Accutron – First of its kind…

Accutrons

In the 1950s, watch companies started experimenting with the first generation of electronic watches

1952: Battery-powered designs introduced by Lip (France) and Elgin (US)

1957: Hamilton introduced first electronic watch

These early models functioned like a mechanical watch, with an added motor and battery.

Similar accuracy as traditional mechanical watches

Prone to failure and difficult to repair

Then, Bulova with the development of Accutron

1866: Louis Francois Clement Breguet, patented the tuning fork timepiece

Vibrating metal coils mark the passage of time

Vibrations divide each second into 360 equal parts

Tuning fork created a characteristic ‘hum’ sound

Watch hands made a smooth sweep rather than ‘ticking’ across the face

The result of a very high beat rate

1953: Max Hentzel, a Swiss inventor, was recruited to miniaturize the technology

Created a pawl-and-jewel system attached to one end of the tuning fork, 

Vibrations pushed microscopic teeth on a tiny gear to track time

In 1960, the Accutron was released as the world’s first fully-electronic watch.

Accutron: Portmanteau of ‘Accuracy Through Electronics’

To better explain the watch’s inner workings, “Open dial” demonstration model was developed as a salesman sample.

14 karat gold – to attract the attention of passersby

No crown – Accutron was so accurate the adjustment mechanism was moved to the back, away from view.

The window model gained popularity so quickly that it was introduced as the official Accutron Spaceview in 1961.

Movement-view watch designs became so popular that conversions were made to existing watch dials to allow view of the inner workings.

Since 1961, over 200 models of Accutron have been released.

Elvis Presley was frequently photographed wearing several Accutrons from his collection.

In 2013, Joe DiMaggio’s 1970-model Accutron sold at auction for $20,625.

Paul Newman was photographed by Life Magazine wearing an Accutron 214 Spaceview during the filming of his directorial debut, ‘Rachel Rachel’.

Worldwide, by 1976, over 5 million Accutron “tuning fork models” were sold.

And the timepiece has continued to evolve, paying homage to its original design

43.5 mm polished steel case

Domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal

Accutron’s new electrostatic movement has also pulled concepts from the original Spaceview.

Uses new technology to generate power for the watch and move the hands

Two small turbines generate a magnetic field, which moves the rotor and turns the motor — essentially powered by arm movements.

Achieves an extremely stable rate of just five seconds per month

Relies on an open-worked dial view to showcase interior engineering

Accutron technology did more than just keep time — it even took us to the moon.