Bulova Accutron Astronaut 'Mark II'

In 1960, Bulova had a vision of the future — and that future hummed with potential! About a decade before the Quartz Crisis, the American firm introduced a watch that did away with the traditional balance wheel, instead using a 360-hertz tuning fork attached to a battery-powered transistor oscillator circuit as its heart. Designed by Max Hetzel, the Accutron made waves, becoming the first wristwatch precise enough to be qualified for U.S. Railroad certification — guaranteed to be accurate to about one minute per month, or roughly two seconds per day. This particular Accutron, an Astronaut Mark II, merges funky late ‘60s industrial design with the innovative Accutron movement, adding in a handy second complication for good measure! Housed in a yellow gold-filled case with “cornes de vache” lugs, dual Accutron-signed crowns, a domed, acrylic crystal, and a convex bezel, it features a metallic dial with an outer printed minute track, applied indices with luminous tritium plots, a lumed ‘stick’ handset, a date window at 3 o’clock, and a 12 hour aperture at 6. Powered by a Accutron tuning-fork movement, it powers a complicated mechanism that displays the time, date, and more, all of which is easily controllable via the dual-crown system on the case flank. Perfect for a frequent traveler who desires an elegant dual-time solution, this 34mm beauty is a call back to different era of movement innovation. Who could possibly resist such a compelling mix of history, design, and horology? Accutron Factory Certified Pre-Owned Analog:Shift is proud to be partnered with Accutron as the exclusive retailer for Factory Certified Pre-Owned timepieces. Our longstanding relationship and shared passion for horological history and design have culminated in this unique offering. Each Accutron timepiece undergoes rigorous inspection and certification by expert watchmakers and is backed by the manufacture, ensuring unparalleled authenticity and quality.