Bulova 1965 Accutron

Submitted by joebarkson on July 30, 2015 - 3:05pm
Manufacture Year
1965
Movement Model
214
Movement Jewels
Unknown
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
F91359
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I don't think I've seen this variant in the catalog, so I thought I would submit it. It looks like an Accutron Model "214" according to the POS ad. So it's confusing, but I think it's caliber 214 and model 214.

joebarkson 1976 Bulova  Accutron 07302015
1965 Bulova watch
Bulova Watch
joebarkson
Posted July 31, 2015 - 1:49pm

I don't know if this is going to clarify matters, but I got a good look at the movement and it is stamped M5. So the watch is 1965 (I edited this listing to reflect that) and the caseback is 1976. Mystery solved? 

William Smith
Posted July 31, 2015 - 2:29pm

It may clarify some things, but it may also complicate the ID.  When a case and movement are dated more than two years apart, its been our convention to note a movement swap at some point after Point of Sale (POS).  We assume POS to be the latter of the various dates we have for watch "parts".  We often, but not always, ID these as Non-Conforming.  This can be true even when the swapped movement is the correct Movement Model which would have been in the watch at POS.  

So with new information, we have a 1976 case housing a 1965 movement, which also happens to be the Movement Model that would have been used if the movement were produced/dated 1975/76.  

Another question, since I don't know alot about accutrons.  What was the last date of production for the 214 movement model verses say the 214H?  

William Smith
Posted July 31, 2015 - 3:12pm

Dr Ranfft doesn't list an end date for 214's.  

When I search watche records on site, our most recent 214 movement is from 1974.  

Our movement dateabse lists an end date of 1977 for the 214, however there are no examples with which to validate this end date.  

Lisa's site also lists this 1977 end date, however she doesn't have an example in her collection this late either. The most recent 214 in her collection is from 1971.

Could the ad be discribing a "hacking 214" movement (214H)?  We do have 214H in our database as late as this 1977 example.  I have no idea when the Hacking 214 was first produced, nor its end date.

mybulova_admin
Posted August 1, 2015 - 5:29am

Alternately, it could simply be that the screw on case back is not original to the watch....OR the case style was extensive used throughout the 60's and 70's.

I ID'd the cards based on the early hand configuration of the Astronaut model that is shown. Again it was just an estimate, but certainly places the cards (if all part of the same series) at the beging part of the 1960s.

ID wise, I'm good with Accutron Model 214.

William Smith
Posted August 1, 2015 - 5:50am

I'm OK w/ Accutron Model 214  

Still wondering what year they stopped producing 214 movements.  

I don't know if the 214H movement continued to be sold after the 214 movement was discontinued?  If the caseback is that of a model which housed a 214H movement in 1976, perhaps we would not find a 214 Movement in this model in 1976.   It looks to me like both movements used the same style case backs.  Bloody confusing with all these 214's :)

 

JEV1A
Posted September 28, 2020 - 9:13pm

On the waterproof vs water resistant issue: I have restored many accutron's as well as Bulova diver watches of this era and find nearly the same rubber gaskets mounted between the movements and the case backs. The screw on cases give you extra protection. Waterproof as defined as immersible and or safe to be totally submerged in water and water resistant as defined as resistant to moisture. 

John V. "Time & Again" 

Astronaut M2
Posted September 29, 2020 - 3:17pm

The rear cover has been swapped at some point as I believe by 1974 Bulova was only still making their most popular models which were the Spaveviews, the Railroad Approved, and the Astronaut model watches...