10k RGP Bezel and Back
Engraved:
P.C. Amadio
Good Year
25 Years Service
1975
I secured this gorgeous 1973 Bulova Accutron from an antique store in Northeastern Ohio near Cleveland. I traded a vintage AM/FM Clock Radio for her. I paid less than $10 for the clock radio.
The watch was in the original hard case, but was not running. I took to a jeweler and found that the battery had been removed, thankfully.
2nd pic above shows the jewlerer installing a NEW ($10) battery and she is back in action. I have since learned the watch takes an S344 (or S389) battery. I replaced the aftermarket metal band with a black leather with white stitching (see pic). Unfortunately, the watch did not come with the original band.
She is marked N3 on the back so definitely a 1973 model. A Goodyear logo is on the face as she had been engraved to a guy who put in 25 years at the company.
She seems to run fine, but sometimes will stop and lose 2 mins or so. This seems to happen after taking her off and setting her aside. Once this happens and I reset her, she will run great.
any ideas what this could be? OR, is this simply an artifact of the tuning fork models? any advice would be appreciated.
NOTE: I took her back to the jeweler to make sure battery was good (tested on his machine as good) and that is was seated properly.
N5XTC - Scott Allen Reid
Accutrons can be difficult to repair. The hobbing machines that produced the Index Wheel were destroyed and there are a finite number of NOS parts out there. If the watch is running and humming, but not keeping time, the fault is the Index wheel or the pallets. Chances are that your watch needs a full service, but you need someone who really knows these watches. There is a guy who specializes in Accutron repair and has a limited number of the Index Wheels. I don't have contact info, but he is in the US and usually shows up with a Google search.
In reply to Accutrons can be difficult to by Reverend Rob
Thanks for the information. she does keep time, if I take her on and off and place her down not being gentle or wrap her in a cloth and put her in my pocket bec i am doing something, etc, she may stop for a few mins and start back up, thus losing time. if you set her down and be gentle taking her on and off, she seems to run about perfect. not sure what that means. but, i lhave earned how to make her run right and am doing that. not really a big deal. LOVE the watch.
In reply to Thanks for the information. by N5XTC
Stopping and starting are the symptoms of either the index wheel or pallets, as well as a possible intermittent voltage or contact issue. The watch could, for example, be humming along but a shock will dislodge the pallets or make them skip, double indexing or stalling the motion works. An intermittent voltage may likewise start and stop the movt.
In reply to Stopping and starting are the by Reverend Rob
HHhm, so I am not sure what that means as far as having her fixed?
As long as she keeps time for the most part, and only stops and loses time once in awhile, I may just leave her as is. I really like the watch.
I bought what I think is a 1930's model Bulova today, but it runs fast. prob 4 mins in 30 mins, something like that. rather have that one worked on. have to post her on here when I have some time later. what a beauty. thanks for your information.
In reply to Hello Scott, welcome to by Geoff Baker
In reply to Hello Scott, welcome to by Geoff Baker
In reply to NOTE on dating a Bulova by N5XTC
Date code table found here: http://www.mybulova.com/bulova-date-codes
Generally, pre 1948 we also consider the leading number of the case serial number to be an indication of production year. There are however, a few instances were serial does not indicate production year.