts
I haven't seen him mentioned, but I met this guy through Rob. I was looking for a World Timer, Rob put me in touch with Dieter Huss in MI. Old fashioned, prefers to pick up the phone and talk rather than send a bunch of email and texts back and forth. And what a joy, he's very interesting and knowledgeable and boy, does he have stories! He does take in repair work, and is okay with me sharing with the group.
He had this NOS case, and built this up for me. Very pleased to make his acquaintance and always happy to share "one of the good guys".
Dieter Huss
734-657-7794
dhuss1940@aol.com
![Image]()
![Image]()
![Image]()
He had this NOS case, and built this up for me. Very pleased to make his acquaintance and always happy to share "one of the good guys".
Dieter Huss
734-657-7794
dhuss1940@aol.com
Joined
·
521 Posts
Nice bracelet find. Is that protectant on the case back as well?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Joined
·
212 Posts
Yes, hard to believe a case was hanging around for 43 years waiting to be built! Very pleased to have it. The bracelet cost me dearly, but I knew what it was immediately. I was casting about looking for the watch to go with it, so it sat in my "to do" box for a long time!
I am sort of a late-comer to 218 variants, I had a few in my collection, but they were the least understood by me. Now I'm reminded of all the opportunities missed when some of the more rare ones crossed my path, but I didn't recognize what they were.
Live and learn!
Joined
·
6,253 Posts
Very interesting info. Just the fact Rob knows him and has referred him has intrigued me, to say the least. Even though I am done with any Accutron purchases and restoration, its nice to see a US-based Accutron repair guy mentioned by one of the best in the world. Great info and great looking watch by the way!
Folks, I'm certainly not a hack and do over 500 each year. There's always going to be someone who is unhappy out of so many and usually they are the the most vocal of persons in the forums, but the other several hundred I do in a year are always very happy with their accutron repair. I promise, I do everything which can be done to make an accutron operate the way that it should and never give up on doing so regardless of their difficulty. Some can be stubborn, but I don't stop. If I forget something, uncommon but possible, like a crystal, I'll always remedy that if given the opportunity. Bob Piker
Thread-bump for Ludmil in Bulgaria. He just service two 214s (1 regular 214 and 1 Astro) for 333Euros. That included a new index wheel on the 214 and installing a new crystal (I provided) on the Astro and return shipping. Very pleased with communications and speed of service (he received them 29 Jul and shipped back to me 6 Aug). I live in Germany so shipping to Bulgaria was easier for me. Both watches keeping excellent time +_ 3 seconds/day. I have been wearing the Astro a lot and doing cups up/cups down when putting it back in the watch box and I have been able to keep it perfectly in synch (< 1 s/day) with the clock on time.gov (NIST). Bloody impressive for a 55 year-old watch. Between Ludmil and Rob B, I don't know why people bother with anyone else. YMMV
21 - 39 of 39 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
