Bulova Accutron 'Doctor's Watch'

In 1960, Bulova had a vision of the future — and in that future, there was humming.

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 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 precise enough to be qualified for U.S. Railroad certification, and guaranteed to be accurate to roughly 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 versions with the same unique characteristics of their display models.  

With its visible circuitry and tuning fork, the Accutron Spaceview was unlike anything before — and really, anything since. Though it remained in production for roughly 17 years, the tuning fork technology was eventually beaten out by quartz crystal movements, making this unbelievable piece of history a short-lived but totally revolutionary wristwatch.  

This specific watch, although not a Spaceview, uses the same tuning fork technology. It features the upgraded Calibre 218 movement which has a time-setting crown at the 4 o'clock position instead of on the caseback.

Housed in a 35mm 14K yellow gold round case with a domed acrylic crystal and a screw-down case back, it features a warm champagne dial with applied indices and Accutron logo, a framed date window at 3 o'clock, and a printed pulsations scale on the perimeter. 

Given the Caduceus symbol at 6 o'clock, this watch was indeed marketed towards MD's and other medical professionals that needed to read a heart rate in pinch. The red arrows at 4 o'clock and 10 o'clock demarcate the starting point at which a MD would start counting pulses until he or she got to twenty. At the end of twenty, the sweeping seconds hand should provide the pulse rate.

Outfitted on a vibrant Analog:Shift suede strap with a matching gold-tone pin buckle, this piece will put a smile on your face every time you glance down at it and when you hear the humming from the tuning for movement within.

Quick! Someone call a doctor! Not only because this Accutron has got our hearts racing, but because it's the perfect watch for any MD!

The story of Bulova is deeply entwined with American manufacturing. Its founder, a Czech immigrant named Joseph Bulova, was inspired by the advances that Ford made in his factory in Highland Park, Michigan. In 1912, Bulova built a factory in Biel, Switzerland, using Ford’s principles of mass production.

The brand was among the first to offer a wide range of wristwatches for men, with a distinctive visual style that — thanks to its innovative adoption of advertising and a relocation to Astoria, Queens — became fixed in the American imagination. Bulova took over offices in a skyscraper on 5th Avenue in Manhattan and installed an observatory on the roof in order to measure universal time. In the workshop down below, watchmakers timed the watches they were working on against readings taken in the observatory.

The watches that Bulova produced were varied, from handsome three-handers to divers and even chronographs. Bulova produced its first chronographs in the 1940s — single-button affairs with screw-on bezels. Throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70's, Bulova honed its mastery of such watches.

However, perhaps the brand’s single most important innovation was 1960’s Accutron, a timepiece that used an electric tuning fork in place of a traditional balance wheel. Following on the heels of the Hamilton Electric of 1957, the Accutron featured a guaranteed accuracy of two seconds per day — much better accuracy than that of a contemporary mechanical watch. (The Accutron line was later spun off and relaunched as its own brand in 2020.)

In 1971 a Bulova chronograph accompanied the crew of Apollo 15 into space. When the crystal on astronaut David Scott’s Speedmaster popped off, he strapped on his Bulova, making it the only privately worn watch to ever have been worn on the Moon. (It was subsequently auctioned off for more than $1.625M.)

Currently owned by Citizen Group and headquartered in New York City, Bulova continues to make watches inspired by its long American heritage.

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Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.