Accutron, #862-04 – 10005, ‘Basel Fair 1961’ Sample, 1959/1961
Category: aesthetic prototype, sample
Description: Symmetric, gilt, white metal, ‘alpha shaped’ main case. Case back 14ct gold (unmarked) printed with production number ‘862-04’, no other markings. Case back shows two recesses: one for the hand adjustment loop, one for the battery hatch. The case back fixed by a stainless steel, screwed ring. No dial. Gilt hands. Acrylic crystal. No crown, but hand adjustment loop on the back.
Dimensions: 34mm (has no ordinary crown), lug – lug: 43mm, lug width: 17mm
Movement: Accutron cal.: 214, #10005, M1 (1961), assembled in Switzerland
Additional info: The aesthetics of this sample corresponds to the earliest ‘Accutron’ model line marketed by Bulova, in style of the later ‘Spaceview’ models. The marketed versions would then have cases completely made of 14k yellow gold, the initial customer group targeted being a modern person striving for more ‘individuality, personal uplift and accurate time’, as Bulova stated in their internal reports (1).
The case belongs to the prototype generation of 1959 of which 100 were made and given to test wear to Bulova executives, originally housing a prototype movement cal.: 114 or 114P. The number 862-04 indicates that this is the case of the 4th prototype featuring an ‘Accutron’ cal.:114 or 114P prototype movement and as such, this case belonged to the earliest ‘Accutron’ watches ever made. All known 1959 prototype cases (#862-04, 862-18, 862-22, 862-29) are of identical construction (gilt, white metal main case of ‘coiled lug’ type, 14k unmarked case back with numbering 862-xx, stainless steel retainment ring) (5).
The movement is a factory modified cal.: 214 from 1961. The movement plate shows a removed ‘Bulova U.S.A.’ engraving, which is replaced by a machined recess showing the engraving ‘Bulova SWISS’ required for exhibiting at the ‘Basel Fair’ 1961. While retaining the US factory date stamp ‘M1’ for 1961, the movement plate was engraved with the calibre number ‘214’ in Switzerland and also stamped with the Swiss production number ‘10005’ which indicates that this is the 5th ‘Accutron’ movement ever made or, more precisely, assembled in Switzerland (4).
Bulova knew, that their newly developed system would revolutionise timekeeping and bring space technology to the end consumer, but they were also aware, that to be taken seriously on international level, the new system had to be presented and acknowledged at international watch fairs, of which the ‘Basel Fair’ was the most important representative.
Although the ‘Basel Fair’ being advertised as an ‘international’ watch Fair, before 1972 only Swiss manufacturers were allowed to present their watches to an international audience (3). Bulova had already planned to build an ‘Accutron’ construction facility in Neuchâtel by 1960 (2), but the facility would not be operational until late 1961. As the watches presented at the ‘Basel Fair’ 1961 were required to be ‘Swiss Made’, Bulova counted on the fact of having official representation in Switzerland in form of facilities building mechanical watch movements for several decades already. The goal was to comply with the ‘Swiss Made’ restriction for the normally American made ‘Accutron’ watches to be presented at the Fair.
To accomplish this, Bulova transferred several movements, made in the US, to Switzerland to be re-engraved and assembled locally (2). It is unknown how many of such watches were built (at least 5), the only one known to have survived is presented here. The production cases are identifiable as being American made, in order to present the Accutron in a ‘neutral’ case and thus comply with the ‘Swiss Made’ regulation to present at the fair, the modified caliber 214 was presented in a prototype case of 1959. Because of the restricted used of such prototype case, it is also not excluded, that the watch belonged to a high ranking Bulova representative, who tested the first 100 prototypes and wore the watch, with updated movement, during the Basel Fair 1961.
‘Accutron’ movements are produced in Switzerland as soon as the construction plant was finished. These are marked ‘Bulova Swiss’ without the recess and are not numbered, they show the patent number engraved at the spot where this movement shows the production number. The amount of ‘Accutron’ movements made in Switzerland remains overall lower than the American produced movements.
Up to now, this is the earliest known Swiss ‘Accutron’ or even ‘Swiss’ marked non-balance equipped wrist watch.
Ref.:
Electric Watch Prototypes 