Bulova 1970 Accutron Date & Day

A word about The Accutron from Bulova and repair service today: 

I'll do the best I can here to explain this model: 1970 (N-0) Bulova Accutron 218-2 Movement (2 generally means Day / Date Model) The Accutron 214 and 218 Movements were originally sold with mercury batteries specially made for Bulova Accutron Models. The batteries were banned and many different variation of button cel batteries became the norm for these movements. Without getting too technical, the movements demanded a specific voltage with which the modern batteries could and could not deliver. So many of these watches that come to my shop have bad coils or batteries have leaked and worse. So once these 214 and 218 Movements stop and will not run / hum even with a new battery install its almost 99% the coils have stopped generating power and have reached their lifespan. So its either replacing the coils or basically a changeout of a movement to repair is my suggestion. Its actually cheaper to find a running 218-2  Accutron on e-bay and to purchase it than to have the very few accutron watchmakers attempt a full repair. It requires a complete disassembly of the movement and Bulova back in the day did not make it easy to replace these ultra-sensitive coils. Sometimes, you get lucky and install the correct battery and ifs its still dead (no hum) tap gently at the 3pm or 9pm position to jumpstart the coils. (This is actually in the original manual) You should hear a hum immediately but if it stops humming immediately the coils cannot further take a charge. So try the jumpstart as long as you are sure the correct battery is installed. For the 218-2 Movement I use the Swiss Renata 344 button cell battery for best results. 

For the few watchmakers today that will attempt repairs on the Accutron from Bulova its quite an expensive ordeal. A full repair service with changeout to a fresh movement can costs well beyond what the watch is actually worth in vintage value today. Lest to say, I do not charge huge amounts of money to repair Accutrons. I recently had a Accutron Astronaut 214 repair whom the client stated took to a local jeweler whom said it was a lost cause. When I received the watch it was corroded so badly rust had settled in, the wrong voltage battery was in place and leaking and it looked like a lost cause. But ultrasonic cleaning of parts brought the movement back to life and a new battery install got it working.

These watches have many issues and sometimes the movement will hum but the hands and gearing stop. Accutron wanted you to service these watches once a year. A drop of oil was recommended for the gearing so most I see in my shop are dry to the bone.

You have a rare case and band but Bulova produced 100 different model cases throughout the history of the 214 and 218 accutrons. Hopefully somebody here will find the correct advertisement for your watch. I operate as "Time & Again" and can help you with repairs and restorations. I would need to see the back cover removed and a clear picture of the movement to make a fair estimate for repairs.

With a dead Accutron it totally depends on what you wish to happen with your watch... spend sometimes more than its worth to get it running and a full restore or just keep it as is. 

Best

John V. 

"Time & Again"