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Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

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Al_Mc

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Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post08 Feb 2015, 17:12

Hi all.

Still pretty new to the site, first time on this forum. I'm very happy I found it, as part of my collection is a great fit for it.

Here's one of my favorites - a 1970 Bulova Spaceview Cushion Case. I found this beauty at a Flea Market a few years ago.

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Kasper

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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post09 Feb 2015, 21:36

Accutron was introduced to the public in October of 1960. Conversion kits and display watches were made available to Bulova dealers worldwide to help them explain how the breakthrough technology worked.

The marketing group at Bulova correctly decided that top-of-the-line solid gold cases would convey a sense of enduring quality to the upstart Accutron technology. Bulova used two 14 kt. gold "Spaceviewed" models in an advertising campaign which was intended to accomplish two things. The idea was to differentiate and create excitement around Accutron's ordinary looking dial models by giving the public a glimpse at the technology inside, and to link the development program which created Accutron to the US space program. The advertising worked brilliantly.

The plan was to build enough of these unusual watches for distribution to dealers who didn't want to bother with converting one from their stock and it is widely believed that Bulova expected to sell at most, a few hundred of the new "Display Model" sales aids to their dealers. That was the plan but the public had other ideas.

Can I buy the one in the window?
Perhaps because of its' uniqueness, potential customers who thought that the watch in the jewelers window was a standard model started asking to buy one. Dealers who didn't want to lose a sale were happy to sell the "Display Model" and the strangely attractive watch started selling like hotcakes. Soon, due to popular demand, dealers everywhere clamored for quantities of the new best seller. In response to the unprecedented demand Bulova added the "Spaceview" model to the Accutron line. In 1961 Bulova scrambled to keep up with the demand for the expensive new toys and they were hard pressed to come up with enough of the 14kt. gold cases.

The marketing people at Bulova now knew that they had a hot commodity and that there was also a market for a less expensive Spaceview model so they decided to design one from scratch. Whereas the first Spaceview crystal was made to replace a dial, the new Spaceview would have a built-in metal minute scale (chapter ring) and the crystal would be imprinted with only the Accutron name and tuning fork logo. The first of these new models in gleaming stainless steel came out (I believe) at the end of 1962. By 1963 (M3) they flew out of Bulova factories and sales of the more expensive solid gold models decreased. Soon, other models of the chapter ring Spaceview were produced in both stainless steel and gold filled cases.
@ martin@ _accutron214_com


Know the watch, know his histoy :-D superb piece..keep posting these.
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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post13 Feb 2015, 03:25

Very nice Time Piece. I own a few accutrons myself. Very unique watches!!! :Hi:
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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post01 Mar 2015, 19:32

I collect mostly Astronauts. :Hi:

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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post02 Mar 2015, 01:54

Thanks for the info. :Prost:
Also what a collection of astronauts. :eek:
As I mainly collect digitals I only have one 214 and here it is.
Comments welcome as I know very little about these.

Spaceview_06 crop.jpg

Spaceview_01 crop.jpg


Here's my only other accutron..
$(KGrHqEOKisE3C9brjIDBN0deOduuQ~~0_3[1].jpg
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"I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member" Julius Henry Marx

"If necessity is the mother of invention, then mother is now standing at the door calling us in to do our home work"

IF YOUR MOBILE PHONE OR SMART WATCH DOESN'T NEED CHARGING AT LEAST EVERY WEEK YOU EITHER...
A. HAVE NO LIFE/FRIENDS. OR NEED FOR ONE.
B. YOU NEED TO SWITCH IT ON.
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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post02 Mar 2015, 04:45

Nice watches folks!!! Those Astronauts are scoop nice. I'm looking for one myself.

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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post02 Mar 2015, 18:31

jagmad wrote:Thanks for the info. :Prost:
Also what a collection of astronauts. :eek:
As I mainly collect digitals I only have one 214 and here it is.
Comments welcome as I know very little about these.

Spaceview_06 crop.jpg

Spaceview_01 crop.jpg


Here's my only other accutron..
$(KGrHqEOKisE3C9brjIDBN0deOduuQ~~0_3[1].jpg


I am not an expert but what little info I have I will share. Your first pic the Chapter ring spaceview has the gold tone movement which came out around 1968 so your date code should be M8 or higher for that Gold Toned movement to be correct. The early M0-M7 would be Zinc colored. The bottom pic is a nice accutron movement 2181. (2181) would be a 218 with a date window, a 2182 would be a date/day window. Both very nice accutrons either way. Many times its hard to pic out an accutron that is near correct as they have been messed with over the many years they have existed. Chapter Ring Spaceviews near abit harder to 'fake' and thus somewhat more collectible.
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jagmad

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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post03 Mar 2015, 02:52

Thanks Timecollector
The first one, I knew when I bought it it wasn't correct, but I wasn't to bothered as I wanted
The gold movement in an earlier case. I also didn't pay an arm and a leg for it.
As you said most have been messed with especially
the spaceview, if not manufactured/raped, because of their higher price.

The second one I paid even less for and was attracted to the unusual link with the diamond
and two sapphires with what looks like a duck flying with something on it's back. :grin1:
Still haven't found out what it's about but the words, SILVER LINK CLUB are engraved on the case back.
(can anyone shed any light on it?)
Looks really nice on and I love the way they hum.
I consider these like pieces of art from deceased artist's, as I read somewhere that the equipment to
make them has all been scraped/lost. Not sure if it's true though. :-?
Thanks again and I've added some pic's of the link and back...

$(KGrHqEOKiUE2+054RlGBN0deJY8Tw~~0_3[1].jpg


$(KGrHqQOKm8E2d-BrJ-zBN0deOD2Hg~~0_3[1].jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member" Julius Henry Marx

"If necessity is the mother of invention, then mother is now standing at the door calling us in to do our home work"

IF YOUR MOBILE PHONE OR SMART WATCH DOESN'T NEED CHARGING AT LEAST EVERY WEEK YOU EITHER...
A. HAVE NO LIFE/FRIENDS. OR NEED FOR ONE.
B. YOU NEED TO SWITCH IT ON.
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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post03 Mar 2015, 17:50

Very nice pics. Your second watch considering the date N6(1976) (second to the last year of the tuning fork watches could actually be a 219 movement). Only way to find out would be to take the back off. Both a nice part of a vintage collection. :Hi:
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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post05 Mar 2015, 12:35

great stuff here guys..thx.
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Re: Bulova Spaceview "Cushion Case"

Post05 Mar 2015, 17:59

Timecollector wrote:Very nice pics. Your second watch considering the date N6(1976) (second to the last year of the tuning fork watches could actually be a 219 movement). Only way to find out would be to take the back off. Both a nice part of a vintage collection. :Hi:


Yep your correct again it is the less interesting but more accurate hummer the 912.
I'm still looking for an out of the ordinary 218 either 1 or 2 I'm in no rush.
So many watches, not enough Wrist's or Day's I'm afraid. Sigh. ;-)

Thanks for the info again.
P air
:dwf:
"I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member" Julius Henry Marx

"If necessity is the mother of invention, then mother is now standing at the door calling us in to do our home work"

IF YOUR MOBILE PHONE OR SMART WATCH DOESN'T NEED CHARGING AT LEAST EVERY WEEK YOU EITHER...
A. HAVE NO LIFE/FRIENDS. OR NEED FOR ONE.
B. YOU NEED TO SWITCH IT ON.

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