# Popular Science January 1972.... Ultraquartz, Accuquartz, Astron, Beta



## azimuth_pl

some might recall my post on the Beta21 AccuQuartz that got melted...I've only ever seen it once.










below is a nice article on this watch and other including Astron, Omega 1300, Longines Ultra-Quartz.


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## Silver Hawk

So what was the mysterious Timex? :huh:


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## Who. Me?

Where's the time machine? A new Longines Ultraquartz for under $600 dollars?

Glad their prediction about a nuclear watch never came true.


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## webvan

Amazing article, thanks for sharing, did ou track it down on Google Books or whatever it's called now?

Nuclear? Well in a way, RC watches synch their time to atomic time keeping devices, no?

As for the mysterious TImex, dunno...anyone?


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## azimuth_pl

hi, I had some old articles from Popular Science but never had the time to scan so I found these on Google.

someplace in a later edition magazine the editor added a comment that Bulova asked the reporter to wait with this article for a month.

the reason was that Bulova launched their cheaper inhouse 224 AccuQuartz a month later so that would be a nice publicity to show that their watches are not that expensive.


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## mel

WE need Bill (Watchnutz) to pick up on this, but in 1972, I'd suspect the TIMEX in question would be the Hybrid Quartz #40 movement, quartz with a circuit board and a rocking motor rather than a stepper to drive the hands, this retailed at around $125 according to the comany records, but was maybe not the best answer, later all q watches suprceded this design.

These are referred to as Quartz Electrics by Timexicans.


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## azimuth_pl

an atomic battery was probably made, check these articles and some other on the Timex.


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## azimuth_pl




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## azimuth_pl




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## azimuth_pl




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## azimuth_pl




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## azimuth_pl




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## JudgeBaxter

That Bulova Beta21 that got melted still haunts me......

I've genuinely never seen another and such an incredible design. it obviously looks similar to the Omega Constellations that ran that same movement, but it would be interesting to know which company released theirs first and whether the Omega was a toned down copy of the Bulova, or whether Bulova used the Omega shape as inspiration for their own version - either way, the Bulova one is just stunning and whilst i love my constellation version, I'd happily trade it for one of the Bulova's....

rgds,

David.


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## azimuth_pl

you're not alone David :taz:

I was literally one day from buying it as it stayed on a BIN for a week with nobody eager to take the gamble.

never worn with original lizard strap and gold buckle.

I just can't understand the guy that was really after a supersonic turnaround and couldn't wait one more day.

it cost somewhere below 3000$ then and would sell today instantly for 9000$ (gold alone).

after seeing so many 1300 and 1510 Omega movements with dials sold in the last year I doubt that we will ever see this Bulova again.


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## accuholic

hello ole friend from Crazywatches,I'm already confused enough,but seems I got a ton of reading to do.My beta21 accuquartz was saved from the crucible by the way.Still cost me a month's income(I don't have much of an income).All that I run across about chicken or the egg,seems to always have a P.R. slant.Much the same as the birth of digital,of which you are well aware.Now they are re-inventing digital,two hands again.


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## dickstar1977

Here is one I don't think anyone has actually ever seen and all I have is the heart of the machine! The case is long gone! Such a shame





As you can see from the marks on the dial at some point this was cased up, the 000000 serial number of calibre 01 indicates a tiny production run prior to JLC developing their own Master Quartz 32Khz

Cheers Tom


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