Bulova Accutron Dress Watch

The Accutron was the world's first electronic watch. About a decade before the infamous Quartz Crisis, Bulova put into production a watch that did away with the traditional balance wheel, favoring instead a tuning fork design - a 360-hertz steel tuning fork powered by electromagnets attached to a battery-powered transistor oscillator circuit - as its timekeeper. Designed by Max Hetzel, the Accutron made waves, becoming the first wristwatch to be precise enough to be qualified for U.S. Railroad certification, guaranteed to be accurate to about one minute per month, or about 2 seconds per day.

While Bulova had grand plans for their watch of the future, they never anticipated the success that the uniquely appointed Spaceview would generate. Designed to be a salesman's tool and display watch only, the Spaceview 214 was never intended for retail purchase. But when demands for the watch spiked, Bulova responded, producing retail versions of the watch with the same unique characteristics of their display models.

With its round, gold plated case this Accutron is an incredibly cool model. This one features a stunning silver dial with applique indexes and central seconds.

This specific example is one of the earliest 214 movement executions, marked by the crownless case design - a design that Bulova moved away from in 1965 when they developed the 218 movement which had a time setting crown at the 4 o'clock position.

So no matter your mechanical-movement inclinations, there is no denying that this piece is a one-of-a-kind piece of horological history.

Oh, and the humming? Hold this baby up to your ear and you'll hear that tuning fork, humming away!

Accutron Factory Certified Pre-Owned

Analog:Shift is proud to be partnered with Accutron as the exclusive retailer for Factory Certified Pre-Owned timepieces. Our longstanding relationship and shared passion for horological history and design have culminated in this unique offering.

Each Accutron timepiece undergoes rigorous inspection and certification by expert watchmakers and is backed by the manufacture, ensuring unparalleled authenticity and quality.