The Bulova Accutron II 98B247 is weirder than you think

I can't even guess why Bulova decided to base my Accutron II on a 70's design and blow it up like a sex doll until it reached a diameter of 43.5mm. This weird combination of style and size resulted in a watch that looks retro from afar until you realize that it's not as close to you as you first thought.

It was then that Bulova also realized that the times are hard and some cost cutting measures are needed, but they should not be too obvious. The first victim was the lume, which to be honest has never been that great with Bulova, but this time they managed to apply just enough lume to make it glow for 20 seconds and then go "poof". I've never seen before such brilliant implementation of creative engineering.

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The use of mineral glass was the second cost cutting measure. I usually don't mind glass and I understand the need to cover the huge dial with something, but did they really have to use a single dome crystal, which due to its size and curvature could be used as a telescope eyepiece?

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It does create interesting distortions which make passing time during tedious meetings more bearable, so there is that thought. (Yes, the photo is in focus and yes, this is what you see at extreme angles)

The Accutron II is otherwise a fine watch, the quartz movement is ultra precise with no drift, the second's hand glide across the dial with a smoothness that is only rivaled by a Spring Drive GS, and it managed to skip the uglification process through which most of Bulova watches go through. There's plenty to like and love about my Accutron, if only it wasn't so...weird.

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They'll never make them like this. These are my Grandfather's (silver) and Dad's (gold). 

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They are both great, the gold one has interesting indices that reminds me of what Seiko did in the past or what Yema did with their newer Wristmaster.

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Do the new ones "sing" as the old ones do?

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RobertWood

Do the new ones "sing" as the old ones do?

No they don't. The have the same quartz movement as the precisionists, meaning that their second's hand glide smoothly instead of ticking and the crystal oscillate at 262kHz making them very accurate. I usually only have to set it is when switching from summer to winter time and vice versa.

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Catskinner

No they don't. The have the same quartz movement as the precisionists, meaning that their second's hand glide smoothly instead of ticking and the crystal oscillate at 262kHz making them very accurate. I usually only have to set it is when switching from summer to winter time and vice versa.

Ah okay, that's the same movement that is in my Lunar Pilot. It's a great movement, but what made an Accutron an Accutron was the tuning fork sound. When I was a kid I used to listen to that watch all the time. Still do when I put it on. 

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I don't really understand the point of internal bevels. So the band is basically a black Milanese?

If they did a 3/4 scale version, I'd be much more interested.

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PoorMansRolex

I don't really understand the point of internal bevels. So the band is basically a black Milanese?

If they did a 3/4 scale version, I'd be much more interested.

It used to be a thing when compressor divers where more popular. The Accutron II is not a dive watch but I guess that's a design element that was carried over from the original 70's design. The band is a PVD coated Milanese with a butterfly clasp which was a bitch to size.

I thought it was smaller when I bought it because it was falsely advertised online as being 41mm. Most of the reviews of Bulova's watches with 262kHz movements claim that the large diameter of these watches is caused by the movement which is very big, but I have my own suspicions that it's more of a design choice to make large watches than a real constraint. I don't think that the movement is really the problem here.

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......Citizen!

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That's a really pretty dial, well done!

Bulova is a brand in search of identity. They have to decide what they want to be because they can't be both a shopping mall brand selling overly gaudy monstrosity AND a brand selling the watches in their Archive section. I would prefer seeing them folding Accutron back into Bulova, put more effort into strengthening their identity around the tuning fork logo and smaller 262kHz watches with gliding second's hand. In short, make them an enthusiast's brand selling quality products and foregoing large sales of cheap dreck at retail's stores.

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Is this for sale?

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Yahel1

Is this for sale?

Mine isn't but you can still find new one being sold online.