• Brand & manufacture location - Bulova, Switzerland
  
• Year - 1977
• Serial # -  T222199
• Movement & caliber - Battery operated 

A stainless steel Bulova Accutron, time only, battery operated tuning fork watch with an unusual blue dial. The movement inside here is the Accutron tuning fork from Bulova. A movement that was the world's first fully electronic watch when launched at the Basel watch fair in 1960. Inside is a 360-Herz tuning fork powered by a one-transistor electronic oscillator, and was the invention of the Bulova engineer Max Hertzel. The standard oscillating rate of a conventional mechanical balance wheel driven watch was approximately 200 times per-second. The new tuning fork mechanism allowed a rate of 360 times which guaranteed an accuracy to just one minute a month. The first versions of this iconic watch had two other very distinguishing features to the Accutron; No conventional winding stem with the setting functions located on the case back itself. Next is the sound that the watch makes as it oscillates at this high frequency. An almost humming noise which is very unique to the tuning fork. This is a later version of a watch which still has a proud place in the Bulova line today with many current re-issues and new iterations. The crown here is set at the 4 o’clock position. So accurate and reliable were these watches that they were very popular with the railroad. In 1962, the Accutron 214 became the first certified wristwatch for railroad personnel. So popular is this watch that they have kept a version of this watch in their line. The dial on this watch is great looking. A navy blue with the sporty looking white printing which pops from the dial. The original tritium luminous material is present on both the markers and hands, all responding well and evenly under UV light. The case and the bracelet are in excellent original, unpolished condition. The back of the deployment has been polished due to scratching, and so is also now in excellent condition. The bracelet can be removed in favor of a leather band, if so desired. A great sporty looking variation on an icon.