Jump to content
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • Current Donation Goals

What the watch world needs...


automatico

Recommended Posts

...is a Bulova Precisionist type movement with stem position, hand sizes, date offset/font, and dial foot holes same as a rolex 3035/3135 (and maybe one for the Eta 28xx). Then you could store the rolex movement somewhere and wear the watch without having to worry about $1000 tune ups/repairs, running down, dropping it, not keeping time etc.

I doubt it will ever happen because it makes too much sense.   :pimp:

Guess I'll just have to buy an Accutron II.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Why not use a Yuki 3135?"

I would rather get away from a mechanical movement to something more reliable and does not need constant babysitting to keep it running.

Imho the Y3135 is at the lower end of the mech movement scale because of the high buy in price and no parts (same as the genuine item). After all, parts make the world go 'round. Affordable parts that is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quality Swiss ETA movements are lifetime movements and don't require constant babysitting. Just routine maintenance. 

As much as I love mechanical movements I agree that a quartz movement with sweep second hand would be very cool if they would fit cases. 

8 hours ago, automatico said:

"Why not use a Yuki 3135?"

I would rather get away from a mechanical movement to something more reliable and does not need constant babysitting to keep it running.

Imho the Y3135 is at the lower end of the mech movement scale because of the high buy in price and no parts (same as the genuine item). After all, parts make the world go 'round. Affordable parts that is.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I snagged a Bulova Accutron movement and cleaned it up and got it running.  Talk about a smooth sweep hand!  Plus, if you stick it up to your ear it hums too you!  I'm going to see if I can mate it up to a dial and stick it in a Rollie case...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, jmb said:

I snagged a Bulova Accutron movement and cleaned it up and got it running.  Talk about a smooth sweep hand!  Plus, if you stick it up to your ear it hums too you!  I'm going to see if I can mate it up to a dial and stick it in a Rollie case...

Problem is that most of them need a special type of battery known as he accucell, as those 1960's tuning fork  mechanisms were designed for the 344 mercury cells that existed at the time. They ran on 1.33-0.35volts whereas the silver oxide batteries of today run on 1.5volt.  Some run fast as a result of substitute batteries unless the movements are modified.  There is usually the problem of double indexing. When replacing batteries make sure you don't lose the insulator under one of  the battery terminal as you can kill the mechanism.  Also the battery goes upside down compared to the mainstream modern quartz movements. The accucell battery is expensive and just a tad smaller as it has a circuit installed on it to accommodate for the movement.  Being only 3/4 of the size you would not get the full term of the battery and need to change it sooner than he old mercury batteries.  I had a dead 1968 NOS model which I then sold for parts in 2001 as I could not find a substitute quartz replacement due to the STM being at the number 4 position

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have this one running fine off one of the substitute batteries so no problem there.  This also has the stem at 4 but with a no-date dial I figger it won't matter...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, jmb said:

I have this one running fine off one of the substitute batteries so no problem there.  This also has the stem at 4 but with a no-date dial I figger it won't matter...

Yours must have been the one that is modified to accept the substitute battery.  I also have one older model that would not accept the modern silver oxide battery and I had one guy who was a specialist in fixing them do the modifications which costed at least 3 times more than the watch was worth.  Only went along with the mods as it was a gift my late mother gave to my late father in the early sixties just before they got married!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't say for sure.  Once getting it running I needed to regulate it, and it's still running a few seconds/day slow but overall ir works fine.  I have another that needs it's equiv. of a balance wheel and will run until it gets to the same spot on the wheel, thump it and it will restart.  Lather, rinse, repeat... ;)  If I find that part I'll have another.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up