# Bulova Tuning Fork Movements



## luddite (Dec 11, 2009)

I have various vintage Bulova Accutron watches in my collection and the most unusual is one that has a 34mm case, no second hand and a tiny movement which only half fills the case.

This lead me to wonder...

How many different movements were made for Accutrons, real ones with tuning forks movements?


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/make/bulova/technical/technical.php


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## luddite (Dec 11, 2009)

Thanks Paul. 

It would seem to have the 2210 movement.


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## rdwiow (Aug 15, 2008)

luddite said:


> I have various vintage Bulova Accutron watches in my collection and the most unusual is one that has a 34mm case, no second hand and a tiny movement which only half fills the case. This lead me to wonder... How many different movements were made for Accutrons, real ones with tuning forks movements?


IMO the sweeping seconds hand was the key attraction to the Accutron, but i guess Bulova had certain slimline cases to fill with an Accutron movement and with the seconds hand made the movement too tall?


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## balla (Jul 31, 2008)

rdwiow said:


> luddite said:
> 
> 
> > I have various vintage Bulova Accutron watches in my collection and the most unusual is one that has a 34mm case, no second hand and a tiny movement which only half fills the case. This lead me to wonder... How many different movements were made for Accutrons, real ones with tuning forks movements?
> ...


I agree to me the smooth sweep of an accutrons second hand is its most defining feature and as you say now its key attraction but I wonder if that was the case when the watches were new or was there attraction more due to there accuracy so not including the second hand was not a very controversial move on bulova's part. I also wonder if people would buy a Seiko Spring drive if a model was released with the second hand deleted or a Bulova presisionist for that matter.


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## luddite (Dec 11, 2009)

I am going out on a limb here but...

Having a tiny movement and no second hand was probably a cost saving exercise.


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## rdwiow (Aug 15, 2008)

It could well have been to keep costs down, and as Balla commented, was a smooth seconds hand motion a key attraction back in the days when the vast majority of watches were mechanical and had more of a sweeping action that say the quartz of today.

I guess it's real selling point was the 1minute per month accuracy.

Still a fabulous piece of horology even now in 2012!


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