Bulova 1965 Accutron Astronaut

Submitted by timekeeper on August 12, 2012 - 5:43pm
A
Manufacture Year
1965
Movement Model
214
Movement Jewels
17
Case Serial No.
C51661
Case shape
Round
Case color
White
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

I'm not sure about the year of this watch. The case is dated1965, and the movement is dated 1967. When a watchmaker friend of mine died, I bought some of his parts from his widow. Included in the lot was 2 boxs of odds and ends and junk. In one box was this empty case, and in a small can was the movement with some missing parts, such as hands and hour wheel. The band was in the 2nd junk box along with some other bands and case parts from other watches. Recently I had an  Accutron watchmaker put it together and service it. It could be that these parts came from more than one watch. Which doesn't matter to me personally, because it is such a good looking watch, and run s so very well.

Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Bulova watch
Geoff Baker
Posted August 13, 2012 - 5:34am

That's an easy one, Astronaut, in either year.

William Smith
Posted August 13, 2012 - 6:08am

Latter mvnt date I guess.  The movement is the 214? 
1967 Astronaut from me.

timekeeper
Posted August 13, 2012 - 9:34pm

The movement is 214, with the necessary changes for adding the 24 hour hand and wheel. Did this movement have a different caliber number?

oliverb
Posted August 13, 2012 - 10:11pm

With a hack spring from the factory, it would be a 214H. Of course, a hack spring can be added to any 214 movement. Nice bullet link band! Most likely a substituted movement as the dates for these wouldn't be 2 yrs. apart. Nice job!

JP
Posted August 14, 2012 - 1:12am

Astronaut from me.

Astronaut M2
Posted April 8, 2019 - 9:36pm

The movement caliber number for the Accutron Astronaut is 214HN...

BlackbirdM3
Posted April 29, 2021 - 8:42pm

An interesting note here. Look at the dial, its a gloss T-Swiss-T dial from a Swiss type 1 astro. The US astros have a matt black dial.  Since I know the Swiss type 1s are about as rare as they get, I will enlighten everyone. They are not the same as a US one. They use a 339 case, a 339 crystal, (both are a little different from the US version) the GMT ring is different in that the Swiss version has a closed 4 (like this font) vs the open 4 that the US version uses. Its not the same case as a Swiss type 4 either. I think they can come in both a US 214HN and a Swiss 214HN movement depending on whether its a prefix (1-XXXXX) or a no prefix case. The 1- watches have the Swiss movement, the 5 digit no letter version uses a US movement. 

mybulova_admin
Posted April 30, 2021 - 8:27pm

Any concern over the date code variation of 2 years? Case is M5 and movement is M7. Could the movement be a replacement?

BlackbirdM3
Posted May 2, 2021 - 2:06am

In reply to by mybulova_admin

I can't tell if the movement says its a 214HN or not.  If its not an HN, its a replacement movement. That said, in my research for my Swiss 339 Astro, it appears the proper movements are never more than a year one way or the other of the case. That allows for a December 64 movement to go into an early 65 case, or a late 65 case to receive an early '66 movement.  (Apply the case/year required for a specific watch in question.) 
 The HN parts for the GMT and the hack spring can be added to a straight 214 pilar plate/movement to make one work in an Astro.  Based off this, I'd wager its a replacement movement, and without a doubt one if its just a straight 214 pilar plate.