The Bulova Accutron Spaceview 214 Anniversary Watch

The Accutron Calibre 214 was launched on 25th October 1960 and this date is marked with a 50th Annniversary piece, the Bulova Accutron Limited Edition Spaceview 214.  The Calibre 214 was a defining movement - it was extremely accurate due to its high frequency, it used a tuning-fork in place of a balance wheel and springs and instead of a "tick" it "hummed" - the original Accutron press releases called this hum "the sound of accuracy". The Spaceview 214 anniversary pieces will be handmade replicas of the original which was first released to the public in 1963.  Initially created as a concept piece  for display purposes only, the skeletonised Spaceview with its open-worked dial displaying the circuit-board styled inner workings (like an old transistor radio, just begging to be dismantled)  evoked such interest that Bulova were compelled to put the piece into production.

The  2010 edition of the Spaceview 214 will be a limited production of 1000 pieces featuring a 42mm stainless steel case and slightly domed sapphire crystal. Inside is the Calibre Y214 with frequency of 360 Hz.   Each will be presented in a wood and glass display case  bearing a plaque onto which the individual model number of the watch will be enscribed.

If you owned one of these in the Sixties, you were probably a James May kind of guy.  You could have had hours of entertainment at your friend's expense, showing off the high-tech styling and boring them with endless statistics regarding accuracy.  After a while you may have noticed a slight change in atmosphere when you walked into your local pub, and maybe if you had listened intently, you might just have overheard the whispered comment "ssh ...here he comes - him and his damned humming watch....."